Mid June Trip

[steven tolly]

Hello Everyone,

New boat, Ready to Float

We are headed down for our annual trip in a few weeks and as always I find myself tying flies and looking for something to help my Dad and Uncle Catch fish without all the knots and having to cast long tippet rigs.

I had them fishing a slip float last year with an egg (puff ball) and scud. It seemed to work well.  A lot less tangles.  I just tie 4lb directly on to the fly line to a swivel and then tie on a pre tied rig I make at home. We use drop shot weights and cut them to match the current.  Brett Rader showed me this years ago and it always seems to work without the hassle of casting rigs. 

Any new flies I should tie for the deeper fast moving water? Scuds, Eggs, Puff Balls?

I spent a lot of time on the white below bull shoals last year using midges and love using a ruby midge, but I have never used them much on Taney.  Can I add them below the egg attractor?

I thought I would include a few pictures of our winter project. My neighbor and I started a drift boat in November and put it on the water last night for the first time.  It will be making the trip with us this year so if you see it pull us over and say hi.  

Steven Tolly

 

[ColdWaterFshr]

Impressive build!  And quite the wood shop, too.

What kind of coating is that on the bottom?

I'm not much help on Taney flies.  Conditions in a few weeks will likely be heavy flows of running water.  All the usual stuff that can get down deep.

[steven tolly]

Wetlander 2 Part Bottom Paint, it seems tough and it is incredibly slick.  Time will tell how well it holds up.

[dpitt]

59 minutes ago, steven tolly said:

Hello Everyone,

New boat, Ready to Float

We are headed down for our annual trip in a few weeks and as always I find myself tying flies and looking for something to help my Dad and Uncle Catch fish without all the knots and having to cast long tippet rigs.

I had them fishing a slip float last year with an egg (puff ball) and scud. It seemed to work well.  A lot less tangles.  I just tie 4lb directly on to the fly line to a swivel and then tie on a pre tied rig I make at home. We use drop shot weights and cut them to match the current.  Brett Rader showed me this years ago and it always seems to work without the hassle of casting rigs. 

Any new flies I should tie for the deeper fast moving water? Scuds, Eggs, Puff Balls?

I spent a lot of time on the white below bull shoals last year using midges and love using a ruby midge, but I have never used them much on Taney.  Can I add them below the egg attractor?

I thought I would include a few pictures of our winter project. My neighbor and I started a drift boat in November and put it on the water last night for the first time.  It will be making the trip with us this year so if you see it pull us over and say hi.  

Steven Tolly

 

Very nice boat build.  I've been fishing Taney a bunch with the 15,000+ cfs.   Scuds size 14 and 16 gray and tan are the ticket, I fish a long leader with fixed indicator, but required drifting over areas. I know an  16 to 18 ft leader rig will contact the bottom. I have a big indicator big split shot. The slip indicator is the way to go you can drift a couple scuds from the cable to short creek and catch fish.  Also, a lead egg pattern above the scud will catch fish and act as an attractor.    You can get a midge fix by hitting the eddy's  I'll spot lock/anchor in them and drift a big and small midge they will come up and eat em, you don't need to be at the bottom. they usually will be chilling around the fast/slow water edge,  although, not always, just sneak up on em and see if you see any.   

[Ham]

Wow, what an impressive boat build. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

4 hours ago, steven tolly said:

Wetlander 2 Part Bottom Paint, it seems tough and it is incredibly slick.  Time will tell how well it holds up.

I’d add San Juan worm to what you and @dpitt mentioned.   Especially after this rain.   I’ve had wetlander on my river jet for 6 years.  That stuff is great!

[Phil Lilley]

If you're looking for diversity in effective fly selection for Taney (drifting high water), then you'll be disappointed.  Scuds, eggs, shad fly and a san juan is about it.  But you've got the rig down pat.  And we'll see high flows I'd say by mid June.  There's a lot of water above us to move through this summer.  It should be great fishing but I'm concerned about water quality later this fall.

[steven tolly]

Not looking for diversity as much as just making sure I have enough for everyone tied up and ready.  The good news about that list is they are easy to tie.  Thanks for the input everyone.  

[Gumboot]

The first scratch on that beauty is gonna hurt.

[BilletHead]

14 minutes ago, Gumboot said:

The first scratch on that beauty is gonna hurt.

   Chicks dig scars. I have heard that.