Benefit Fly Tournament at Beaver

[Flysmallie]

Well we are just a couple weeks away from this event and we still need one more to fill our team. I know somebody out there wants to do this. And heck if you go with me and MrDucky you know one of us in going to fall at some point so you are going to be in for a good laugh. Then we have a guy named Rich on our team and he is always good for a laugh.

However if you want to be on a team that is going for the gold, you might want to consider doing something different. We are not the best but I can bet we will have the most fun. I gave up competitive fishing a couple of years ago and I have no intentions of going back. The only reason I am in any kind of tournament is to help out this little girl.

I will be driving out of Springfield and picking up Rich and John along the way. If you are worried about getting there or the expense of gas, don't worry I have it covered. All you need to bring is the $25 to fish and a sense of humor.

Call me if you have any questions.

Ronnie 417-839-5530

[duckydoty]

I still need to be put on a team. I have my own fishing pole

duckydoty

[MrDucky]

Ducky will you fish with Ronnie , Rich and I we need one more on our team . Ronnie's right , He is not the best and we wont win with him on our team . Winning dosen't matter a thing to me either . I only want to see one winner this tournament The little girl and her family

MrDucky

[Danoinark]

Duane

Phil, JoRob and myself need a fourth too.

Dano

[duckydoty]

I'll see if I can get one other guy for y'uns

duckydoty

I should have an answer in about an hour

[duckydoty]

Eric Shadder from BPS said he would be interested in getting in on this.

Might make a good 4th for you Danno

[Danoinark]

Ok, thanks Duane

[Guest flyfishBDS]

Sorry troops I should have looked in on this earlier to answer some of Mr Ducky's questions

Licences can be obtained at the Beaver Dam Store (assembly point)

Arkansas licence non-resident

Trout stamp _ $12 lasts 12 months from purchase date

Three day fishing license _ $11.

If you think you will be fishing in Arkansas another 3 times in the 12 months after the tournament buy an annual you'll save money on the 3rd trip _$40

MIssouri White River extension licence is not valid on the tailwater _

Equipment

Waders are pretty much essentials (beg, borrow or steal) You have way way way more access with waders.

The water is even colder than Taney if you can believe it and the crossings are above "Crown Jewel" height.

Thick socks, 1-2 layers fleece underneath if you want to fish hard.

Rods/Lines

3-4-5wt 9' standard depending on wind. You'll need line control for longer drifts mends.

A lot of Beaver is like Taney above the boatramp, flat pretty slow current _ but its still there.

9' leaders 3' 6x flouro tippet is my standard _ I'm definately running longer leaders these days. 7x can be worthwhile but you run a greater risk of bustoffs.

If its windy ugly intermediate line or slow sink lines would be worthwhile for streamers.

Flies

Remember ONE FLY, barbless only in the Trophy Zone, No dropper rigs here. Outside the trophy zone two flies permitted

Scuds

Tan or Olive Bring your Taney patterns or fish McLellan's Hunchback or Kaufmann's Scuds

Midges

Standard colors Olive Black Brown Red Gray and variations of above.

Cadion Midge _ Blue Dun/Silver, Brown Olive/Green have been hot(16-20)

Other Zebra Midges _ Black/Silver, Red/Gold-Silver, etc etc good(16-20)

Blue Poison Tung, Tung Rainbow Warrior, Tung WD40 very good in 20s first two in full sun

Flashy ties like Charlotte's Redneck Midge, Ruby/Razorback Midges and Primrose and Pearl in 18s also good

If the fish are on top, most of the time they are taking emerging midges_ swung Soft Hackles can be superb

Currently Cooee SH's are hot in Green/Yellow, Red/Yellow and DoubleCopper, Red butt, Partridge and Green Part/Yellow, Part/Orange. Tungsten SH in Olive, Tan and Pearl are also handy

Attractors like Y2K, Veiled Egg can be good, San Juans etc

Woolly/Crystal Buggers are always on here. Try drifted, stripped or swung. Olive Black, are the two best but copper brown, white or chilli pepper can be lethal on some days. Change up your retrieves.

Accesses

Top 4 accesses are the most easily and hence most heavily fished. Starting from below the Dam

Boat Ramp: Upstream from the ramp through the Okra Hole (slippery as all get out) hold a lot of small fish, and some decent ones, wading can be a pain, but you never know what you can find. Good dry fly fishing at times on midges, ants. Downstream is a long gravel bar, usually with a deckchair hatch. High fish density but you have to duck the hardwear thrown by the bait anglers. Below this a relatively little fished bank to bank hole, some parts seriously shallow and some deep places frequented by bait crown at the lower end Can hold good fish

Bathhouse: Start of the trophy zone. Long shallow run, pressured fish but holds good numbers, and sometimes quality fish. Be Steathly. Bottom of the run is the Y2K Hole, wiuth a narrow neck spilling onto limestone flats. Careful drifts and some stealth needed.

TURNAROUND (end of the road):

Good fishing avalable up and down stream. Best fished from the far bank back to the road side. NOTE: when you come down the steps don't cross, walk upstream around the deadfall until you get to the BUTT of the deadfall. Then cross. You will stay dry this way.

Fish will often move locations but often if you can find them here you will find a bunch. Hence popular. River kicks right downstream of the walk-in into the Canebreak Hole, VERY VERY DEEP in places. Walk around the River bank to get to the Bluffs section, fish can be localised along this stretch.

PARKER BEND: Best fishing upstream. Wade carefully off the end of the upstream ramp, go up the middle of the river towards two gravel bars. Good fishing left most of the way to the gravel bars, above the gravel bars fish right, Watch out for holes above gravel bars. You will also note you enter the Trophy Zone here. Take your barbs off. Downstream you can hot some fish in riffles and pools, but can be patchy, but worth prospecting.

Stocking tube is between the two ramps _ there are fish there but give the bank fishers right of way here. You can wade where they can't

OK that was the easy water to access.

Bertrand Boatramp _ if you like to wade and walk there is a bunch of water available from Spider Creek to Parker Bend. If you go upstream Look for the feeding lanes, deeper water amid the flats, Guaranteed not to see many people other than floaters.

Bertrand to Spider Creek Island: Access very limited currently for waders, best done off far side, not sure if you can cross. but generally stretch holds plenty of fish some very good.

Downstream from spider creek can be good at low water levels _ currently table rock is high so wading is limited.

Cheers

Steve

[Danoinark]

Our team is complete now.

Phil

Dano

JoRob

Vince Elfrink

Lets get a head count now and see how many OAF'ers plan on being at the event and who may need to fill a team. Thanks Dano

[Flysmallie]

Our team is also complete.

Flysmallie

MrDucky

Duckydoty

Rich

I'm not sure why I'm fishing with a bunch of ducks but I did hear Phil say that pee rolls off their backs. That info may come in handy.