Terry Beeson

That's true, Davy. My ancestry goes back to me being what I term an "Anglo mutt..." The last names of my grandparents were English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh... (Every hear of Beeston Castle? I think it's in Cheshire... Pennines to the east and the mountains of Wales on the west... I'm thinkin' someday I'm gonna go over there and get my castle back, then slay some dragons and rescue some damsels in distress...{per cousin Jethro})

russ, A cashier's check for half a million american dollars would just about do it.... HEY... that's HALF what you EXPECTED... right?

You sure that's not the giant Taneycomo squid? Yep... looks like you were "skeered" alright... the camera was shaking a bit... Was this on the Stawberry River? Usually, cottonmouths are not aggressive unless provoked or being protective. But, stil... I don't like no part of no snake of no kind... "only good snake is a dead snake".... (Before anyone says it, no I don't kill EVERY snake I see....)

Oh... yeah... now I remember... Guess I shouldn't have Taco Bell before wading down there, huh?

OK, John... you're probably the most perfect guy to ask this... Have you ever smelled that before on the White system anywhere?

"isn't the purpose of fishing to catch fish " Sure it is... so why don't we all get together with one big net and sein Taney and get it over with....

OK.... well... let's just "morph" this thread some more... About #$@% years ago, when I was a young teenager... (OK... 30-35 years... there... I said it... I'm old...) Anyway... I was on my dad's farm on the hill overlooking the watershed lake on the southwest corner of the land. Anyway, he and I were "checking the cows" when I noticed a big flock of mallards on the lake. So... I grabbed my shotgun and some shells and started down to the lake to sneak in through the woods that lined the south bank of the lake and was where the ducks were headed... (yes, it was duck season...) I had duck and dressing on the brain! Perfect timing was on my side... The mallards were swimming toward the flooded timber as I was getting to an area to set up on them. I had walked through about 150 yards of 2-3 feet deep freezing water (no waders - just cowboy boots) and just got to a little spot at the edge of an opening standing in a shallow spot behind a nice little bush that would blind me from the ducks as they entered the area. I waited for them to get within range and I was going to pop up and open fire on them as they took off. Well, I wanted to get in a better position for a better shot, so I moved a little to my right... towards another bush... which, by chance, was precisely where a Heron was wading and fishing.... Well, just before the ducks were in range, the Heron spotted me - before I ever knew he was in the state of Arkansas... and he decided to let the world know of my presence.... "SQUAAAAAWWWWWWWKKKKK" followed by 50-60 mallards lifting off the water followed by three quick shotgun blasts in no particular direction other than straight up!!!! Followed by several words that I won't repeat in front of my mom... One of them describing what my jeans were full of.... Huntin' and fishin'... ain't nuthin' like the stories we can tell....

I've done the same thing, Jerod. I have a couple of bad knees. One of them will probably be going under the knife soon and is currently keeping me out of the water all together. Can't stand in one spot or walk for very long. It's a struggle to walk from my truck to my office. Even a struggle to walk from the garage to my couch... Enough of that drama... The point is, I have to "shuffle" to some extent while wading. If I don't, you guys will have to come out and help me out of the river... my knees would lock up. And those of you who know me, there is no doubt you don't want to tackle that task.... Maybe if you had a crane or a forklift... Enough comic relief... "Do not judge others, and you will not be judged..." Pretty good words from a pretty good fellow, I would say. Yes, we all do it (judge)... and I do, too. But I try to look at it, mull it, and try to see the positive side of it. Was he shuffling to catch fish? Was it blatant? Is it legal? Is it "ethical"? Is it worth getting into an argument over? Ethics can be very subjective. What I might think is ethical, another might not. I think this is a good place to voice our opinions... And I intend to voice my opinions. That's just good debatement.... But this issue and others will continue to be debated until there is some sort of regulation passed... and then, how will it be regulated? And if you are the one standing in the water and your leg goes to sleep from standing in one spot and a game warden sees you "shuffle" to get rid of a leg cramp... do you want a ticket for that? My opinion? Intentional shuffling to snag trout is not very ethical... But... who am I? I've seen it... I don't like it... but I don't think it's worth getting into a "scuffle" over. Just my opinion, for what it's worth... and that ain't much...

Yeah... it said at the bottom that it was a "new" knot... ch'yeah... right... Of course, it said Davy was a "British flyfishing pro" when we all know him to be a "British hillbilly"... (we luv ya Davy... you know that...) And, I'm wondering about the "85-90% knot strength." I thought it was closer to 100%....

Lookie whut I found! I hope this link works... Davy Knot

OK... I'll be quiet...

The "memory" actually comes from the way we ship and store leaders. They are coiled while still warm from the production process. The boiling method does work, but like Davy said... too much trouble in my opinion. It reminds me of the guitar strings that came out several years ago that were packaged straight instead of coiled. Sounded like a good idea, just not too practical.

Leonard, I hate ya'll! (Stupid knee anyway... ) Hope you guys catch a bunch of bigguns... and don't forget... pictures man...PICTURES!... I can't fish, so I need FISH PORN!!

Is bow hunting legal at Battlefield Mall? Going to the bank, huh? I suppose he was going to deposit a "buck" and maybe get some "points" for his "doe?" - Ha ha ha.. get it? Buck? Doe? Points? Ha ha... (I kill me....) This is happening more and more and it will keep happening... I just moved to Nixa, and it is pretty clear from driving around that we are more and more encroaching on the habitat of much of our wildlife to make our own habitat.

My opinion may well be close to yours, Okiefly. But I could be wrong myself. First of all, there is definately a difference in intentionally snagging a fish and foul hooking one. I've foul hooked a few bream, crappie, and maybe a bass or two, but don't remember foul hooking a trout... at least it never made it close enough for me to know it was foul hooked. If foul hooked, there is an obligation to bring it to hand get it back in the water as quickly as possible if you don't notice until it is close to or in the net. However, breaking off a foot or two of tippet along with a fly might well be the better option if you realize you have foul hooked a fish before it is close enough to net. The fish will get rid of the fly/hook naturally and be subject to low lactic acid release. Now with the use of "conventional" tackle, there may be even MORE of an "obligation" to bring one to net. According to how much line will break off. Again, I could be wrong here, but if you are using line with no dropped size leader, you chance breaking off a lot more than a foot or so of tippet material of a fly casting rig. Several feet of mono broken off can cause more problems than bringing the fish in to release it from the hook. If brought to net, I see nothing wrong with a quick picture - even though I would be a little reluctant to do it myself. But big fish do take great pictures... even if you never get them to take a fly. And, of course, there are those that will take them home if they are not releaseable... as well as those who catch to keep. I'm a catch and release advocate, but I certainly will take one home if I can't revive him. But the intentional hanging the fish out of water for a 10 minute photo shoot goes against my grain. Also against my grain is the intentional snagging of trout. I'm not certain of the regulations, but I just think it's "bad form" to work one from that angle. I don't mind people who snag suckers, carp, catfish, buffalo, and other fish, but something about snagging a trout... Then again, these are just my opinions...for what it's worth... and that ain't much...

I've said it before, I'll say it again... "If you point a finger at someone, look at your hand... there are three other fingers pointing back at you..." I'm certain my meaning will not be understood, but I said it anyway...

I'm not the administrator of this forum but I'M not comfortable with that post either, Phil... I agree with you totally... It's one thing for me to say something about Leonard and his "dog whistle" he uses to call up his pet monster browns... We all (hopefully) know I'm just blowin' and there is no dog whistle... But it's another to make serious accusations of illegal activities and name names...

Hey... what am I laughing about? I've been there myself... No, Dano... the little squid lives down by Phil's. The big one lives up by the dam... Yes, Jerod... great report. I'll give you the big fish since it technically was brought to hand. Only important to you, anyway... you saw it, you know how you fought it, and you know how big it was... (Dano... Don't tell JW I said that... ) Very considerate of you, Jerod. This will allow her to get all that life insurance money much faster.... (Seriously, good practices on your part. I try to do much the same myself.)

Thank you... thank you very much... don't forget to tip your waitresses and bartenders... Thank you... I'll be here all week...

Have you met me, Rich? This pompous windbag doesn't remember that... And.... AMEN, brother.... Amen....

Bravo everyone! And since Jim brought it up, I have to add... I also read the postings of the initiator of this thread, and I certainly interpreted a lot of drama in most of the 13 or so postings since February. And the initial post on this thread contained a complaint about the lack of fishing reports, but the closest thing to a fishing report I saw was "the night fishing is awsome use a lot of streamers and big ones." I like what you and Marsha came up with, Phil... right on the mark... By the way... I like the idea of the section for reports with no reply available. I think that would be good for all of us... And...davekeim... Kerry doesn't have to use Botox anymore... Putting his foot in his mouth has stretched the skin on his face more than any facelift or botox could ever do....

"Hi... I'm Terry... and... I... uh... well... I guess... well.. yes... I am... uh...um... a... fl.... I'm .... I AM A FLY FISHERMAN! THERE... I SAID IT! (Dang... more CR... sorry... )

And some clowns have CLASS!! One comment on the "drama"... I personally don't care if a person posts the GPS and lure of choice, but the reasoning behind the drama mentioned was the fact that when you do, there are many who will flock to that spot. I would like to think I could post the GPS and hot lure and those that went there would respect the "honey hole." But I think I would be the one PO'd if the next time I went to fish it, there were 20 guys standing in the secret place and all the fish had been caught and put in freezers and frying pans... That's the chance taken, and that was the point that was raised. Another comment in regards to that... I have said this before also... It is very difficult to articulate through the written word. Those who write for a living or at least have been published are better at it than most. However, we tend to read these posts and read the "emotions" of the writer - many times incorrectly. I tend to be an optimist and probably read things on a more positive note. Anyway... I respect and value the opinions of every person who posts on this forum. However, I do hope that my opinions are respected as well....

I hit the "view new posts" and then bookmarked that page... Now that's where I go directly.. I don't pass go... I don't collect $200... OOPS... sorry for that comic relief....

Honestly, if someone thinks they can do a better job, anyone can set up a forum and administer it the way they want... I am a member of both this forum and John's, as are several members I know of. I don't see a difference in the "comedy relief" in the two. The big difference is that John's forum is centered around fly fishing the White River system and Phil's is much broader... all types of fishing in all the lakes, rivers, and streams of the Ozarks. One thing you must understand about an internet or other forum. It is an OPEN DISCUSSION by the members. Yes, the administrators and moderators can weed out anything they wish and if you like that kind of censorship, there is always FAOL. If you want just a fishing report, there are a lot of them all over the internet. I myself value the information, humor, comradery, ribbing, and overall openess of both Phil's and John's forums. I think it's what makes it work. But if the members want only the fishing reports, then so be it... But I think there will be only a couple of members stay... the majority would move on somewhere else. My vote, Phil... You're doing a great job and the forum is just fine the way it is... It's sort of like watching TV... I scan the threads and posts. If there is something I don't want to read, I just "change the channel".... What a wonderful thing this mouse button is.... That's just my opinion, for what it's worth... and that ain't much...