Brian K. Shaffer

Great guess woodsfish, but as you found out.. incorrect. Here is another tough one -- look close :

The nail knot is the obvious first choice, followed by an albright - which is essentially a nail knot over a loop. Use that one only when fishing heavy fresh or saltwater situations. My second choice is the leader spliced thru the fly line. Check the Tiemco Shimazaki leader splice instructions below : The Tiemco Shimazaki Leader Splicer is a great assisting tool for you to get the leader right through the center of the flyline tip with ease. Simply place the flyline along the groove on the inside and push the needlepoint straight in the line tip. The transparency of the tool allows you to see through how you are inserting the needle. Instructions included. How to use it : In the Splicer you have two different grooves : wide and narrow. For 10 weight line or lighter use the narrow groove. 1) Put the needlepoint 2 to 3mm or one tenth of an inch in the center of the line tip(1A) and place it in the groove(1B) 2) Close the splicer. While holding it tight to keep the line firmly in place, push the needlepoint straight in the line tip. Push further deep until you see the hole in the needle show out of the line (2) . 3) Keeping the needle in the line, insert the leader tippet through the needle hole by about 5 cm or 2 inches (3A) . Draw the needle completely out of the line. You will now see the line/tippet as in (3B) with a short tippet out of the line tip. 4) Draw the leader all the way through the line tip leaving only a required length of the butt section and tie it around the line by nail knot or uni knot (4) . LINK for tippit to fly knots - here I believe the above link shows the trilene - which I use only for big flies and heavy tippits. The Orvis / Improved Clinch / Palomar / Uni -- those are what I use given fish and conditions. Try that Orvis knot with a piece of heavy mono or string. It makes one strong knot to your fly! best fishes - Brian

Phil Lilley has a special order spinning rod for trout fishing at his shop. I know he sells the fire out of them.. so they are probably pretty good. The shop phone number is 417-334-6380 They are priced very reasonably! ( He fishes them too - so maybe he will advise when he gets back ) screaming reels - Brian

hey jdavis - a couple words of advice I received years ago from a fellow guide : always cut off the last foot of a leader you just tied on and add 2 feet of tippit. I read somewhere to do that as well. It seems that many of the leaders that come out of production have the most failures in strength just a few inches from the lightest end. I have been doing that for years.. taking a 9ft 5x orvis leader - cutting off the little loop and using a shimazaki leader splice kit to splice leader in and super glue it - then cutting off the last 16 to 12 inches and adding 24-36 inches of the next smaller tippet. If I do not have time or patience for the leader splice with the tool - a nail knot takes just 30 seconds. Often times I can have a leader last half a season with this technique -- unless I go from day fishing a bunch to night fishing at the same times. Then I use the loops and just hate it during the day. I will switch from 10ft 6x for day and 7.5ft 4x for night simply using the loop to loop. You also asked about knots to fly. I have been using the Pitzen ( or Orvis ) knot for a couple years now. I find it pretty easy once your are trained to tie it. Here's the instructions : 1. Pass the end of the tippet through the eye of the hook, then round the tippet and back through the loop that you have just made 2. Take the tag end and wrap it round the second loop twice. 3. Now lubricate and tighten the knot. 4. Finish by trimming the tag end.

I love my boat. That yellow boat is the same model I own, but that aint my boat (with all that bass fishing rods and a biat bucket). I just do not have the boat right in front of me to take a picture at the moment. Anyways - Ted, the boat is pretty much just tough to fish out of period - unless you are anchored. You can easily float around and cast.. but the motion of casting alone will direct you in different directions.. off line from your floating line. Also - sometimes you get spun 180 degrees around with just currents and eddies and stuff.. I have just found it best to anchor down and fish long, mended drifts. As far as like mizzouflyfisher said - more than 2 units is a handful. Actually two is ok.. I can handle that.. but you get 4 going and you really only have a few spots to anchor / or even get out. Plus.. it is sometimes scary if you are not careful. I do like living and wont justify a trout for my life. One thing I do that works great for me is night fish out of the pontoon. I know the upper end really well.. I have floated it at night a ton in my pontoon and it makes for a better trip every time I go. Used to I would walk around.. slip in the dark.. not fun. Nowadays I just slip the boat off the top of my truck and Im off. You get to fish all the good water by the ramp.. and you can go up or down without too much worry that they are going to turn on any water. I would not advise floating at night with water running. Its just asking for trouble. Also - if you notice that boat (its the JW Outfitters Renegade) the way the oar locks are sort of up and out.. not on an upside u pillar. This makes for better rowing. I have been in the water with other boaters in all kinds of boats.. and when they see how this setup works.. they understand it works much better. Instead of rowing from the middle, I am rowing from the front - so you can pivot these boats and just overall manuver them easier. You'll see me out in the boat.. you'll see it on my truck.. I fish it 75-100 times a year. I might someday own a john boat .. a Supreme or something like it. But for now.. I am happy enough. screaming runs - Brian

Right you are Butts.. you guys wanna put up some flies too.. go ahead.. We could have a bunch up as fly tying eye candy. Check this out - this one's tough to name correctly :

Greg got it right.. and so did tippet and moose. Check this out, here is an egg-sucking leech.. very effective winter time fly : I got another one for you guys : name this dry

Check this link .. its no joke. HUGE TROUT LINK / What a monster fish So it is a lake trout - but who cares.. 45-55lbs is monstrous! best fishes - Brian

Dano - hey there / good to see you made it over here! If you have a digital - take a picture at a noted location next time you go and I will give you a yes or no. cheers - Brian

hey moose - I am a firm believer in Bass Pro's entry level equipment. The Dogwood Canyon rod is so much improved over the last few years.. worth every penny as your first outfit. The reel you get is a great one too. It will be your backup setup for sure if you ever upgrade to higher quality in the future. (or the wife will end up owning it if your not careful.. then you gotta upgrade for her even quicker) As far as flies.. I betcha you could get by with under a dozen patterns for Taney. Wolly buggers in olive and black, San Juan Worms in worm brown and red, egg flies in a host of colors, green and gray scuds / sowbugs, soft hackles in a few colors and a couple of midges.. a beadhead midge and a standard midge. Those flies seem to be a staple : they work great about all the time. The water conditions on the other hand are not so predictable. cheers - Brian

This spot is above the dam, right at the main local dock area. 160 sounds like Missouri waters, so let me know if I am confused.

http://flyfish.ableweb.net/images/orvis.jpg http://flyfish.ableweb.net/images/pitzen.jpg http://flyfish.ableweb.net/Pitzen.htm the board wont let me post these - do them individually I tie on the Pitzen knot - everytime. best fishes - Brian

This is by far the best boat for Taney at low water : http://www.bass-n-tubes.com/albums/rigging/jwoutfitters.jpg the image aint coming up.. so I will try this again - for the 5th time

The inaugural winner of this here boards giveaway contest - flyman! Congrats flyman - you won a supreme tying table. ( I have tied on these models and they are one of the tops on my list of easy access tying tables. ) There are more giveaways to come - so keep those fly recipes coming in. happy tying - Brian

This last one didnt sell.. so I am gonna lower my price. How about $110 shipped to you. All items ready to be wrapped up. 9 foot 6 inch 5 weight GLoomis IMX blank.. this alone is worth a c note ($100) You also get the seat, the cork and the guides. This is perfect for anyone wanting to wrap thier first, second or third rod. take this off my hands - PLEASE tight lines (to come) - Brian

Fox - we are very fortunate to have you on board. Your fly pattern knowledge will be a true asset to everyone, and your overall time and effort spent in the field of fly fishing / fly tying and just overall being an avid outdoorsman. - Brian

Given that the first day was only like 2 months ago.. those stats are very impressive. Almost 2 million hits.. over 234,000 page views.. wow this is gonna get pretty big neat-o

I know of very few people who would approach any fishing angler and just start giving advice. I would not fish with people like that.. that to me is always viewed as "unwelcomed" advances by not only the angler but also people around who see / hear it. (i see it happen quite a bit, more than you would think) The beauty of fishing is solitude. Solitary by choice. Of course there are plenty of times when you got a group of ya out there having fun (quietly) and enjoying the fishing. But if someone in my party goes up to a fellow angler they do not know and say " hey I noticed you werent catching as many as us.. here is my fly pattern I have been catching lots of fish on.. right in front of you.. " --- that is a snide angler. I would not ever fish with that person again. Poor communication is just that, poor. As far as calling a phone number to report poaching / anything to the MDC - call the agent directly. Charles BUCK Nofsinger - office 417-546-2990 Quenten Fonterhouse - cell 294-5543

This is a very touching post. If you skipped thru it - go back and re-read it. This is the kind of post that makes you stop and think, especially if you are a young(er) flyfsherman such as myself. Your recount of your fathers activities are quite well received, jouneyman, is there somewhere that I could read more ? I have a mutual friend, a purple heart from Vietnam, who is occasionaly awakened with dreams.. some dreams I wish to never dream. As a soldier, he experienced many things I will never see... many things I never wish to see. Fly fishing brings us all back to a point of realism sometimes. all my best - Brian

( this topic should be moved to the fly fishing gear / review section) - brian -

lilley - i am gonna go with this til its figured out.. til you and I or someone else and I find this spot, whichever comes first. You were right in your search though.. close.. very close. Nicely played Arkamo. The restaurant mentioned is and has a front porch for dining onto. They do serve great food too.. as noted, they have been recognized in some kind of magazine. i own the issue.. of some food magazine.. noting the chicken fried steak.. or breakfast.. or .. ? The turnoff road to land you possibly into this secret spot, as lilley mentioned, is noted by Goggle Earth.. but if you still can't find it.. take some more time to goggle all the happenings on C/C. If you find this spot - it will as you have seen before, nice looking water. Keep walking. best fishes - Brian

What a great topic! Some great replies in here as well. Taney is definately a place to have a good drag. I can recall numerous situations where guys lose a good fish due to not having enough drag and even not having the palming ability. I fish a reel called Aaron that is long since discontinued and shows lots of wear. It is a pretty high end reel with a phenomenal disk drag system. This reel is a little heavy, so it balances my setup as Butts mentioned. It is my go to reel.. and I will never part with it. The bond will never be broken. Butts - you looking for a new rod ? A 5 weight ? Try the TFO TiCr. I love mine. $200 or less. I'm also one of the guys who like 99% of my fish on the reel. I like reeling in all my line for several reasons : # 1 - your line is gonna stay cleaner / longer when its on your reel and not wrapped up in the rocks or getting accidentally stepped on # 2 - playing the fish off the reel just feels really good.. you get to steer the fish in a little as you apply pressure from side to side with the rod as you reel.. and playing the fish as quickly as possible is important # 3 - pulling off a little and a little more line as you increase distance while recasting is fun too.. heck.. just casting is fun! # 4 - hearing the little reel scream/zing/sing is kind of nice too screaming reels - Brian

I have caught many sculpin.. when fly fishing even.. for trout : not prehistoric catfish looking mongrels! On more than one occasion I can remember friends of mine I am fishing with catching a sculpins too. These little buggers right live in the rocks, and it is rare to see one out of the water. If you catch one while fly fishing.. you know for a fact that your bugs are looking real and getting down to where fish eat. I am not real good at fishing these flies though without swinging them into currents. I can't do a lot of sight fishing to them as I am color blind. The fly must be lead-eyed and swinging / stopping / swinging or I find that you do not get into true trout/sculpin eating water. As far as the scuplins out to fish with them -- I've heard of that. But get this.. some guys strip the skin off the tail so they smell better to browns. Which reminds me - a significant way to rig sculpins for bait-fishing : 1) get one live 3" sculpin 2) put a 1/2oz bell sinker in its mouth 3) sew its lips shut with mono 4) tie your hook up rod, then add another 6 inch free standing line to hook eye 5) tie the 2nd hook on and push this extra hook thru tail, exposing mostly hook 6) fish with medium light line paying constant attention This technique is a goldmine for browns. It can be hard to get the hooks released, so if you do use this method - crimp the barbs of the hooks to make getting it all undone easier on the fish for release. Sculpins.. here's a pic and some literature : Sculpin, 2 to 4 inch (5 - 10 cm) long fish, are commonly found in streams that are kept cold by spring water. They can be found in both silty and rocky riffles and pools. They lie motionless in one spot and move in quick darting dashes. Sculpin have the ability to blend in with their surroundings, which is useful in escaping from enemies and in capturing their prey by ambush. *Wait til you see the big picture Phil will put up.* tight lines all - Brian

I buy 100yd spools of tippit and just tie as I go. Knowing that there are only 5 makers of pure 100% flourocarbon on the planet, you know half the time you are using one material more than once marketed under a different wholesellers name. So far, I like Orvis's material the best. Seagaur is a close second place runner up (its too much $). The Rio FlouroFlexPlus is a little thin for my taste.. the Umpqua stuff is good.. very similar to the Orvis. As far as major fishing line suppliers offering material used as tippit, I will just use the real mc coy. Sometimes you get what you pay for, and I am not gonna risk that on the fish that sets records. screaming reels - Brian

Its kind of fun to look at Fly Rod and Reel's cover shot every month to see what pattern they are doing for the what fly is this guessing game. So I think it would be fun to try it here. GUESS THIS FLY rules : JUST NAME THE PATTERN - if you know the originator of the pattern you get extra points. Points amount to nothing though.. so get as many as you can! You win nothing for guessing correctly. ( But, you know you've won - that's huge) You can try to figure the name out by right clicking on the pattern and seeing what the URL of the item is, but that aint the fun that is playing this game. You cannot win more than 10 straight - or you will be disqualified from all future posts. ( he he he / just kidding ) Here is the first pic for guessing -