Thom

Brownieman: I understand what you are saying to an extent but having fished lots of tailwaters around the USA....Ours in MO and the ones in Arkansas are head and shoulders above most. I agree that sometimes bad decisions are made but the approach that TU and other activist organizatons has taken can make an impact of govt and administration decisions. I think if you got to know some of the Conservation folks you might find that there are a lot of them that try to make good decisions. My point being that Dano's suggestion of feeding input back to those in charge can't hurt and if you see what TU has done in othere areas to change bad decisions etc you have to agree. What those of us that fish the tailwaters have learned can perhaps bring about change if we seek ways to offer the suggestions in good faith. I think what I am saying is you can catch more flies with sugar than vinegar. Don't get me wrong we still have a long way to go but what has been accomplished in MO in the way of a Trout freindly is outstanding. I have asked outfitters and sportsman that I have met where to go for tailwaters and almost every time Mo is one of the first to mention. I have had some say why did you drive all the way out here if you are near Ark or Mo. Our course you know the answer to that question. Much of the problem out west and in the east is much of the Trout waters are private and their state political powers want to keep it that way.

John: That is interesting. I used to tie to the tag end also and have seen most of the illustrations tieing to the bend of the hook. I thought that that could cause interference with hook ups on the upper fly so I changed from tieing to the longer tag end. What do I know? I am going to be at Taney next week and you have convinced me to go back to my old method of tying a tag end on. Acually I really thought it was a better way but the argument that tieing to the bottom of the first hook was it would give better action to the second fly. It really seems to me that tying to the tag end would give better action like you imply. I will try both ways next week. After all the fun of fishing is to see what works and what don't. It is great to hear different opinions and methods to try in fooling the fish. Thanks for sharing.

As important as how you rig at Bennett if the water is as clear as it has been reported be sure to use small leader. I would use 7X for starters. A little harder to tie for me but when it gets tough it is worth the effort. If there is some chop on the water 6x might be OK. Invest in a spool of good leader Rio, Orvis, etc. Give up a report when you return.

Here is a little known fact: It was first called MCD. The reason that the term PMS was used was because there was already another disease that was named "MCD". Mad Cow Disease

Michael: Sorry if I misread your post. Hope that you are doing better soon and back in the stream. BTW: I enjoyed the article that you wrote which Phil posted today. Good Stuff. I need all of the advice that I need and a good dose of luck to go with it.

Captian: The following is a quote from a previous thread. Try going to search and typing in dropper and then go down and hit perform search for more of the same. Some of the guys on this forum are experts at this type of fishing. Bleeding Shiner Group: Members Posts: 6 Joined: 19-July 07 Member No.: 3,760 You may have been short on luck because the midge was to high up in the water column. You said you caught most of your fish in very shallow water? The thing with midges is although they are an important fish food,they are tiny little insects that are pretty inconspicuous, there are lots of them, and a fish usually won't go out of it's way to hit one. So you need to get the midge as close to the fish as possible. One technique that I have had a lot of luck with on all sorts of streams is fishing a midge as a dropper behind a beadhead attractor nynph such as a #16-18 copper john. You may not get a strike on the nymph, but being more noticeable, it peaks the fish's curiosity and when it comes in for a closer look it often hits the midge. This is also a good way to get the midge on or right above the bottom. You can use a strike indicator, but the weight of the nymph helps in detecting strikes. Give this a try sometime. Hope this helps. Try different depths until finding where the fish are holding.

I fish with a dropper two ways. Both are effective but require different methods. 1. Tie a larger dry or attractor fly in the conventional way to your leader. elk hair caddis or other floating fly that can be treated with floatant act as a marker to a smaller zebra midge, scud, or smaller offerig. The Caddis will act as a sort of indicator but don't be surprised if you sometimes catch as many on the dry as the dropper fly. The dropper is tied to the bottom of the turn of the hook of the first fly not the eye. If there is any hesitation of the dry or movement at all be sure to set the hook. To be effective you must keep the slack between the first and second fly or the fish will spit it out. Tie the second fly on with smaller leader about 12 to 18 inches below the first. 2. Tie two flies as above but place on on top that is larger or will attract attention. I ofter have good success with a multicolored or peach egg fly and then something like a midge, hairs ear, scud again below the first. I have observed the bows noseing the upper fly and then swimming off to the second to suck it in. With this method I place as small of an indicator as I can 6 to 18 inches above the first fly. Again look for the indicator to stop, bearly bob, or move in unuaual manner. Many times it will never go under but set the hook on any movement. Both mentods can be fished in a dead float being careful to mend the line so it does not drag the flies but rather they float naturally. You may also bearly lift your rod to twitch the line ever so slightly. The least the better. Often just after the twitch an echo twitch comes back. This is a slight strike that can hook the fish by lifting the rod until the set is aquired. Good luck. You will really enjoy this mehtod.

Leonard: I find it interesting also. Seriously. Everything you showed me the last time I fished some of those same patterns worked. We had a great time and caught lots of fish. Pretty impressive since it was my first, but not last time to night fish. Hey Michael! How about some info instead of sarcasm!

Did you day there are a lot of patterns for "Crackle backs"? I'll bet you haven't seen this $1300 model. clik here: http://www.rtfi.us/collectible/heddon/litt...crackleback.htm click on the recipe home and then recipe link for some interesting recipes.

I have seen and used the PMS as has my grandson Zach (13 years old) who used it sucessfully at taney. Thanks to Leonards generousity Zack has one and it will hit the water again. It does catch fish as did all of the flies that we used that night. Leonard set Zach us and turned him loose. We went downstream 30 feet and got rigged. Zach had landed and released 7 or 8 bows before Leonard and I had our lines in the water.

Last year when they were in the down cycle about this time of year everyone was saying they will never make it. When Houston make their annual season ending rush everyone was saying .... The cards are out of it... When they won the division everyone was saying..especially the NY press it will be three 3 and out. When they won NL division everyone was saying it will be 4 and out. MAYBE HISTORY WILL REPEAT. It sure looks like a possibility now. Like you said Phil they are always an interesting team to watch. One never knows what team will show up. Seems like lately the GREAT CARDS are showing up and hopefull they will until the end of the season.

Great news Terry. After reading all of the mediocrity of the local and national news..... hearing something that is positive and was uplifting made my day. It is very interesting how God often takes difficult times and uses it to open new doors and rewarding opportunities to us if leave our hearts open and trust in his divine providence to take care of us. I completed my Bachelors degrees in Business management and Information technology and then earned a Masters degree in Computer resourse management after I was 55 years old. Being in upper management in a large corporation, I discovered that a good mix of young energetic scholars and mature experienced sages made the best management team. I am sure that you will find your niche at the new job. From reading your post today and seeing your humility and positive attidude I am sure you will succeed. I will be praying that God will bless you in your family as you start out on this new venture.

The environmental impact studies usually tie up most of those kinds of projects so long that they take forever to complete. New plants are not usually a problem to the environment. It is the old retrofits and plants that have employees alredy that are most difficult to monitor because of the politacal repercussions. Don't be surprised to see the Ethanol dream slowly go away after the election are past. Seems most politicians get real interested in the problelms just prior to elections and develope amnesia after they are sworn into office.

Bill: Do you have any idea where the Browns have relocated? I'm sure they are looking for or have found another cafeteria.........but where? We saw several in the retricted water and some near dock shallows but didn't catch any. Several people told me last week that the fishing downstrem from Phil's might be better. I didn't find it to be the case for artificals. Maybe the Browns have adopted an American tradition of fast food. Power bait. I hope not because few fish caught on power bait ever make it back to the stream. Most people who do want to release fish after catching them on bait try to pull the hook out. That is a death sentence. They find it hard to understand that just cutting the line gives the fish a better chance of surviving.

No problem. Different opinions and ideas make the forum interesting and informative. I'll look forward to your future posts.

Great report JD. what kind of boat was you floating in and where did you take out or were you wading all of the way? I have fished some of that area but not that far down. Sounds like lots of fun. I was doing real good just out of the park on one trip and a couple came to the hole with a big retreaver and proceded to throw a stick towards where I was fishing and having the dog retrieve it. Some folks just don't get it.

Bill: I usually catch fish not only in that area but down from it and also across behind the island in the shallows near the houses. I didn't pick up a thing there last trip. I wonder if that area will come back any? I guess time will tell. The shallower water under the cables seem much slower than usual. I usually catch fish there when I drift back toward the island cut near the tip. Lots fewer bites there also. As I mentioned I hope it just was a fluke. Where it really poses a problem is when the restricted water is crowded. In the past there was always places that you could go when the upper channel was full of boats on week ends. It was difficult last week. It is near the last gasp for many before school starts though. That's what is nice about the fall. Usually not nearly as crowded and a different breed of sportsmen than is the prime vacation time. I didn't mean that in a derrogatory manner just different personalities in the late fall and winter.

Greg: Now that you mentioned it I didn't catch any Browns at all last trip. I usually catch one or two. One being nice size. We did see two large males just down from Fall creek Marina between two docks. Huge Browns maybe 22" or better chasing each other back and forth I guess trying to secure that spot for their own. Lots of structure and behind a dock in about 3 foot of water. I usually catch a nice brown in that area between the docks and deep water about this time each year. I will be giving it another try the week of August 26th. Hopefully it will br as good as last week.

Gizzard Shad Group: Fishing Buddy Posts: 284 Joined: 21-November 05 From: O'fallon MO Member No.: 96 I posted this on wrong tread so am reposting on Taneycomo thread. In regards to the earlier discussion about the draw down from for the work at the Landing. I was wondering what most of you that fish the upper part of Taney are finding in fish and hatch quality after the drawn down for the landing? I fished last week and found the fish that I caght in the restricted water were fat, full of bright color and fighting hard. A lot of this might be due to the fact that lots of water is and has been running as far as fight. The oxygen level has to be really good running 3 & 4 units like they have recently. What I did find thought was that some of the places that I had found almost endless midge hatches just two months ago weren't midging near as much. I saw lots of fish working the top but not dimpling and hitting midge imitations as well. Drys were working and craclebacks below the surface but not the sub surface suspended midge action that I had earlier this year. Short creek and below was not nearly as active as in June especially in the shallow gravel where midges would be hatching. The time / season might account for the difference. Is it to early to really make any judgements about the damage if any to the stream life? What are your thoughts?

I was wondering what most of you that fish the upper part of Taney are finding in fish and hatch quality after the drawn down for the landing? I fished last week and found the fish that I caght in the restricted water were fat, full of bright color and fighting hard. A lot of this might be due to the fact that lots of water is and has been running as far as fight. What I did find thought was that some of the places that I had found almost endless midge hatches just two months ago weren't midging near as much. I saw lots of fish working the top but not dimpling and hitting midge imitations as well. Drys were working and craclebacks below the surface but not the sub surface suspended midge action that I had earlier this year. Short creek and below was not nearly as active as in June especially in the shallow gravel where midges would be hatching. The time / season might account for the difference. What are your thoughts? Excuse my ignorance I should have posted this under Taneycomo instead of white river even though it is somewhat the same.

I want to close my comments on this subject on a positive note. This jerk that after I told him he was breaking the law was still going to stay until he saw me dialing my phone was the only jerk that I encountered during the week that I spent at Taneycomo. I talked to several people on the water ane exchanged information about fishing. I gave away at least 15 flies to folks that had told me that they were having trouble getting hits. One guy from arkansas the next day on the water stopped me holding up 9 fingers. I stopped and the said with a smile on his face that he had already landed 9 that morning and thanked me for the tips. That's how I learned and am learning. 99% of the folks that I meet on the stream and in Branson are very cordial and great to talk to. We stayed at Lilleys' all week and had long cordial conversations with the folks there. Leonard met us one night and showed my grandson how to fish at night. I couldn't tell who was having the most fun when Zack landed one of his 15 or so fish....Leonard or Zack because each were laughing out loud. Thanks Leonard for a fine time. It seems that the minority get a lot attention these but the folks and businesses at Branson are people friendly. My grandson forgot his waders at home so we had to rent them from the folks at riverrun. My daughter commented on how nice they were. In the bustle of getting them back the next day we suddenly realized that we were going to be close to their 5:30 closing. Zack told me that they were getting a note ready to just leave them at the door and they wouldn't charge him another day. THATS THE SPIRIT OF MOST OF BRANSON AND THOSE WHO VISIT THERE AND WHY I RETURN MONTH AFTER MONTH TO SPEND TIME WITH MY FAMILY AT GOD'S WONDERFUL GIFT OF NATURE AND FINE FOLKS.

Fishing small jigs will work now. Small green and pink 1/100 or 1/80 worked well last week. If you can pick up some tung head or brass head hare's ears they will work also. Pluging the banks is fine but we did well on both sides of the boat last week early in the morning before the sun was bright. The gravel side of lookout and below also produced. Look for dimples on top (midging) and try stripping crackleback or fishing copper head zebra midges in black or red under a small float or a large elk hair caddis. This all worked last week in the area from lookout down ane also in short creek on the drop of the channel across from the condo's. Sorry I omited this: Fish the midges about 12" under the float ane strip the cracklebacks just under the surface.

I didn't see that either HHC and started to reply with the same conclusion that you had but it seemed that my point was missed anyway. You had to be there. BTW I was within 6' of a fully loaded .357 when most of the conversation occured on the parking lot. That wasn't by chance. As I said I'v been around the block working at Natural Bridge and Union in St. Louis I learned how to control my environment to my advantage. I would never take the law into my own hands but will do anything to assist or support a law officer.

Crappie fisherman: I didn't jepordise anyones life. This whimp couldn't make it to the parking lot fast enough. I have worked with people for both in the inner city and in prison populations. I know how to use discresion. If you think that waiting on the law to get to the dam will solve anything you are sadly mistaken. I have called many times and have yet to see anyone show up. I never confront anyone without a backup plan and never aggressively. I don't have any problem with knuckle sandwitches and I refuse to let anyone blantly break the law. I will tell them poitely as I did this genleman who thought he would ignore me and if they have a problem with that....oh well.

1. It is tough with more than 2 units but possible by going upstream and floating down and fishing jigs, eggflies, or larger nymphs or scuds. If more than 1 unit you will need extra weight to keep close to the bottom. You can also get behind the islands and fish from out of the current into the seam of the current and do well with 2 or 3 units running. With 4 units it is time to go to the cabin and tie flies for later. 2. You can't go upstream very easily with no water running unless you have a jet boat. 3.Tennis court is easy to id but the others need to be shown for the first time. Basically most of the bank from lookout down is good fishing and you will see bvery identifial markings, trees, homes that you can id for yourself. 4. Lookout hole is just below the island by point royal where the channel narrows going up to the old KOA area. If the water is off that island is about as far as you can venture without a jet boat. Usually there are several waders at the narrows by the island. I fished those areas with my grandson last week and caught about 30 each day. If you search my posts (thom) I have reports on what I used mosts days