Brian K. Shaffer

This fiberglass example is very close to representing the weight designation it was given from the factory : The B corresponds to the second run or batch of these that was constructed.

Fly rods cannot talk - so I share this information with all of you... When Sage began production in 1978, they made rods from both graphite and S-glass. Don Green, the company founder, designed and produced rods at Lamiglas, Grizzly, and Fenwick. Don knew glass rods. But at Sage, the company focus was graphite. The glass rods were never strongly marketed and were only sold for a few years. http://fiberglass-fly-rods.pbworks.com/w/page/5183000/Sage Check out the FiberglassFlyrodders site. A wealth of information from many smart fly fishers over there. Why is this here ? What or who is Winslow ? Sage before they were Sage. The rod shown is a 9'6" 10 weight - it casts the same DT7F as the B686 rod. 4 ounces and thin at the butt. When you put line to a rod - things change. The old rods are/were not using the same fly lines we are today. You must have different lines to try - it can get expensive. Or you can get creative. Rules are bent a lot in fly casting. And isn't figuring out different fly lines fishing ?

SAGE Rods - the entire history chart :

Many glass rods benefit from the use of Double Taper fly lines - makes it much easier in shorter loading. Try many different lines if you have the opportunity. One or two will work like gangbusters. This 7'9" 6 weight 3 piece was also built from a blank :

Crane town park - All aboard !

A while back during some work at the hatchery - something went wrong. Workers panicked. The trees were cut down and 4 pumps brought in to pump water back up into the hatchery. And just like that - the upper end got a new place to launch kayaks and canoes.

I was born in 1973, when graphite was just being widely accepted as a material for making fly rods. From 1981-1983, the fly rod company Sage made fiberglass fly rods... the 2nd rod model made after the graphite GFL from 1980-1987. Should you ever come across one - snap it up if the price is reasonable on your wallet. I looked for 12 years before I found one. The model shown needed to be cast with many different lines to be figured out, but when it clicks - it is a wonderful thing. Throw a Cortland Peach DT7F on this rod and it will launch a bug into the stratosphere - and the rod bend is deep with a hooked fish. S glass was used here - which was about 15% stronger than E glass - being used by most everyone else using glass. The B stands for Blank. No factory Sage rod will ever start with a B. An LED flashlight will allow light to penetrate the S glass material that was used for making up these rods. E stands for electrical... as for its use as an insulator // S stands for structure, as for its use in building material. All very peculiar how it got adapted into fly rods but I am glad it did. Makes for cool casting fly rods. If you see this glowing Sage rod in Taneycomo and hear the scream of a click pawl drag fly reel... say Hello. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ My Sage collection includes a few fiberglass rods that I will photograph over the coming months. Please do bookmark the page. Which Sage model do you have ? click the link below : ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Sage Fly Rod History Chart (This was written up Nov 19, 2019) Please use this link below to find all the names RP - stands for Reserve Power, RPL Reserve Power Light etc... https://randybrownsmf.com/2019/11/19/sage-fly-rod-history-chart/

Opposite side of bridge :

Stay safe and get well soon. All of ya's.

Hello Dutch - as Wire Road is one of the main access locations... we are definitely going to stop there. Thank you for the tip about the bridge spot. I may be standing on it in the photo below :

The walking is tough at Crane - be prepared to walk from spot to spot. It's about as wild as we see here in Missouri. The Springfield NewsLeader link from the first post has a video of Tim fishing. I miss driving past this old Bass Pro shop that was on the way... think that was in Reeds Spring.

I counted 36 gulls below the dam Tuesday from there down to Trophy Run.

This historical data was taken directly from the Corps web pages : Table Rock SOP 1131 Page 1 of 2 01/09/2017 Table Rock Pool History (Yearly Min/Max) Minimum Maximum Date - Elevation Date - Elevation 05/01/1959 836.90 12/31/1959 887.49 01/01/1960 887.49 05/01/1960 915.63 01/01/1961 906.78 05/10/1961 932.51 12/21/1962 897.19 01/01/1962 913.97 03/01/1963 885.27 05/24/1963 901.53 12/31/1964 882.96 05/22/1964 895.52 02/05/1965 881.54 07/07/1965 914.01 01/01/1966 899.45 05/18/1966 915.18 03/08/1967 895.24 12/31/1967 913.88 01/26/1968 911.93 03/23/1968 919.34 12/29/1969 903.95 02/02/1969 918.91 01/16/1970 903.19 05/02/1970 917.39 12/08/1971 902.65 01/16/1971 913.57 10/20/1972 901.75 12/05/1972 913.93 01/12/1973 912.69 05/11/1973 929.61 04/11/1974 914.36 05/13/1974 928.17 09/04/1975 908.86 03/31/1975 919.39 12/31/1976 903.85 05/25/1976 921.08 03/04/1977 897.63 12/19/1977 907.55 02/24/1978 905.55 03/27/1978 920.16 01/16/1979 905.43 05/23/1979 918.92 12/22/1980 896.18 04/07/1980 913.40 03/26/1981 893.55 12/31/1981 915.20 03/29/1982 912.81 02/02/1982 919.02 12/31/1983 905.94 05/03/1983 920.53 02/08/1984 905.89 12/25/1984 927.29 10/17/1985 913.52 01/04/1985 929.60 12/19/1986 903.68 01/01/1986 917.58 12/14/1987 903.44 04/02/1987 917.05 11/11/1988 902.58 01/03/1988 920.00 01/01/1989 904.09 03/14/1989 920.11 10/23/1990 904.11 05/10/1990 928.73 10/24/1991 907.90 05/28/1991 918.82 11/06/1992 910.09 05/12/1992 920.90 09/13/1993 912.38 09/28/1993 920.67 11/02/1994 905.06 04/13/1994 920.07 12/06/1995 904.38 05/13/1995 923.39 01/01/1996 906.66 11/26/1996 920.69 12/05/1997 907.66 02/28/1997 917.08 10/03/1998 905.55 03/22/1998 919.52 12/31/1999 903.88 07/01/1999 918.33 02/06/2000 899.96 07/03/2000 917.31 01/10/2001 904.89 06/10/2001 915.70 12/12/2002 912.03 06/18/2002 923.66 Table Rock SOP 1131 Page 2 of 2 01/09/2017 Table Rock Pool History (Yearly Min/Max) Minimum Maximum Date - Elevation Date - Elevation 11/24/2003 907.67 05/26/2003 917.00 01/01/2004 909.48 04/26/2004 922.69 12/22/2005 903.47 01/15/2005 918.66 02/15/2006 902.91 07/02/2006 916.96 12/17/2007 910.09 06/15/2007 918.39 01/05/2008 910.22 04/12/2008 933.25 12/25/2009 912.20 10/11/2009 922.91 12/30/2010 908.89 05/21/2010 918.89 02/08/2011 906.13 04/27/2011 935.46 12/31/2012 905.13 03/31/2012 916.70 01/24/2013 904.47 08/09/2013 920.14 12/17/2014 909.41 06/16/2014 917.21 02/10/2015 908.73 12/29/2015 933.22 12/31/2016 907.65 01/01/2016 930.98

Thanks for vote of confidence Phil. Maybe just come out and enjoy a day on Crane.

While on this side of the Taneycomo lake river, - and a little before crossing the dam - right across from the Dewey Short entrance in fact, do not miss the sharp RIGHT TURN into the Corps side parking lot. This is the second parking area - lot is on left before bottom. the dam is up river a short walk - use to be trails all thru these woods according to 1960's old timers (there are!)

Photos of various fiberglass fly rods that allow light to penetrate completely thru. Whether from sun or flashlight, the result can be spellbinding. Commonly material shown will be E glass - S glass came later, 10% stronger. Fenwick Pflueger Rare Sage glass

Try some fly fishing at Crane Creek in winter when there are far less snakes out and about. When - Wednesday February 16th Where - Crane Creek Meet at Dollar General at 6am. Rain or shine. Hopefully there is enough water to be found on Crane Creek - I will scout it out a few days before to make 100% sure. If you plan to be there, sign up below. Questions ? Links - Map PDF file - https://mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/files/2020-10/CraneCreek.pdf Special Regulations Apply - https://mdc.mo.gov/fishing/regulations/special-waterbody-regulations/crane-creek 2017 Springfield NewsLeader Story - https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2017/11/02/rare-mccloud-rainbows-crane-creek-get-unusual-ally-new-bridge/727448001/

I've got mine - what is yours ? 2 units - with bluebird skies and an empty bladder. I prefer two units running - it is when I find most large rainbows face upstream. What is ideal for you and your style ? When all aligns - how would you describe the perfect day ? Cheers- Brian

The numbers are still the same to call inside - but one has to have a really good reason, so I seldom use it. The last time I talked to one of the operators, someone was stuck on the island across from Trophy Run.

Todays readings at 702.63 - I still cannot explain it...

Why is this number today 702.63 ?

I was on the Bad Boys' List three times...ha ha.. Phil's article talks about how the fish ladder is still in the works : It works well... gotta keep people out of it though.