Taneycomo and the White 7/14-7/17

[Ryan Miloshewski]

Finally got to do some serious trout fishing for the first time since March, and it did not disappoint. Went down to Taneycomo to fish with my grandpa and cousin John last Thurs/Fri and we caught a lot of 16-19-inch fish with the usual suspects on gear. They left Friday morning so I decided to fly fish and I landed 8 fish on dry flies that morning and Saturday. Landed two over 20-inches and multiple right under. It was a blast.

Motored down to the White to fish more dries with my buddy Stephen Balogh. He and some guys are renovating the White River Trout Club and they let me stay there. It is really nice and a good location right across from Cranor's. They are catering to fly fishermen and it is going to be awesome. I think it'll give others a run for nicest destination on the White for fly anglers.

The sulphur hatch was unreal. I've never seen anything like it. When they started coming off it looked like it was snowing bugs. Pods of 15-20 browns were concentrated in holes just gulping. Problem with so many bugs is your cast needed to be perfect. They didn't have to move to eat. Basically had to drift your fly right in front of them during the thickest part of the hatch. We landed a lot of 17-19" fish Saturday afternoon on the sulphurs and Sunday morning on hoppers. Finally on Sunday evening I landed a 23-inch brown on the sulphur. Perfect cast, drift and eat. 

Fishing Taney most of my life, it was an amazing experience watching those browns eat a size 18 sulphur and a size 10 hopper right on the bank. The subtlety of their eats is mesmerizing. 

Oh, and I finally was able to meet @snagged in outlet 3 on Taney Saturday morning! Only reason I knew it was him was when we were chatting he said he started fishing at 4:30 am. 

[netboy]

Nothing better than watching those browns take a dry fly.

The sulphur hatch was great this year, but the caddis hatch was even better.

Problem with the sulphur hatch is that it starts in the late afternoons and SWPA has been opening all 8 units around noon, making it hard for us old guys to get more than 1 or 2 casts at those pods of browns. 

We had lots of low, wadeable water during the caddis hatch, so it made for easier fishing.

[fshndoug]

Pete is a dandy

[Johnsfolly]

This was the best hatch that I have ever experienced - Back on the Current.

[Johnsfolly]

3 hours ago, Ryan Miloshewski said:

That's a happy brownie😉