ness

Here's a quick tutorial on fly tackle: Fly lines are set up in a three-piece system: Backing -- which is kinda like thin string. It's purpose is to lengthen the system beyond that of the fly line, and add diameter to the reel's spool, making it easier to retrieve the line. Backing lasts virtually forever. Fly line -- a plastic coated line that is built with a taper. The most common and best taper for a beginner is a weight-forward taper. This expands slightly towards the tip end (if you put it on correctly), adding weight which makes the cast easier to manage. Fly lines will last quite a while (years), especially if you take good care of it -- keep it clean, keep it off the ground so you don't step on it. The fly line should match the rod's weight -- which will be on the rod. zhoyt gave a good set of guidelines for line and rod weight and fish type. Rod weights go from 1 to 10 (with some smaller and larger). The practical ranges for fishing for trout, panfish and bass are about 3 to 8. Smaller means lighter tackle, larger number means bigger. Leader -- a section of monofilament (like regular fishing line) that also is built in a taper, from thick at the butt end to very thin at the 'tippet' end that's tied to the fly. When the tippet end gets too short or tangled up, you can tie a piece of new tippet on. When the whole leader gets messed up, you can replace that. Leaders are sold in length/tippet size combinations like 9-foot 5X. Tippet sizes range from very fine 8X to pretty stout 1X. Ten minus the tippet number equals the approximate pound rating, i.e 1X is about 9 pound test, 8X is about 2. Practical tippet sizes for trout would be about 4 to 7X, favoring the larger number (smaller size) for small flies in trout parks, larger size for larger flies and/or fast/broken water. Sing along: The back-ing's connected to the fly-line. The fly line's connected to the tip-pet. The tip-pet's connected to the fly-eye. Rods range from 6-1/2 to 9-1/2 feet (again, with some shorter or longer). A practical range for most is 8 to 9 feet. So, about an 8-foot 4 weight with a 9-foot leader tapering to 6X would be a pretty good setup for Bennett Springs, give-take. Hope this helps. PS: Cabela's will sell you a package with all this put together.

I'd probably start with an 8-1/2 foot 4-weight. Cruise on over to Cabela's -- they've got a wide range of products for you to touch and feel, and knowledgeable staff to help you out. I bought a couple low-end rods from Cabela's last year (Traditionalist II and something else) for my sons. They're pretty nice rods, both with a medium action. They've got several reels to choose from -- from pretty economical to stupid. Personally I'd steer away from the plastic ones, but that's just me.

I used to have a mint condition Arkansas Traveler jon boat, but somebody stole it off me on the Meramec about 25 years ago. I stole it back three times, but that guy just keeps coming back to get it. He's beat it all to heck.

Yep, you're right. I like canoes now. They are absolutely the best for everything, everywhere, period.

I like pontoons. They are absolutely the best for everything, everywhere, period.

11 Point above Turner?

I'm DVR-ing the whole thing -- just can't devote that much time to watch it live. It's sure reminds me of just how good we've got it here. And, such diversity -- from Alpine to desert, and every imaginable thing in-between. My bucket list is growing daily.

I have a tendency to believe that, but it is interesting that he may have drawn from that area for his book. I always kinda wondered where it took place, so to speak. Gavin -- good point re: smallmouth.

I dunno.... Obamanomics? Religion? Catch & release?

I messed around with those to try to find a balance between good quality and huge files. What I see when I print or on the monitor is very crisp and easy to read.

I've never been satisfied with online maps, especially on paper. I've got a marked-up Delorme atlas which is pretty cheap and has pretty good detail. But my best information is in Delorme Street Atlas, their mapping software. I've been adding info, waypoints, notes, custom roads, etc. for years. I really like it, but I'm about 2 versions behind and wonder what the future holds. Here's an example of what I'm talking about: Screen shot: Printed version: I've also used MyTopo a couple times to print out custom topo maps. Nice, waterproof maps on Tyvek-like paper.

Eric, I'd tend to agree with your assessment of the situation. Sorry Chief, but quoting anonymous scientists who you claim have spent their lives on the subject doesn't exactly build an air-tight case. And who cares if something happened 200 or 10,000 years ago? I'm sure you've spent a lot of time studying the topic, and on the water, but your positions and statistics are hardly scientific. Expanding the conversation to armadillos, birds and global warming doesn't help anyone zero in on an answer to the discussion at hand. If you'd take a moment to read Eric's posts, I think you'd find they make a lot of sense. And he doesn't make any wild claims, just common-sense observations about a changing environment. Hard to argue with Eric's position, IMHO. Maybe that's why you argue around it? I don't have a dog in this fight, but more and more of the posts here are counterproductive.

Sweet -- I've heard of Dream Lake, but never been up there.

Nice! That's one of my favorite places on the planet. Some of those elk are a little close for my taste! Do you mind sharing where you got the Cutt? Greenback or CO River?

I've always wanted to get a personal pontoon, but I've just never been able to pull the trigger. The canoe is just so versatile. Holds plenty of gear and a passenger or two. It will scoot over rocks and through riffles, and you can easily drag it in shallow areas. And, they're nice when you get to a big, slow pool too. I think a 'toon would be OK on a bigger stream, but I think I'd still favor a canoe. Still water -- that's a different story. I bought a Wenonah Solo Plus when my boys were younger (they're 13 now) and it worked great -- me in the middle, one up front and one in the back. Now they're too big for that, so we're down to me solo and them in a canoe on their own.

I have noticed that the more pages a thread has, the more likely it's filled with pissin' and moanin'. Brownie -- good thoughts. How does one get on your guest list?

Al offered all the printed resources I would have suggested. I was also a little disappointed in the Tryon's book because it left out the SW corner of MO, which is closest to me. But still, lots of good info in there. He also did a book on called Trout Fishing in MO that is a great resource, though somewhat dated. I'm much more familiar with trout fishing opportunities around here. Matt Tucker's site at Ozark Chronicles is a good start on locations and basic info. MDC's website has info too. If you sniff around here or the Ozark Chronicles forums, you'll be able to glean some really good info from the comfort of your chair. But, nothing beats hitting the road as Al suggested.

Crap! Did I miss the first installment? That snuck up on me. Gotta catch the rest -- it's always good stuff when Burns does it, and that one is close to the heart.

I like the pattern. Is that swiss straw over the back? I used to tie one kinda like that, but it's been years since I tied or fished one. Got mine from a guy over on NFOW -- it had the same basic setup, but different materials.

+1

Anybody want to start a pissin' match about this? Boxers, Beatles, Apple, Conan, bottom, smallies.

Looks like the bend above Suicide on the Meramec

I believe the bright color is a male in its spawning stage. But, I think the wild rainbows typically spawn Nov to Jan, so that's awfully early. And the parr marks make it a pretty safe bet that the fish is stream-bred. Genetics play a part in color too -- with stream-bred or 'wild' fish being more greenish in color with a brighter red band and fins, as opposed to stockers being more gray with a purplish band. Diet and habitat will influence color some, but it's much more subtle than that. I've seen a lot of casual commentary on the coloration of McClouds, but nothing real scientific.

See my post #2 above.

Will this thread spin off into a pissin' match too?????