jdmidwest

I waded this trip. I have seen people float thru the park. One time they put in at the handicap access, another time was the lowater bridge. Park officials got pretty excited about it.

Drove up and camped Saturday night with some friends and fished below Baptist access on Sat afternoon. Pretty slow, only fished for a couple of hours. River was low and full of swimmers at the access. They had the stream muddied up somehow. I awoke before the horn on Sun, drank my coffee, showered, relaxed and started fishing at 8. I started in the C&R for the first hour and caught a few. Not much to it since you can reach across it with your arm, the fish all pile up. My first encounter with another fisherman was the hole below the spring hole. It was a father/son spinfishing combo standing in the head of the hole drifting down stream. I started well below them and watched for a while. Dad would replenish the bait on the hook from a little jar in his vest. When dad would stick a fish, he would hand the rod to his son to reel it in. Seems like dad already had 4 fish so he was done. He filled his sons stringer and they were done. At least they did not keep too many fish. For those that have not caught on, I was in the Flies only area! Funny thing that really torqued me was when son asked why it was fly fishing only, Joe the flyfisher had only caught one during this time, and he could not understand why I was fly fishing. Dad replyed that he could not figure out why the area was for flyfishers either and they went on their way probably to change clothes and catch another limit somewhere else. Meanwhile, downstream on the bluff, "guy who forgot his waders" was fishing the bluff side and hollering at his buddy across the stream the whole time. Another group with a dog and 3 kids was wading upstream from the hole below. As the hole cleared out leaving only "guy who forget his waders" on the bank, I worked my way down. He spotted me and tromped up the opposite bank to fish in front of me. As this seemed to turn fish off, I moved further down stream. Here he come and started to cast his plastic jig in front of me. His other nickname was "too stupid to land a fish?, as he broke off a couple while I fished the hole. Me being of higher intellect, I remember that I can fish other holes and I dropped down to the next hole where he would have to get wet. I fished it for a while and was doing well. A teenage kid came to fish there and broke off a fish. He was "guy who forget his waders" kid and he returned with his dad to try to catch the fish that had his lure in its mouth. They decorated another fish before we bumped elbows and I went down stream. The crowds all left and most of the idiots, leaving a stream full of good sized fish. I had a very good day on Sat landing around 40 fish and 5 in the 16-18 inch range. Monday was better, the first hole I rolled into was dimpled with rising trout. I spotted some small light colored flies floating in the seam of feeding trout and tied on a CDC Cahill size 18. It worked well and I played around the hole for a while. I worked up to the next hole and was trying to work my way around a guy fishing from the bank when he motioned me in front of him. He was so excited to tell me he had released a 5 lb fish before I got there. He was spinfishing with a purple and red plastic grub. He was the only violater that I run across on Monday, but I did not see too many people. I had the fly area to myself for the most part and had a ball. Most of the fish were on drys, beetles, coachmans, and other flys that had not been out of the box for a while. None of the circus that is a part of the weekends. Monday afternoon, I had an opportunity to fish a bamboo rod I picked up on Ebay. It is a Horrocks Ibbotson Governor series 8.5 ft 3pc. It was mint when I got it except a broken tip on the spare section. A friend of mine cautioned me that it may fly apart if it was not well taken care of. I started out with a 5wt line in the C&R area with a beetle pattern. I got into the rhythm of the rods and stated laying out a good cast. I released a 16" and 15" rainbow and a 18" brown with it along with a few smaller bows. Not a creak out of the rod and I am in love. Gotta have some more bamboo. Looking for some old Heddon or Herters. I may get a new Orvis. All in all, sure beat working a Monday stress day. I just wish the MDC would make it harder on the violaters. One generation just passes it along to the next and my kid will have to deal with them later.

Was doing a search for Everglow material for my Alaska flies and this website popped up, Cascade Crest Tools. Not wanting to just order a few materials, I poked around and found alot of interesting materials and tools. Service was excellent, prices were great, and they sent me a sampler pack of some of their materials. Nasty little trick on the part of the sales staff, the stuff in the sampler looks better in person than on the web so another order will have to be placed to get some of them. Not wanting to step on any retail shops toes on here, I am over 100 miles from any flyshop, so I order most of my material. I have become a J Stockard customer as the results of reports on another web forum, Flytyingforum.com, and have been impressed with their products and service. Here is a Link to Cascade Crest Tools

It starts near Fredricktown MO and ends at the Diversion Channel near Cape Girardeau. Wading waters are above HWY 34 in Bollinger County. Google it or look on the MDC website, they maintain several accesss and own alot of public land around it.

Akers Ferry and below for smallies. There are a few above in the trout area, but the smallies start below Akers. It is not that far of a drive below Montauk.

Great info, there was a shortage of grayling info last time. Our friend had never targeted them. We plan to stay overnight in the Talkeetna area this trip, last time we just drove up and fished it for the afternoon. Now I know what to look for. Have a great trip.

I floated the Castor River 2 weeks back. Been too busy to post a report. Taking the night off tying Alaska Flies to catch up. We set up camp and I put in the middle part for a float. I remembered why I first bought a kayak, if my buddies could not make it, I can still float. That is what happened and I set out on my own. The float fished pretty poor, the previous day, the local stream teams had went thru picking up trash out of the river. It may have affected the fishing. It may have been the low flows due to the drought. I had lost a good one in a tree filled bend, probably 16" or better. I drifted into this long hole with a bluff on the right side and lots of rocks on the bottom. I cast the Rapala J9 gold and black in front of the kayak several yards and the water erupted. For several minutes, I had a motor pulling me around. I guided the boat with the rod and fish till I made it to the shallows. I brought him into the boat and took the pic. I laid him on the paddle and measured it when I got back. 20"+ and estimated 3-4 lbs. Nicest fish of the season so far. The rest of the day was uneventful, just a wonderful day on the stream. The temps were nice and the humidity was low. A great July weekend.

Ak, let me know how the Sue fishes. I want to go back to Montana Creek this time. I have read that there are grayling there but did not catch any last time . We did catch some pretty bows there. Any thoughts on the where the grayling may be on that stream? Good luck.

This will be the second trip for me and the fourth trip that I have tyed for and not been. I have tyed a large selection of flies to cover all bases up there except for the Russian River special. It is tyed with bucktail and was cheaper to buy onsite than to tye myself. My other posts show some specific flies, this one has all of the others. Various egg patterns, some with crystal flash, some with egg yarn, some with chenille. I have to tye or make some hot glue eggs. I have a bunch of beads. Other patterns include various flash patterns, comets, egg sucking wooleys, and the pink fly. The pink fly was the other good fly for the silvers. I don't know the name of the Pink Fly but here is the recipe. Targus #2 hook Pink maribou for the tail Pink estaz for the body Pink saddle hackle Lead or Bead chain eyes Flour orange medium chenille for the head

This one is a new one this trip. I did not have any last time. Internet searches and Feather-Craft in STL recommends them for the silvers. It is the lure for the work class record fish I believe. Its the Davis Spanker in various colors and forms. I tyed them in a variety of colors and styles, some with lead eyes, bead chain eyes, no eyes. I used a holographic flash material I picked up at Hobby Lobby a few years back for the tail. It was Christmas Icicles. Looks great and works great. Davis Spanker Ice chenille in various colors Pearlescent Tail material Some kind of weight Targus #2 Nymph hooks

This pattern was a killer last time on the Silvers (COHO). I tyed them on too weak of a hook and straightened them out. This time, I used a heavier hook. I had trouble finding the Everglow material, Cascade Crest Tools carries it and they have some other hard to find stuff. They also have a few great tools, cheap. Like some of my other flies, it glows in the dark, emitting in a frequency that seems to attract fish. Extremely helpful in glacier waters or muddied streams Alaskan Everglow Everglow Tubing Material, medium, red or green Targus 3761 Nymph Hooks Size 2 .35 lead wire Flour. Thread, Wapsi 70 To tye the fly, cut a piece of the tubing about 2" longer than the hook and remove the center filler. Tye the lead in and run the thread to the back of the hook. Fray out 1" of the Everglow and slip it on the hook, tye off and whip finish the back of the hook to make the tail. Scrunch up the remaining material on the hook, re-tye the thread at the eye. Fray out the front of the material and pull it back over the eye, leaving some of the material solid to form the body. Tye in the front at the eye, fold over the frayed material to make a wing, form a head and finish off. You can add some spay hackle or just leave it all Everglow. I have pics both ways. Save the filler material, it works great on dry spinners and winging material.

Been tying alot lately and missing out on alot of stream fishing. It's tough to sit out a 97 degree day in the AC and tye flies. This part will cover the bunny flies. I purchase whole skins from Hobby Lobby and cut the strips myself. The ginger ones are tough to find, but a $4 to $6 skin tyes alot of flies compared the the small packets you buy at a fly shop. I still used those for some colors. Egg Sucking Bunny Leech #2 Mustad 3366 Hook Crosscut Rabbit in Purple, Ginger, Black Thread color to match 6/0 McFly Foam Egg Yarn Mcroe .35 lead wire Carcass, Flesh Flies #2 Mustad 3366 Hook Crosscut Rabbit in White, Ginger, Grey 6/0 Thread .35 lead wire

Any reports on the hot flies this season? I leave out the 18th for the 20 mile river near Girdwood. I am in the thick of tying up flies for the group.

Technical in equipment only. If you dunk around here, you walk back to the truck. If you see a meth head coming down the river in a stagger, you can avoid him around here. In Alaska, you dunk in glacier water, it can be critical. If you see a Grizzly charging down the stream, it can be critical. The fishing is great and the equipment is upscale from down here. The temps and and the climate is great this time of year. If I break something here, I go replace it. Up there, I am screwed if it happens and we will be a long way from help or a store. Last time, I had a weak tent, 40 degree bag, mostly cotton clothing, neoprene waders, and cheap raingear. The temps were down in the 20's of a night and the winds were in the 30 mph range. All of the equipment would do well around here, but up there it was marginal. I will be better prepared this time and more comfortable. I look forward to the post. Any special patterns doing well this year? I am tying for 2 and will be targeting the trout, dollies, and silvers. If the rain blows us out, we can find other things to do. We will have a rental car and camping gear. We could wander north or south. I hope to hit the 20 Mile river, Russian, and Montana Creek at least. I want some grayling this time so we may venture farther north and take a better look at Denali. I read today that a new alpine trail just was improved at Girdwood, a hike may be nice also, it will be close to "base camp".

Yep, I need to tye some for the trip to Alaska, thanks Dano for the pics. I have used them in the past for bass, they are a pain in the a-- to tye though. The Foam mouse looks like an easy tye, how about a pattern description on those. It has to be easier than the deer hair ones I tye with eyes, and little ears, and whiskers.

B&B you must have been on the wrong road, Parkers Hollow access is usually pretty well kept. It is where the gravel turns back to pavement past Baptist Access on YY. There is a campground just past the turnoff. There is a church on the road near the end and some signs at the access area. It is a pretty good way down there.

Technically not a fly, but it works. And as AKflyfisher stated, low mortality rates. I used barbless hooks and released all fish. The only fish we kept were the salmon. I am watching Jeff Corwin on Katmai fishing the same way and guess what he is using. A pegged bead about 4" above the hook. I am not going all the way up there to not catch fish because of a purist outlook. I will fish the bead where legal. It will not be the only fly in my boxes, just the most effective. Some places require it to be a part of the hook and then they will be tied on with thread. Just another part of the Alaska experience. I would suggest the trip to any fisherman that is serious about his sport. And because you have to paint the beads I consider them just to be like any other pattern. I carve and paint balsa lures and mold soft plastics. I custom paint spoons and rooster tails and tie dressings on the hooks. I will post more patterns when I get caught up, just a little busy now.

A friend of mine brought dealership info back from a fly expo last year and was going to be a dealer for Native. He never did, too many other irons in the fire. Orvis is carrying one of their boats in the catalog. They are a new company, the boats are built more like solo canoes than traditional kayaks. They are made very stable. They were good looking boats but even at dealer cost they were out of my budget. For the money I would get a Tarpon 120 by Wilderness Systems at about half the price of a Native. Here is a link with a dealer locator. There are a few on Ebay also.. Native Watercraft on the web!

Update. 4 weeks to D-day. Just acquired a new Orvis 8wt 9' Zero Gravity 4pc rod and reel for the trip, new wading boots, and some waterproof fleece for the trip. This trip, I have better equipment than last time in 2000. You learn from experience. The minute I returned I started upgrading, buying fleece, gortex, GPS, lighter weight camping equip, etc. Alaska is a little more technical than a trip to Taney. Especially when you go "do it yourself" without a guide or camp outfitter. I can hardly wait to cast the rod, feels great. I have a 5wt 9' 4pc Zero Gravity and it is wonderful. Dam pretty rod for Orvis. I remember the days when they did not even sand the blanks and left a spiral on the rod all the way. Nice red finish, nickel silver reel seats. This one will probably punch thru the winds with ease. Been watching Turnagain Arm forcasts and the winds have been running 20 to 30 mph. I have noticed a lack of reports on Alaska here since Phil got back, I know others have gone too. Whats up?

I just read this on STL Todays website. MDC is handing over land aquired to DNR for a new State Park on the Current River. Have fun with this one....... New State Park, STL Today

John Hoskins is the current director of the MDC. Someone accused me of working for them so I might as well be the top guy. Has anyone called anyone at the MDC and requested a report?

Has anyone tired of beating this dead horse yet?? Oh yeah, my real name is JOHN HOSKINS, anybody know who I am????

Did it go under the knife or Ka-plunk back in the river???

Has anyone heard about an increase on the horsepower in the 11pt? I had heard it had went to 40 like the Current above Jacks Fork. Would not make much difference either way, most were running modified engines there anyway. With everything going on this summer, I have not been able to get there yet.

Just a little update on the vintage boat purchase. It was a little rough when I purchased it. The titles stated everything was made in 1974. A model number on the Johnson 9.5 revealed it was actually a 1964, a pure antique. With a little work and a few still readily available parts, the motor is running and only needs a little final tuning on the carb. I just waxed her down tonight while grilling a few burgers, got rid of the oxidized paint and brought out the "cream puff" finish on the old johnson. Armoralled the plastic emblems to bring out the color in the emblems. I replaced the tires and repacked the bearings. Made a mount for the spare tire. Went over both trolling motors and repainted and put new props on them. Changed out the rope on the winch and the anchor. Added a few cleats. Oiled up and greased every fitting. Replaced the fuel lines and fittings. Sanded and painted the fenders. Bought a service manual off Ebay that helped alot. Also found some good info from a outdoor book "Care and Repair of Outdoor Equip" by Monte Burch that I purchased a few years ago on outboards. As you can tell in my post last week, my fishing buddy approves. I still need to add some electronics, a bilge pump, aerator, and build a pop up duck blind for it. But that is what a project boat is for.