Brian K. Shaffer

I cannot imagine throwing one of these on my fly rod! A collection of Heddon Fly Rod Super Sonics If you've got any of these in your garage - let me know! best fishes - Brian

It is a Steve Deats model.. I read where he was out of Colorado. The early use of what looks similar to catch and release netting is what I like. As you can see - it is unused. But thats gonna change best fishes - Brian

I remember when you could drive all the way to the edge of Taneycomo by Outlet 2.. and you could park right by the bridge over outlet 3. best fishes - Brian

I like this one - neat 1981 net! Anybody got anything they wanna show ? I will add some more in a couple of days. best fishes - Brian

Ryan - you wanna go fishing ? Seems as though you might be walking past a few spots.... best fishes - Brian

Perhaps this coming rain will change things. But with the lake as low as it is.. I know nothing will change. Wait til this summer.. drought city! Things would be different if we had minimum flow. yeck - Brian

So it's a go ? Or is it ? Brian

There are plenty of times I have had box envy.. Like the one morning I woke up when sleeping overnight in my truck at the South Platte in Colorado.. and there / in the same parking lot is A.K. Best, Ed Engle and John Gierach. Getting an impromptu sneek peek look into those guys boxes will make you understand real quick.. Nicely, or highly quality tied flies go in the right boxes. All dries go in boxes that can accomodate each group with room. Therefore, the Dewitt and Myran boxes hold all my dries from here on out. The midges go in HIGH CONTENT boxes like mizzou mentioned.. the C&F boxes offer the more the merrier as far as content goes... best fishes all - Brian

I am not sure if I mentioned this once before... but the Japanese have a contest every year where fly anglers use the smallest hooks they can find (size 40's) to catch the smallest fish they can. Strange, huh Also - if you have ever seen one of Charlie Readings fly rods, you know he uses size 32's around the base above the cork. Check this out : The Ferrari of Fly Rods screaming reels - Brian

Greg - I am gonna break it down as 2 rods for day fishing / and 2 rods for night fishing. Remember, this is just my opinion. I had (but had to sell) a Winston 8ft 3pc 4wt that I fished soft hackles and midges and small dries with for about 5 years. That rod was great with little wind and the water definately off. My second choice for a day rod would be the LLBean SPT 9ft 5wt 2pc. This rod is just fast enough but with a very thin tip and reasonable flex. I like it if I know I am going to fish 2 fly indicator rigs and bigger dries or swinging soft hackles or cracklebacks or even small wollies. For night fishing - I fish a TFO TiCr 9ft 4pc 5wt. I think this rod is pretty fast.. and while I do not do this often.. I had to bump up a line weight on it - so I have a 6wt on it. This rod is perfect for anything that isnt just huge. My second choice for a night rod is a TFO TiCr 9ft 4pc 7wt. Aagin - I treat this more like an 8 weight and I rarely pull it out unless I am going to experiment with really big flies or when I have seen or know there are really big fish in the area (i.e. fall brown season). On a side note : I just bought a 7ft 5wt 2pc cane rod - so I am gonna fish that one on Taneycomo pretty soon. Only dries with be thrown on this rod.. but I have to decide on a reel before I can fish it. Decisions.. decisions.. here's to good casting - Brian

" And if you are fishing these in chop water or even fast water your chances of hooking up a lot are slim to none. " Jeremy - I'm not sure about that. Take for instance the fast sections at either upper or lower Rim Shoals. I have slayed the trout there on soft hackles during certain slow periods of caddis hatches. I believe that if the trout know any hatch is coming or on or just finishing.. they will take soft hackles in all types of water, slow of fast. best fishes - Brian

Check the Mackie Bug for bluegill - Jeremy ties a great one~! I've always done well on just about anything. If presented properly - all fish will eat flies. Brian

I met Andy "Yong" Kim on the S/J this past fall. He was cordial.. he didnt know his clients and he were inching closer and closer to my upstream casting drift. I am glad he was rather friendly too.. cause I caught like 8 fish in front of he and those clients in a 1 hour period. On my way out - he and I exchanged a handshake.. and he asked me who I was. I am just another average nobody I said. best fishes - Brian

Speaking of fly boxes - here are some for sale : $10 shipped to you - to anyone who is registered on this forum. These are Green though - not Blue as shown in photo. best fishes - Brian ozrkflyfisher@wmconnect.com

I think you nailed it Sims.. that the same way I tie it. Sometimes I strip the hackle off one side of the feather.. if its real webbish. But I try to use good enough bird feathers that webbish hackles isnt an issue. Like Jeremy mentioned - a grade 1 partridge skin makes a huge difference in the end all result. Learn to love the SH, G. It should be a go-to fly when risers are a rising and they won't hit the dry. best fishes - Brian

Sims - It is a midge emerger type of pattern, so it literally can be fished in all of the water columns.. but it is most effectively fished in the film or upper 3 layers of the surface. I like to swing the soft hackle most of all.. making a cast at a 45 degree angle downstream and just let her rip! You have to make sure the fly is sunk.. too much hackle at the head and the fly wants to ride to high and create a wake while swinging.. thats bad. You can dunk your tip in the water and strip the fly to get it to sink. You want it to ride about 1/2 inch below the surface.. no wake.. its easy to get this technique by greasing the leader to about 6 inches from the fly. Sometimes the trout come up to it - hit it / miss it - hit is again / miss it... its like watching a shark attack! Ahh.. soft hackle fishing is great fun. (though they are a pain to tie) best fishes - Brian

Boxes in my vest right now : C&F Dewitt Orvis Morell Tach' It Cliff Myran Thats just off the top of my head... so I agree with you.. box decision can be a real pain. Here is how I figure my setup : All dries go in plastic Myran or Dewitt boxes - no exceptions. Putting dries in foam fly boxes will ultimately ruin the underside of the hackled collar or head. I have seen it a thousand times.. and the only way to get those crushed hackles back out straight is to steam them back to shape. (this works!) All scuds / sowbugs go in Tach' It boxes. I do make sure to leave them open in the car overnight to dry so they do not rust the magnetic pad. All beadheads go in the C&F boxes.. they are easy to organize that way. All midges go in C&F boxes.. and I use thier magnet tool to get them out. All streamers go in the foam Morell boxes. (again, leave them open to dry) Everything needed in one box - use the Cliff Box half magnetic / half foam. I use the Orvis configurable box for hoppers and really big dry stuff. All bass flies go in Bass Pro configurable boxes first - then into a chest pack when I am ready to fish a stretch of water - or the whole boxes go with me in the pontoon boat. I am under the impression there is no " perfect " fly box. Thats why it is fun to collect so many! Even though I own somewhere in the neighborhood of 8,000 flies.. you can never have enough boxes to put them in! best fishes - Brian

Sold to me - whoopee! Brian

That's so nice.. early March bass fishing in Taneycomo! Justs goes to show ya - if Table Rock bass fishing is slow.. you always have options. You know what they say about Lake Taneycomo largemouth bass every year... screaming reels - Brian

I know John Walker.. but I do not know any of these St. Louis Fishhead guys... but I do know Jack Charlton. best fishes - Brian

Mike - Nice to have ya! Should you get the nerve - post away.. I only say that cause you said " you all have a nice day ". Somedays on this board - something that " you all " wrote will strike you to respond to.. so feel free. I found out real early best fishes - Brian

hey Phil - What's going on in the 3rd photo from the top ? I can't figure that 'thing' out. best fishes - Brian

That's awful I have caught a few trout in Norfolk with lampreys attached.. and its hard to get them off the fish and even harder to kill them. I had to actually stomp the lamprey in two to kill it. What a strange situation for such a great river. best fishes - Brian

Welcome Bill! I am sure you will find plenty of information here Pull up a chair and join the discussion. best fishes - Brian

This is why we need a NOW GENERATING - 2 UNITS sign. Would it be any different from Branson's horrible sign issue to finally offer a sign for all to see ??? If you were to motor up and see the sign - you'ed know. This seems like a no brainer to me, but a long time coming thru GOVT issues. Brian