Brian K. Shaffer

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 -

Can I go with you, Bill, for this Striper excursion ? I'll ride in the trunk if neccesary. Let us all know how the fishing is down there. screaming reels - Brian

< Brian Shaffer's eBay auction items > Click the link above to see.. you never know what you will find! Thanks Brian

Well - you could always eBay it ya know. Or - we could auction it off here, on this site. Brian

HINT : This section of the Creek is below the town of Harrison. ( sorry.. I couldnt resist that ) I will find the name of the road that you turn off of 62 (i think that's 62) and get back at ya. best fishes - Brian

You can't "legally" keep a foul hooked fish, period. It says so right in the MO FISHING rule book. tight lines - Brian

lilley wrote : "Reason? If I remember right- so that more anglers could "limit out and be happy" was mentioned (very lame) - so that the hatcheries could carry fewer numbers and grow them bigger for release. The target for Shepherd is to release rainbows at an average of 11.5 inches instead of 9.5 (or something like that)." Phil - that article yesterday in the News Leader touched on the subject in one way, saying that production of trout to be introduced had to be cut by 10 % due to low groundwater flows. Perhaps this could have had an impact on the decision to go from five to four. I surely don't know. screaming reels - Brian

(Speaking as true voice from an ex-shuffler.. all I want to do here is educate.) Lake Taneycomo is a trout treasure. Fish are everywhere, and sometimes they do not cooperate. If the trout don't eat.. what will make them eat right way ? Kicking.. or shuffling of your feet will make it happen. When you kick / shuffle (i.e purposefully disturbing the stream bottom to induce trout to feed), you are commiting an act that truly is not fly fishing related. You have then decided to become someone who wishes to bait a hole. Kicking is detrimental to the substrate, dislodges entire colonies of scuds and sowbugs, and is unsightly in its nature. Besides being unethical in nature - it is certainly unsightly. If you choose to kick / shuffle.. your choice. my .02 - Brian Shaffer

If you have access to any golf course ponds near your home, and you are willing to dodge golf balls.. this is certainly an idea to pursue. I have caught carp up to 30lbs.. all on fly. Mainly wets, though I have had a few flies eaten on the surface by big Carp that I couldnt hold on to. Have you tried it ? Would you try it ? let me know screaming reels - Brian

Wapsi Fly Inc, Arkansas, sells a new product for making both Bass and Bluegill bugs. Called PERFECT POPPER, these kits come with hooks and foam popping bug blanks to be affizxed to the shank of the supplied hooks. Add a little hackle.. a little marabou.. and you are set up! The only thing you might want to do is touch up the blank foam with a good marker.. like a PrismaColor. This is the cutting edge of materials as these are soft foam poppers. Instead of ruining a hard cork bug on one rock - these flies bouce off.. and they look good doing it! Sometimes you find the fish on right as the fish lands off the rock... thats classic! Try these poppers if you find them.. they come with hooks and all and in various colors. happy tying - Brian ( ask Jeremy about the wet MackieBug )

I am glad to hear Brad is well.. I miss seeing him around down there. He is such a character, not unlike myself. Those pics are nice.. Shame I don't fish this fly very well... as I cannot see it underwater. Part of fishing is feeling - yes - but part is seeing. tight lines - Brian

How'd the trip go cat ? Where'd you guy end up fishing ? Was it all is was cracked up to be for your bro ? hopefully full of screaming reels - Brian

Certain sections of C/C fish better than others.. here is a wild goose chase map leading to a section that holds tremendously big fish in a large pool.. like nothing you will have ever seen before. As if you were heading from Mtn Home towards that town with the famous restaurant - there is a sign of a cow.. says something like "Eat Beef" which can only be seen travelling the opposite way. Right before this sign is the turn to the left. ( or after you see the sign, its on the right - there on the right, immediately if you're coming from the opposite way) Travel this road until you get to know you are rising in elevation.. and then there is this railroad track you must cross as a sharp right turn. Park down to the left before the tracks and get rigged there. Walk the tracks upstream until you see the trail, leading down to the water. Its on your left. Walk down the trail.. cross the creek and fish the lower section of the creek, from the right. - I know - this is a goosechase.. but if you find it - you will be pleased. tight lines - Brian

I remember years ago turning a left and driving left towards the lake - then winding along a little bluff to the right.. then there was this sharp corner -- where I saw tons of fish -- peering down to my left, from high above in my truck. I parked and got rigged .. I got out and walked down to this spot.. and lost 3 bugs faster than I knew what hit them! There were big bluegills... and lost of big healthy bass. Anybody know this spot ? screaming reels - Brian

I have caught quite a few bass from around and near the docks right at Norfork Lake. No waders.. no vest.. just seeing (spotting) fish and casting to them. One day I had tied on a little panfish bug and started throwing it out anywheres, still with my 5X tippet 'cause I was was hopping from place to place as the water forced me out. I had already caught a few decent bluegills when bass showed themselves everywhere along the docks.. and they were moving in closer and giving away thier presence all too often. I walked and casted.. I followed and peered into the lake... and then finally I ended up finding a few huge bass (3-5+lbs) that were cruising the banks and I had my fly inhaled by one of these bigger fish -- and I was not prepared for this at all. This was a big bass.. 5+.. and I broke that fish off like it was a whale tied to sewing string... it just pulled too hard on 5x.. being totally unprepared for it. I should have re-tied. Then, after tying on heavier tippit.. I couldnt seem to locate any of the fish anymore. :-( anybody else ever found this spot ? best fishes - Brian

It is important to keep fish.. and we with this C and R thing.. we sometimes fail to understand that. I agree with RRV - pans were made to fried in.. fish were meant to be eaten, put it together.... If someone frowns on you for keeping fish - you tell em' : " I am just helping all the big fish that also live here get bigger. " Little fish eat twice / three times / 5 times as much or more than big fish... so I say unto you - KEEP AS MANY AS YOU WANT! Get them outta here as fast as they put them in.. serisously... it makes sense. Smile back at those naysayers. Please keep in mind - What you are doing is bettering the stream and not in any way hurting it. screaming reels - Brian

Wes Johnson of the Springfield News Leader had a front page story today that included numerous quotes about Crane Creek concerning the dry conditions, low flow, dried up regions and how it has made the trout quite vulnerable to predators. " A stretch of Crane Creek in Stone County has supported a population of about 600 wild trout per mile. But with the onset of drought conditions, portions of the creek have dried up. Chris Vitello was quoted as saying "Some fish will get trapped in shallow pools and die, you'll see mink and otters take advantage of that - it's easy pickings. " " Some of the Wild trout move downstream to deeper water and return to recolonize the dry stretches when enough water flows again. Chris Vitello "We've seen some indications of upper Crane Creek coming back. It's a natural cycle. " The James River was mentioned, as well, being in a similar scenario. Its a natural cycle... tight lines - Brian

Happy Holidays Bud! did you get what you wanted for christmas ? screaming runs - Brian

You talking about Stubby ? brian

Did I hear something about a 14lb new state record for OK ? Was it below broken bow ? hmm.. I can't remember... ( i must be getting older ) :-) best fishes - Brian

Howdy Greg - Just wanted to say what a nice compliment you made about the board. We will all try to get this ball rolling quickly! tight lines - Brian

Nice to have you Chris! Keep your eyes on the board this upcoming Spring for lots of Table Rock talk. screaming reels - Brian Shaffer

Welcome Bill! I enjoyed reading your BIO and will keep my eye on the Striper Forum for fishing updates. Did you happen to catch any whites (was it last year, 2 years ago >?) when they had the gates open at Taney ? That was crazy fun for a few days. Once again, welcome. best fishes - Brian Shaffer

I have caught bluegill up at the cable.. right below the dam with the water off. After they finally shut the flood gates a couple years back - white bass were everywhere. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. Current from the 4 units running and being connected to a 3lb white bass. It was stellar! Another thing I saw one night was Rod Titus catch about a 7lb flathead catfish below outlet 2. He had to literally drag it in as it was so cold and lethargic. He let it go to! happy holidays all - Brian

I try to fish my CrackleBacks dry as often as possible. Just like fishing a Griffiths Gnat (which you wouldnt think of sinking it or stripping it in wet). Like was said, you do have to grease your leader down pretty good to keep everything floating right.. but once it sort of wears off.. then its time to start fishing it wet. The day I posted that - I had some great looking drifts that didnt produce. A fine forward cast that flipped over well.. fly and leader landing out nicely.. fly floating.. still floating.. mend.. mend.. add some line... mend.. At just about the start of a swing.. the fly was not sinking at all.. instead it was skimming the surface while swinging.. and it looked fantastic! I had 2 risers on the swinging fly.. but no takers. The idea of a bead head C/B boggles my mind. I would tie something else and call it a Funky Armadillo. tight lines - Brian