Terry Beeson

Phil, Did you try drifting or stripping a fly just outside the mud line? I've experienced and heard the big boys like to hide in the mud and attack anything that swims by in the clear...

I'll second the motion on Leonard. If he can't put you on fish at night, nobody can. I still think he has them trained and has a dog whistle he calls them up with... Sounds like you had a good trip... I'd take that success ANY time... and it's been "hit or miss" on Taney lately... Oh... and careful with Leonard's pet beavers....

Wait! What am I laughing at? I can do that myself.... So... bobber... you were "LIVING IN A VAN... DOWN BY THE RIVER!" (You by any chance a "motivational speaker?") (We'll see how many SNL fans are on here...)

Careful you don't "mess up" then tip of your fly line. Masking tape over the end will help keep this from happening.

Yeah, but we really REALLY need the rain down here. Might make the fishing better for you, too. And I have better luck in a slight rain/overcast anyway... Good luck on your trip...

I was watching a video of Joe Humphries (with Joe sitting by me narrating) and he said at one point "here's what happens when you get my age... watch... see that? one... two... THREE... see that? THREE missed stikes... I didn't even TRY to set the hook...." Watching the video, it was clear that the strikes were there. My point... even the BEST of fly fishermen have trouble seeing all strikes... that's for sure. Another well-known fly-fishing "expert" once told me to get use to setting the hook with an upward flick of the wrist and if it felt like a rock (big fish), continue by raising the rod high in the hand over the head as far up as you could... THEN start to fight... Your opinion of that advice, please, Rolan? And... good advice/post by the way...

You gotta stop teasin' them bigguns, Dano... They're startin' to pay you back...

Not goin' your way, Dano? How 'bout them TIGERS?!?!?!?!??! Welcome to this nut house, olebnb... I hope the fishing is hot when you're here, too... especially if I'm there the same time...

All you guys thought you were paying to "chat" with a Pam Anderson look-alike.... By the way, GF... your credit card was turned down last time... you owe me $273... (No offense taken... none intended either... just interjected light humor...)

Man... have I got YOU fooled! You must've been talkin' to my momma... Ain't nobody else gonna give you that report... Yep... we'll have to get together sometime for sure... I was reading through this thread again... Did I hear someone say "wading" in the same sentence with "Crappie?" mmmmmmm... my mouth is waterin' already...

Where'd you get that picture of me, Phil?

Welcome to the nut hous... I mean... forum, tjodd. I'm sure you will learn a lot from this forum.

SIO3, You know about the DO and "mudslide" problems at Quarry, don't you? And even though you can't fish it, make sure to take a walk up the banks of Dry Run Creek. I saw one monster and there was another guy who saw an even bigger one downstream from me. Even though you will whimper a bit, it's still worth seeing those fish...

While putting on my waders a couple of weeks ago, a fox (four legged kind...) made her way through the parking lot. I heard something Friday night that probably was a Bobcat. I'm sure there are several options as to what it was you heard/saw...

I didn't know him, but sorry to hear about this. Prayers and condolences to his family for sure. Am I not correct that there is an emergency phone at the "lower" parking lot? I try to always carry my cell phone in case something like this were to happen. Surprisingly, I get good reception there. Can't say the same for Norfork tailwaters.

GOOD one, Phil.... But.... How'd you know it was me?

Greg, I know the one you're talking about and have not been on that one in ages due to the comments, bans, etc. If you're going to have a forum like that, fine... That's for the administrator to say. I would rather be on one that takes the view that Phil, Jimmy T, and John take... Makes for a better overall forum... in my opinion. I will also say this and then shut up... What our forefathers taught us years ago almost caused the demise of hunting and fishing in the country of any kind. Thank God for a few individuals that saw the need to conserve these resources so that you and I could enjoy them... I just hope our grandkid's grandkids can enjoy them too...

I'll try one, GF.... Hey Phil... Do I get one guess for each of my 25 profiles on this forum? (Let's see what THAT stirs up, GF... )

LH, I'm very happy that you will stay on the forum. Any of my comments about C&R are simply meant to plant the seed to make anyone on this forum think about the aspects of C&R and not to "bash" anyone for doing what is perfectly legal and that they feel is ethical. In my original post, you should take a look at what I actually said... "I take it those eggs are no longer in Taney".... For all I knew, you had taken this picture and then walked over to the water and released her. I was willing to leave it at that with the idea that if you did release her, good... if not, maybe it would at least spark a personal debate with yourself about releasing such a fish. But a comment from someone about being a "C&R zealot?" Even if meant as a joke, I had to respond... Take into consideration on ANY comments from anyone that it is very difficult to articulate emotions on a website posting. These are typed words and you may well read them in a tone that is not in line with the writer's intentions. I try to make my comments as "vanilla" as possible (unless I'm ribbing Dano or Phil... or others I know personally...) but sometimes it doesn't work... And with any comment I read that I take offense to, I will re-read it and try to understand the meaning behind the comment. As I have said, that certainly was a very nice fish and every fisherman on this forum is very jealous of your catch... whether C&R or not... but, in my case, I'm jealous in a good way... the thought in my head when I saw the picture was "dang... wish I had caught that one..." I will say this... other than a few "it's legal" comments, I've heard no comments on why it is ethical to take a spawning fish home.... (unless there has been some on the C&R debate thread which I've not checked this morning...) I at least expected to hear someone say something to the effect that "taking only one fish when hundreds are spawning." or "Reproduction in Taney is so limited it doesn't matter." (By the way... Trout in the tailwaters of the White have always been programmed towards a "put and take" system by AGFC and MDC...) I harbor no ill feelings towards any fisherman who stays within the limits of the state fishing regulations. You will find that I have been in your shoes in the past. But now I have changed my beliefs and simply wish to give a gentle "nudge" about C&R. And many thanks to Phil who has let this debate run without any editing or censorship. That's what makes this forum great to me. That's what makes this country great as well... This is a FISHING forum and I also belong to a FLY fishing forum... The two are quite different.... But even in that forum, you will find debates on issues where fly fishermen are not in agreement. (Gloves or no gloves...) There are many debates that can be opened on this type forum. Spin vs. fly... PowerBait vs. artificials vs. live bait... Boats vs. wading... We all have our opinions about them and we all should share in the debate. Again, I am happy to see you continue to share on the forum. And I'm happy for you in your very successful fishing trip. Continue to share... We all like "fish porn" here... And Griffin.... I prefer "C&R Jedi" myself....

Greg, GREAT! Click here

I WAS there... 7-10... See the Taney post.

I'm certainly not one of those you speak of. And I agree with Phil... What do you mean "make space for paragraphs?" Do you mean quoting another post? Hit the "quote" button below the post you want to quote. Otherwise, I'm not sure what you mean... But we'll try to help.

Got to the dam about 6:30 and Friday the 13th hit me... For the life of me, I couldn't get my boot to go over my wader foot... sheesh... Finally got in the water and didn't see much action around me. Several fishermen in the water and only a couple of fish landed. Well, I changed flies a few times and noticed the clouds coming in. Finally, I started getting some takes. Very suttle in response to a VERY slow strip. I had a couple of nice hookups, but lost both of them.... Then... I felt a tug on the end of my line and got ready to set the hook. The last two fish had taught me to pause before trying to set the hook... so I did... and... BAM!! I fought the fish for a couple of minutes. No problem getting him on the reel.... he was in the backing before I could get my hand on the reel. I got him to turn a bit and took back some fly line when he got in the moonlit part of the water and gave me one nice big jump. Hard to tell just how big he was, but certainly the biggest fish I've fought... HUGE.... Well, no pictures due to the fact that the fish finally decided he'd had enough of this stuff and spit the fly back in my face... Oh well... Well worth the effort and maybe Leonard will land him and send me a picture of him.... I landed a few nice 17-18 inchers before I had to leave. But all of them together didn't equal the "big boy."...

Gavin, For your information, I am not a "C&R zealot" as you suggest. I am a C&R advocate. I have no problem with anyone taking their legal limit of fish home for the dinner table. And this one was certainly legal. No, there is certainly no "law" against taking a big fish like that home. And if he "takes it home and eats it with vigor" then all the better. However, I think it is important that we, as fishermen, become advocates for C&R especially in certain situations. This was a spawning female chocked full of eggs. It then becomes a matter of opinion as to whether to release it unharmed or not. I just don't see the need to take one like that home. Again, it is a very nice fish... Enjoy the table fare... and enjoy the picture for a very long time... good memory.

Trophy: 1. anything taken in war, hunting, competition, etc., esp. when preserved as a memento; spoil, prize, or award. 2. anything serving as a token or evidence of victory, valor, skill, etc. 3. a carving, painting, or other representation of objects associated with or symbolic of victory or achievement. 4. any memento or memorial. 5. a memorial erected by certain ancient peoples, esp. the Greeks and Romans, in commemoration of a victory in war and consisting of arms or other spoils taken from the enemy and hung upon a tree, pillar, or the like. This is one of those "ethics" decisions that we all have to make. And it certainly a matter of opinion as to whether it is ethical to keep a big fish. And the question then becomes, where is the line drawn? There is certainly no "law" that says you can't keep a big fish. And if the fish has fought the good fight, is landed, and all attempts to revive him fail, then I'm all for taking him home... DON'T waste him. I am and advocate of catch and release. I have no problem whatsoever with those who choose to catch their limit of trout and take them home for the frying pan. But, as SIO3 said, a tape measure and camera are great for preserving memories. And if you have to have a mount, take the picture and measurements to a taxidermist. They can produce VERY realistic mounts today... and you can even "fudge" on the numbers if you wish... I have friends who are strictly C&R who have mounts of huge fish they have caught... and none of those fish died... the mounts are "faux"... I have to say that I have killed only one trophy fish, a bass, in my life. I was very young (14-15) and uneducated from that standpoint. I caught a very nice 8 lb bass and decided I wanted to have it mounted. Well, finally after many years in the freezer, my mom threw it out... But I learned long ago that hunting and fishing are not about trophies. We put WAY too much emphasis on the trophy aspect of hunting and fishing. I suppose this comes from the emphasis on football, baseball, basketball, etc. They mean nothing. It is the good time we have with friends... The therapy of solo fly fishing... Watching the sunrise from a duck blind... The anticipation of an approaching 10 point... The gooble answering your early morning hen call... Watching your grandson take one of his first squirrels... THAT'S what matters... Yes, I like to catch big fish. Yes, I kill deer, turkey, ducks, squirrel, etc. Yes, I like to eat fish (just show me where the Crappie are...) But more than that, I love to FISH... and I love to HUNT... the kill in hunting is a BONUS... not a goal or trophy... and as for fishing, the strike and landing is a BONUS... In my opinion, a deer, duck, fish, etc. should NEVER be considered a trophy. It should be considered a BLESSING! Last night, I hooked a "monster" and fought him for a couple of minutes. I was frustrated when he spit the fly back at me, but I was excited with a racing heart and a big grin on my face. I raised my eyes to thank God for the opportunity to just feel that big momma (or daddy) on the end of my line... and if I HAD landed him... After a couple of pictures, he would have gone back in the water... no doubts about that. Just my opinion for what it's worth... and that ain't much...