'Taneycomo' shuffle

[Brian K. Shaffer]

(Speaking as true voice from an ex-shuffler.. all I want to do here is educate.)

Lake Taneycomo is a trout treasure. Fish are everywhere, and sometimes they do not cooperate. If the trout don't eat.. what will make them eat right way ? Kicking.. or shuffling of your feet will make it happen.

When you kick / shuffle (i.e purposefully disturbing the stream bottom to induce trout to feed), you are commiting an act that truly is not fly fishing related. You have then decided to become someone who wishes to bait a hole.

Kicking is detrimental to the substrate, dislodges entire colonies of scuds and sowbugs, and is unsightly in its nature. Besides being unethical in nature - it is certainly unsightly.

If you choose to kick / shuffle.. your choice.

my .02 - Brian Shaffer

[coonriverdog]

Well put Brian. In my younger days I did some questionable things to get big fish or lots of fish. Nothing too illegal, but not very sporting. Now I fish for the love of fishing, matching my pea sized brain with the fishes pea sized brain. Much more fun!!!!!

[jOrOb]

I must not know how to shuffle! My son did it a little at first, and he just walked backwards one or two steps then dropped his fly at his feet. Then he would just take a couple more steps every couple minutes. I understand how that could be seen as unethical, and have since taught him better ways, but I don't see how it does more damage than wading in itself.

Is there something that I don't realize about shuffling?

jOrOb

[Wayne SW/MO]

What you're describing probably isn't any less disturbing then wading. Shuffling is literally digging your boots into the gravel and stirring it up, which releases the various critters that use it for cover. It floats away the feed and nymphs, somewhat sterilizing the the area for quite awhile.

[Leonard]

jOrOb...

If and when the next time we meet (hopefully soon)... I'll try to show you what a shuffler does...

when you see them they will have a 10 foot long "mud" streck in front of them and catching fish...

then wacth them alittle longer... then ask them how the fishing is...LOL.. they will say it has been one of the best days on the water.. they are catching fish right and left.....

The greatest thing I ever seen from a shuffler was... he was standing in the chute 1 (I mean standing in it!!) shuffling his feet... and wasnt catching a thing.. I watch this guy for maybe 30 minutes.. and didnt catch a one... he walked up into the chute and moved around some big rocks about 10 of them.. all the way back down he shuffled his feet.. then caught 1 fish maybe 10-12inch... and hes reply was these darn fish arent hungry today.... as he got out of the water leaving I casted right at the end of the current of the chute (with a white #20 egg) and hit a fish 18in... he walked back down and fish another 20-30 and still didnt catch a fish. I caught maybe 30 fish that day to his 1

[CaptainT16]

I remember when I first fished Taney, I was walking to my fishing hole and noticed all these trout were brushing against my wader boots. Had no clue what was going on that point, but did notice that everything that was stirring up when I was walking was being eaten. Finally put two and two together and figured out what was going on. I am amazed at how many people I see doing the "taney shuffle"! It is sad that guys do it just to catch a trout. For as many trout as there are, nobody should have to do the "shuffle"!

[Rusty]

The first time I was at Taney, I thought dang, this is going to be easy. Then I figured out to fish from the bank first, before wading a section. I did do better after that. Up until this point all I could think about was the childrens rhyme about the pied piper.

[Brian K. Shaffer]

Up until this point all I could think about was the childrens rhyme about the pied piper.

HUH ? I forget the Pied Piper rhyme... how does it go ?

best fishes - Brian

[Rusty]

Brian...I can not remember the childrens version, it was told to me by my grandmother. As I can remember she didn't read it she spoke it from memory. But, here is a link to the original version.

http://www.indiana.edu/~librcsd/etext/piper/text.html

[MoCarp]

Shuffling is an issue because it is so effective--I have seen it done--I have also seen the same reaction when boats go screaming up and drifting back as the wakes (sometimes lower units) stir up the substrate critters---the point of a lure only section or trophy area is to limit overly effective methods to encourage larger fish.

What are the ramifications? does the MDC have a take on it? is it something that needs to be regulated?

Mo