BilletHead

Forum member Curtise headed West and the BilletHead South West. Met west of Joplin and parked Curt's modern prairie schooner. He jumped in the BilletHead's Prairie Schooner with the newfangled dugout sporting a jet drive. Farther Southwest we went through Seneca and across the border into tribal lands. Passing Casino after casino. I thought of how poetic that the first peoples were now getting even with the paleface taking their wampum. We soon made our way to the bridges twin to the boat ramp to see the parking lot pretty full. Gear stowed in the dugout we traveled up the spring river. We passed boat after boat circling spots like covered wagons landing for the night. Only difference was there was no campfire in the middle but fish they were after. It was like slalom skiing in and out of the boats wondering which side to pass on as they were in the middle and fishing each bank. Upstream we continued and by the 10c bridge. The farther up we went the less boats we seen. Our quest was the first good current and shoal. We found another boat there and two wading anglers catching fish with stringers dragging behind. We dropped anchor and strung up the rods. We would cast either towards the bank letting the fly or lure swing into the current break or vice versa into the strong current swinging into the current break. Then it happened with the BilletHead getting a hook up then Curtise at almost the same moment. A double to start the day , We continued working up and back repeating the process not only catching Whites but Crappie too. Some nice ones at that, We caught enough to keep us happy in that area but soon began up through the shoal to cast a steeper deep bank with slower water. A couple more were caught there. We then traveled farther up to another shoal and watched a couple waders catching what I think were crappie from a slack area next to current. We fished there fighting the wind and more shallow water without any catching. Dropped down to the original starting point to find two other boats. We fished there without anymore fish. Left there for trying deeper water where the masses of other boats were scattered. This time so many more that the first pass. Every size of water motor craft you could imagine here and there casting anything from tiny jigs all the way up to A- rigs the size of compact cars. Wind beginning to get worse now with mini whitecaps forming. Add to this large boats plowing water it was a mess it was . We even seen waves going over a smaller crafts sides . Fished down there amongst the crowd without another fish we decided to call it an afternoon. Had to run the riverboat slow back in the waves to keep from beating ourselves in the waves. In a couple of places they were pretty intense. I am missing the 10c launch. Hope it will be useable when the bridge is finished. People putting in and out at the ramp we finally got off the water and ready for the trip back. Trip specs were, Air temp at launch right at 40 degrees. Water temp 51 to 52 degrees. Air temp at trip end 72 and water temp finally hit 55. The BilletHead threw fly's all day, Curtise fly's and flicker shad. Clouser colors that worked were gray over white and pink over white. A white streamer worked too. Flicker shad purple back and fire tiger. Sink tip lines were used on the fly rods. Caught fish in water depths four to six or seven foot deep. Numbers between us I would say in the mid to upper twenties. Mixed sized whites both males and females. I weighed one pound a half. Big crappie without weighing say a pound fish. Did not notice any redbuds showing any color on way over but did see a hint on the way back. Good day with good friends I call it a successful trip. We tucked tail and headed back East and North East, End of story and report, BilletHead This post has been promoted to an article

Yes I do!

I know, I know do i get a prize? BilletHead

Pretty good popped corn, With some zip, http://gardenandgun.com/recipe/bacon-popcorn/ I can see some other applications for the Creole-spiced butter in cooking, BilletHead

Good deal I was beginning to worry of what you were sporting . I was also thinking about that great movie quote " I think we are going to need a bigger boat" . I could just see you trying to work with your little (trout 4wt) rod:) . I suppose you could of tried a giant open loop and then on the forward cast there would be no ducking as it would of been a lay down your body flat to avoid getting your head knocked off Looks like we have another one roped in , BilletHead

My sincerest apologies to Ness for forgetting a post on soda bread almost two years old. The post not the bread being two years old, So I made a mess and a loaf of soda bread from his recipe. I am not a bread maker and don't pretend to be. Made to the recipe specs. Used the electrified mixer to do the work. My batch needed more flour before I could knead it to it's final shape. Lesson one do not try to pull it out of mixer while it is sticky! Back in it went for setting up better. Out it came and kneaded ten plus times to somewhat of a ball. Did the knife X before I remembered to sprinkle sugar on the top. Lesson two remember to read the instructions again and again. I thought i had everything but did not according to instructions. No parchment which I thought I had. Lesson three make sure if you want to make it just like the instructions make sure you have everything. So onto a greased baking pan. Baked according to instructions and pulled out. Stuck a bamboo skewer into the thing and it came out clean. Let it cool and busted through the crust and sliced, A bit doughy in the center. Lesson four, make sure you test the exact middle. So back into oven to finish. When done to perfection we tried it. Rock hard on the outside but nice on the inside. Kind of like the BilletHead himself :). Tasty too. We kind of decimated the loaf with the Mrs. eating more. I give it a thumbs up and will do it again. One final lesson which will be number five. Nesses' instructions need to be tweaked by me on my try. I can officially say I made a loaf of bread , BilletHead

Ness, What is the biggest weight fly rod you have? BilletHead

It always pays to look into out of the way places and discount bins at fly shops. When I was looking I found a grizzly pink and purple one many years back at the Orvis fly shop down at Taney. Heavy discounted in a catch all bin. When Carolyn asked what I wanted it for I told her it was for buggers for the girls at casting for recovery. She wouldn't let me by it but gave it to me. I tied many, many flies for the ladies. Not sure any of it is left. Got to look . Found a couple more all pink at Charlie Readings with old stock price on them. I don't pay premium price for saddles. Especially tiny dry stuff, BilletHead

Should we change our Avatar photo? I can't imagine she has seen yours? Gosh for all we know you may wear that hat from time to time? Do you have the glue on beard too? Good thing Wrench wussed out if she would of seen him in his spider man undies she may of become nauseated although Mrs. BilletHead did not puke , BilletHead

Where can i find one? Send one of yours to me and i will reimburse your purchase price. You all can pick out your lateral line color too. I may have that color. Which one of you wants pink? Yes I have a pink saddle. Want color choices? , BilletHead

Some materials bought today, No I am not spending all of this on you two jokers but you can have a share of it, I will however let you pick hook type and eye color , BilletHead

Thanks fellows. All I need is another App. Stupid phone came with some real junk I do not need. have got rid of some already. Again appreciate it fellows. Technology is passing me by. Nice to have friends to ask, BilletHead

Thanks Ronnie, The picture I was trying to post was 3.44 MB or 4160x2340 . trying to figure out how to resize on my gallery. I do get an option on doing that when I message my e mail and sent them there. Pain in the rear to send so many places before posting. When I read my email from phone I can then save the resized pictures to a down load folder. Too many steps for a simple task I think. I am running Android through Verizon, BilletHead

Anybody got this figured out? I can send to my computer and then post on here from there BUT I would like to post directly from phone. Not able to. BilletHead

Oh don't let me go there, I must resist,must resist,must resist. Hint not a fly tier. . BilletHead

A proper report and rub in my face again like the pictures you sent yesterday. Just you wait it is going to get good, soon, real soon if we avoid a deluge of rain. Quit picking on me. I can see it now. Hey let me see that fly you are using, do you have an extra? BilletHead

Post of the day and the day isn't even over with yet. EPIC! BilletHead is on my way to SpringVegas for material. Mrs. BilletHead asks "Don't you have enough stuff in your own flyfishing shop/tying room to do this" Hey baby you can never have enough stuff was my reply. Want to know how that worked out for me? , BilletHead

Thanks buddy for the details. Busy next two days. Will go somewhere Thursday and Friday. Have to make a decision on upper Stockton or the spring in Oklahoma. Boats ready and I am ready. BilletHead

Blasphemy I say! Guess you are saying this is your way to make a personal touch to your fly's , BilletHead

This is two pages long already, I may have to buy more hooks, BilletHead

What do you want to eat? Party Pooper. If plastic dinosaurs were involved would that help?, BilletHead

hahhahaha

You two are cracking me up. What does this pay exactly? BilletHead

Oh and can we set a more reasonable limit? Like maybe a tenth of your goal? Dozen at the most? Yes Ronnie it is all your fault. Guess I finally made the big time if I really got invited and you are not Ness Messing with me, BilletHead

Most excellent! Did you get enough rain to mess up the water? Got an inch in BilletHeadVille, BilletHead