Dan Sweeney

Yeah, that Devil's River would be really great. No idea who would guide on it though. From what I gather on other forums, access can be tough to come by, but doable. Connections or such. Anyway, I'm thread-jacking. Sorry about that.

Sunfish, check the next thread up or down. It's the one about furled/twisted leaders. They are mainly what I use for that exact type of fishing. They work well. The thread author embedded a video on how to make them, and trust me, it really is that simple. If you want, you can bend them over a third time to double your butt section again and make it stiffer yet to help with turnover. Maybe this will help. Enjoy! By the way, I've been dying to get down there to the Hill Country to chase some Guadalupe bass. I have an old copy of "Flyfishing the Texas Hill Country" but haven't made the trip yet. Was planning to this past fall, but then your part of the world washed away in floods and bow season started up here, so there ya go. I'll get down there sooner or later though. Beautiful country there.

Troutfiend, Mostly bass and panfish with occasional trout trips thrown in. Seldom do I fish large large flies or anything highly technical. My rods are cane or glass between 3 and 6 wt. Flies typically range between sizes 8 to 16, with the 8s and 10s being rather rare. I use a lot of lightly weighted wets and nymphs as well as smaller popping bugs. For most of what I do, I can use a hand twisted leader made of either 6 or 8 pound mono and have no trouble. Sometimes I'll add a third fold, or doubling, for the butt section, making it that much stiffer. Obviously it's good to start with a longer length of line if that's the plan. I can usually use a short 4 to 6 pound tippet and can just replace that when it gets nipped off too short. If I start trying to throw very heavy or wind resistant flies, I do encounter trouble with turnover. But heck, my rods are too light for those anyway. That's just usually that last few minutes right after dusk when I'm trying to coax up a nice bass before heading home and I can make it work for a half hour or so then.

I have been using twisted leaders of this nature for a while now and find that they perform very well. I don't know that they are better than a true furled leader, but they are fine for the fishing I do, and I can build them quickly and without a jig or other tools. I think that is probably a large part of the advantage. For me, it's the convienance and budget.

Yes, that's right. I mis-spoke earlier. What Chub said. There are no fish there. Stay away. Tell everyone you know to stay away. In fact, I belive the river has been poisioned and is deadly to touch, smell, or even see.

I've caught some excellent smallmouth down on that stretch, as well as a few 'eyes and whites. Yes, the whites do run up it, although I have never gone there chasing them in particular, so I couldn't tell you where they congregate the most or when. They do head up there though. It's surprisingly pretty down there. Not quite as striking as further south (upriver), but it's plenty pretty to fish. Once you get below the Stony Point access some of the traffic thins out. A lot of folks take out there after embarking at 62 bridge or so. Really nice fishin' down that way.

Hey folks, I'm trying to go camping and fishing out of Rockhouse this weekend. Any idea if the River is fishable or is it all blown out up there? Thanks, Dan.

I'm in town this week for spring break. Has anyone been out catching any crappie on Beaver? It's been cold up in Kansas till this past week, but I dunno how it's been down here.

Either way, that is a darn nice bass this far north! I'm from down in Arkansas, but living in northeast kansas currently. Last summer I caught an honest five pounder (weighed, with witnesses) and those guys both about soiled themselves. I described it as a nice bass and a lot of fun and nothing at all wrong with it and all that (but I say that about pretty much any fish, since I'm hardly a head hunter), and they about decided to hold my head under water. Point being, the further up you get, the fewer really nice bass you'll run into since they are a relativly warm water fish, and that is a good 'un!!

We call 'em "rock bass" down here, although they aren't usually that splotchy looking. They can be as they can blend to match whatever is around. They are some of my favorites! They are as good to eat as crappie, and are fun to catch on a light fly rod or ultralight spinning gear. Nice fish!

Thanks. That sounds good. We usually like to float it a little lower than "ideal" becuause it seems to fish better. We use an old Blue Hole that can skim over riffles in an inch of water anyway so it isn't too bad unless it's really low. Sounds like it'll be a good time as long as it isn't nasty when I get down there. Only a few months away from moving back and never leaving again! I am ready! There isn't much public water up here in Kansas.

Get you a 8 to 9 foot long 6 weight for now. You can manage the smaller trout flies alright, but still handle decent sized bugs and streamers for bass. BUT, you may as well plan on getting lots more rods. Fly fishing is like any other hobby. Once you decide you like it and start to figure it out, you'll go pick up a 7 or 8 weight for open water bass, then an 8 foot 5 weight for river trout, then a 6 or 7 weight with a slower action for streamers at night for trout (so you can tell when the rod is loaded without being able to see). Then you'll have to have a 6.5 to 7.5 foot 4 or 5 weight for small stream bass and panfish, and maybe pond bluegill. Then you'll develop a soft spot for split cane rods and have to start the process all over again with cane. And woe unto you if you decide that you like something such as steelhead or salmon or saltwater flats... But, you're already a fisherman, obviously, so you already understand this progression! Enjoy the ride! P.S. And then you'll read somewhere how much fly fishing resembles the asthetic of traditional archery, so you'll buy an old recurve bow. Then decide to start making your own bows out of hackberry trees behind the house...

Here in a monster wall hanger. I know it's not a trophy trout, but maybe you could catch a big brown with it?...or a small cutt for that matter! Actually I was out brem fishing yesterday afternoon and picked this guy up. It makes me feel good about the future generations of bass in that lake!

Mine has caught quite a few brem out of our pond and Lake Atalanta, and even a little bass or two. I want to get to the river and maybe into some smallmouth or a school or rock bass though. If it is nice enough we'll do a 5 mile float pretty slowly and stop in the middle for a sanbar lunch. Should be a good time.

Thanks. I'd like to get in a day float if it stays nice enough.

Looks like the perfect opportunity for a "cast and blast" trip! Or a "cast and cast" if you are a bowhunter. I've been known to fish with a stickbow in the canoe and a quiver on over my vest. There is an awful lot of Ozark water in the National Forest and what not where you are on public, huntable land as soon as you step out of the canoe.

How is the river looking these days? I am coming down for Thanksgiving and am wanting to float a day and do a little fly fishing.

Yeup...

Sounds like you had a good time. That's a pretty creek. The smallmouth will keep biting all winter, but they'll slow down a lot when it gets good and cold. During the occasional warm spells when it heats up for a few days like it does, they'll pick up a little bit, but it'll be generally pretty slow untill late March/early April. Use that sink tip and those Wooly Buggers or similar wet flies in the deeper pools. Slow, deep, repetitive presentations. People don't realize it much, but the fishing can be surprisingly good through the winter. Just don't fall in!! I'm planning a float for the week of Thanksgiving. I hope it stays nice through then. I want to get my daughter into her first smallmouth and rock bass!