Featured Link Friday: Part III

Most fly fishermen I talk to check out Weaver’s Tackle Store online fishing report prior to a trip down to Bennett Spring State Park.  It is a great resource and gives all kinds of detailed information about the park and surrounding area.  There is information about what the fish are biting on, if any lunkers have been caught, and what the stream conditions are like.  Fishing times, weather forecasts, and a calendar of events are also included.  The site is updated once or twice a week and includes some nice photographs as well.  Enjoy and have a great weekend.

http://www.missouritrout.com/weavers/report.html 

Fly Fishing for Wisconsin Smallmouth

Talk about living the dream.  These guys are living pretty high on the hog even if that life involves a fourteen foot camper.  Not a bad video to watch if you need a break from work for about four minutes.

Rainbow Fly Shop

If you are in your mid thirties or older you probably remember the show “Cheers”.  If you’re younger, then maybe you’ve seen reruns or just have no idea where I’m going with this.  The show was based around a bunch of regulars in a bar.  Some characters passed in and out of storylines quickly, but characters like Sam, Norm, Woody, Cliff, Carla, Rebecca, and Diane were regulars.  They came from different walks of life but found things in common when they were in the bar that was the setting for most of the show.  While I do not regularly frequent a bar to the point that people yell my name when I walk through the door, there is a place where I am starting to become a “regular”. 

Rainbow Fly Shop has become my metaphorical “Cheers”.  Anymore, I barely even notice that drive right past Bass Pro Shops on 40 highway in Independence.  Aside from the fact that Rainbow has a wider range of tying materials and fly rods, there is the fact that I will always get to shoot the breeze with Matt Sutton, the store owner.  Even though suburban Kansas City is located about one hundred miles from the closest trout stream, Rainbow has the genuine feel of a fly shop.  There are new folks that are looking for gear to pick up before a trip to Alaska and folks that are new to the area and trying to figure out how to fly fish without trout water.  Then there are the regulars.  The guys that know how to find crappie near the banks of Blue Springs Lake and the guys that know where the bass hang out in the mornings at James A. Reed in Lee’s Summit.  The fact is, it doesn’t matter who you talk to, you are going to probably learn something about a new fishing spot, help someone learn about a new fly, or just kill some time talking about the sport that drew you in to a fly shop in the first place.

Rainbow has the feel of a mom and pop store because that’s what it is.  The store was established in 1989 and Matt has been involved with the operations since the doors opened.  You can find Matt in the store almost every day (except Mondays, they are his day off) and to call him helpful would be a gross underestimation.  He’s let me test out some of the pre-owned fly rods prior to a purchase and really helped me figure out what I was looking for in a rod.  He’s also able to do some things that the bigger stores (okay, Bass Pro) has had to cut for budgetary reasons.  Matt is a great casting instructor and always makes himself available to help novices to experts whenever someone asks.  There are also weekly fly tying get-togethers on Saturday mornings, but he has set me down in front of a vice on a whim to show me a new technique or how to tie a new fly.  There are also fly tying lessons on Thursday nights at 7:00 PM.

The fly shop carries Winston, Temple Fork, Redington, Echo, Douglas, Loop, and Orvis fly rods along with a wide range of pre-owned rods and reels.  You can find Lamson, Temple Fork, Redington, and Orvis reels that can be paired with Scientific Angler, Cortland, Wulff, Airflo, Orvis, and Rio fly lines.  Waders, vests, leader, and tippet are also offered as you might expect.  What I like most about the store is the incredibly large variety of fly tying materials.  I routinely find things there that I have never even heard of before while at the same time finding the basics that I rely on for most of the patterns that I rely on.

While all of the big company names and products that are offered are all well and good, that’s not why I go to Rainbow so often.  If going fly fishing is like going to church, then a trip to Rainbow Fly Shop is like going to Sunday school.  It’s where I go for fun and for inspiration.  When I want to share a recent fishing story, I know I can go there to tell my tale and probably get an equally entertaining story in return from someone.  Most of all, I go to Rainbow because it’s fun and because I will run into someone that shares the same passion for fly fishing as me.  Sometimes I walk out with a used rod or some rabbit strips but I always walk out with my batteries charged and ready to hit the water.  If you’ve never visited Rainbow before, I highly suggest you put it on your list of things to do.  Here is the contact info in case you need it.

http://kcflyshop.com/

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rainbowflyshop.matt?fref=ts

4621 S. Shrank Dr.

Independence, MO 64055

816-373-2283

Brown trout video

While the name may sound a little…inappropriate, trust me it is not.  I try to keep things “G” rated around here and wouldn’t post anything raunchy.  There is a naughty three letter word that is used about a minute in that begins with “a” so you might need to edit for the kids but that’s it.  This is a stunning video shot by some pretty cool guys that really know their fishing.  Finally, anytime a video can reference wolves with mullets, Wu-Tang Clan, Dennis Rodman, and sissy mayflies…well that just puts icing on the cake.  Enjoy and hopefully you will come back tomorrow.

So I bought a float tube...now what?

My float tube, flippers, and pump.

So I bought a float tube (a.k.a a belly boat) a few weeks ago and I was hoping to use it in a few farm ponds that I have attempted to fish in the past.  These ponds are surrounded by trees and are in pretty remote areas.  You have to hike through some corn and soybean fields to reach them and there is just no way for me to get my small two man boat where the ponds are located or through the timber that fortifies them.  I needed a way to hike to the water, get away from the shore, and throw some flies towards the shore and structure near the bank.  Now to most people, this entire plan seems a little…extreme.  I can understand how someone would think, “Is it worth all the trouble to fish a few farm ponds?”  The answer is an emphatic YES!

There are three ponds that I have attempted to fish from the edges which have met mixed results.  In one pond, I have hooked five bass in a morning that went five pounds each.  I also lost a six pounder there last spring.  In another pond, there are only two spots I can fish from and I consistently catch fish from those spots all the time but only on spinning tackle.  In pond number three, I only fished there twice.  I have had bites and even seen fish but cannot hook them because trees keep me from making good casts or making strong hook sets.  I was also told by the landowner (and whenever I hear someone say this, my heart skips a beat), “Oh yeah, I put fish in there years ago but nobody has fished it in years.”

Flippers and pump.

My curiosity and imagination had gotten the best of me so I devised a plan.  I had a little left over Christmas money and decided to invest it in a float tube, flippers, and a pump.  At the time, it seemed like the perfect plan at the time, and maybe it still is.  A float tube will allow me to get away from the banks in a stealthy way, not that I probably need to be stealthy because most of these fish have never seen a human or fishing lure in their lives.  A tube will also allow me to fish all the spots from the right angles and with a fly rod.  When the trees have me pinned down on all sides, the only casts I can usually make are with spinning gear and are to the middle of the pond…where the fish are not located.  Finally, I can pack the tube in a small suitcase and carry it long distances while still managing all the necessary fishing equipment.  Sounds like a good plan right?

Well, here is where my plan has hit a snag.  First of all, with all the rain we had this spring the ponds were incredibly high and the hikes to the ponds would have been like wading through a mud volleyball tournament.  On top of that, I have plenty of other obligations in my life and I go fishing when I can…not whenever I want.  Most of the times I wanted to go, it was either raining or was too muddy.  Then there is the biggest obstacle that lies ahead of me. 

I’m flat out scared of this thing.  Granted, most of the fear comes from the simple fact that I have never used a float tube before.  New things are scary and intimidating to me and add my fear of failure to the equation and you can realize why I have never put this thing on the water.  I’m also scared because nobody has ever shown me how to use one of these things.  None of my buddies own float tubes therefore I have never had someone take me out on the water and say, “Do this, but don’t do that.”  Yes, I know there are internet web pages devoted to this style of fishing, but I can’t carry my tablet to the edge of the water and have some YouTube video walk me through the process.  And the next thing might sound strange, but it’s a big hiccup for me and that is wearing waders out in the water.

I have no problems wading trout streams or wearing waders around the edges of farm ponds.  I do have a problem with what might happen if I fall off the boat and my waders fill with water.  I also have a problem with what might happen if I make a lousy cast (which I still do quite often), hook my boat, and I start to sink while wearing waders.  I know I would probably be fine but the initial fear is keeping me grounded.  My other thought is that I could just wear some swim trunks but then I see a couple of problems with that.  For one, my flippers are made to fit over large boots like the ones you find on waders so that would make getting around rather difficult.  The other problem is that I’m not really sure that I want to be in swimming in these farm ponds for a long period of time.  I can’t quite put my finger on exactly why, but I think I might have some unresolved childhood issues around farm ponds (most of them revolve around water snakes and what I have seen snapping turtles bite through).  On the bright side, I would stay cool that’s for sure.

My device of danger.  It looks about as intimidating as a litter of puppies from this angle.

So here I am, a guy with a float tube that is too scared to use it.  I feel stupid and childish for feeling the way I do, but I guess I am still working out how to get over the whole thing.  There have been many nights where I think, “Alright, this I the night that I get all geared up like I am going to fish out of the boat and go through a little dry run.”  That pun was totally intended and has been planned out for days.  You’re welcome.  But then I forget about the practice session, or start tying flies, or go fishing instead.

So that’s the end of the story for now.  There will be a conclusion to this story and it WILL end in me overcoming my fears and getting on the water.  I’m not sure if it will include a cameo appearance of a six pound bass, but hopefully I will catch something.

Went fishing the other night. Saw one fish.

I’ve been cooped up indoors for the last few days so when I got a small window to go fishing, I loaded up the truck quicker than a Ronda Rousey fight.  I hit the water around 6:00 PM and it was hot.  How hot was it you ask?  It was that kind of hot where you sweat even when you are sitting still.  It was also so hot that I saw two trees fighting over a dog. There wasn’t a gust of wind either.  The water was like glass and I was hopeful that would make spotting carp significantly easier.  I was also hopeful that warm temps and little wind might bring out some insects and get some carp cruising along the surface for a buggy dinner.

Now I am very new to fly fishing for carp so I am full of idealistic beliefs and hopeful feelings.  I haven’t been grizzled and beaten down by the realities of this pursuit yet so I always find myself thinking, “Oh yeah, this is the night where everything falls into place and I catch ever carp in the lake.”  I think you see where this is going. 

In an effort to minimize the unimportant facts, here’s how things looked for most of the evening: nothing happened.  Carp weren’t cruising, feeding in the shallows, or even on the move.  It was like everything in the lake had hunkered down for the day and wasn’t going to do jack until the temperatures dropped.  However, as the sun began to drop, a fish started to cruise and in the immortal words of Lloyd Christmas, “So you’re telling me there’s a chance.”

It first moved just below the surface of the water and I couldn’t tell what it was or how big it was.  The little whirlpools it created with its tail gave little information as to what was below.  It eventually built up the courage to start slurping some bugs off the surface and the view of an orange, rubber-lipped, Midwest bonefish (carp) came into focus.  Now this was the only carp I had seen all evening and my pulse started to race.  I knew that this guy might give me the only opportunity I was going to have all evening.  That reminds me, sometimes carp fishing is like deer hunting in this sense.  The only thing you should really hope for, is a chance to get a shot on a deer.  If you get a chance, I call that a successful hunt because even if you don’t take the shot or miss a shot, then nature gave you SOMETHING.  Well this carp was my chance I had hoped for.

He was about fifty feet away from me and on my left side in the shallows.  I was standing on a point and was going to have to cast back towards the bank and under a tree.  It was perfect and it was a challenge.  It was exactly why I love to go after carp with a fly rod…it’s not easy!  I could probably catch a lot more and maybe bigger fish if I used dough balls and a bait caster with twenty pound line or bow fished at night with spotlights, and there is nothing wrong with either one of those techniques.  Fly fishing for carp is a challenge because you have to be accurate with your cast, smart with your fly selection, and thoughtful with your movements.

The fish in this pond are especially spooky and rightfully so.  I have caught quite a few of their friends this summer and I think the word is out.  I knew I had to be efficient with my casts and couldn’t afford to pound the water.  At the same time, I had to put the fly in the ballpark where he was feeding.  See why this is a challenge.  You can second guess all of your decisions all day long, but the bottom line is that you are going to spook fish and you are going to hook fish.  You need to be able to live with both and accept failure sometimes or this is not the fish for you.

My first cast was close, but not close enough.  I had to wait for my fly to drift away from him before I could cast again and without any wind, this was about a five minute wait.  I double hauled my second cast and put it gently right in the middle of the circle he was feeding in. He didn’t spook but he didn’t exactly jump all over it either.  I watched him swim under the fly on the first pass.  I watched him swim right up to the fly and back off at the last second.  This was difficult because you are on edge and want to sink some metal into meat.  On the third approach he was in full on feeding mode.  I saw orange, rubber lips slurping like crazy and headed right toward my fly.  Two feet…one foot…six inches…two inches…fly inhaled.  I don’t know if I will get more used to seeing a carp eat my fly the more I fish, but for now, there is still a moment when I see a carp eat my fly and think, “Did he really eat that?  Should I set the hook now?’’  I have had moments like this and missed fish or thought I saw a fish eat a fly only to find out he missed it by an inch and my hook set ends up spooking the fish.  Well there was little delay between my hook set and finding out if I got him this time.  Water swirled, a tail made a wake, and my six weight got a bend in it so deep that I could feel it in the handle.

I knew right away that he was not a big fish because when he made his first run, I could apply some pressure to him by cupping the reel and put the brakes on him.  Nonetheless, he fought hard like all carp tend to do and it was intense.  After a three to four minute fight, I was able to net him at the bank.  Not all carp fishing stories end this way and I was glad that I landed the fish.  This was especially rewarding because I did not see another fish for the rest of the evening.  I didn’t catch a huge number of fish or a particularly heavy fish, but the fact that I hooked, played and landed the only fish I saw all night and that it was a carp was enough of a reward to keep me smiling all night. 

Turning a Cigar Box into a Fly Box

Three cigar boxes that I have modified and turned into fly boxes.

The contents of the three boxes from above.

Fly fishermen are notorious tinkerers.  Nothing is ever good enough for an avid fly fisherman.  Flies could be tied slightly different which might trigger more bites.  A different fly line on a rod might make the rod load better and cast further.  On a slow day, a fly fisherman might try the same fly for twenty minutes and have a different retrieve for every cast.  We always want things to work better, to look cooler, and to be more productive.  I think this moniker is both deserved and appropriate in most cases.

There is another stereotype that seems to be applied to fly fishermen as well.  It is assumed by many (incorrectly I might add) that fly fishermen are older wealthy gentlemen and that it costs a small fortune to purchase all the necessary gear to get started fly fishing.  Admittedly, I am not a rich man…at least in terms of money.  I don’t have thousands to sink into a Clackacraft drift boat, or eight hundred dollars to sink into a brand new Orvis Helios 2 outfit.  I do however have the desire and time to make the things I want but cannot splurge for.  The project I am going to outline today is a great example of a shortcut that any normal person can take if they want a beautiful and unique fly box.  Granted, it will not be made out of aircraft grade aluminum with fancy latching windows that are spring loaded, but it will become uniquely yours and cost a fraction of the price.

To get started, you need to make a trip to a local tobacco or cigar store because you are going to need an empty cigar box.  I buy mine from a cigar store that sells old boxes for two dollars apiece and all the proceeds go to charity.  The first time I attempted this project I was surprised and impressed at how sturdy and beautiful these boxes are.  The hinges, clasps, and wood are attractive and strong.  Usually, you can be as picky as you want when it comes to selecting just the right box too.  Widths, depths, and lengths will vary greatly so you might want to think about the application for the fly box prior to selecting a box.  Are you going to put a couple hundred size 12 Adams’ in the box or a couple dozen deer hair mice?

A cigar box I picked up for a couple of bucks.

After you’ve purchased the box, you will need to purchase the foam that will line the inside of the box.  I buy mine from Michael’s and Jo-Ann’s fabrics.  I am partial to white sheets that are six millimeters thick since the two millimeter thick sheets make it more difficult to get a hook into and are more likely to allow a fly to come loose.  I’ve always stuck with the white foam since the colors of the flies will stand out more but I am going to give the black sheets a try one day just to see what they look like.

You can see the difference between the two millimeter (on the left) and six millimeter thick foam (on the right).

Next, you are going to need to decide if you want to keep the box with its original appearance or if you want to give it some color and customize it a little bit.  Some of the boxes have a unique and cool look to them but I have recently went back to all of my boxes and given them a coat of spray paint.  This allows you to color code your fly boxes, make them look more professionally made, and makes any stickers really stand out if you want to give them some decoration.  If you are going to paint them, I suggest spray paint and also that you paint them before moving on to another step.  You run the risk of spray paint getting on the foam if you paint the box after completion.  If is also up to you if you spray paint the inside, the outside, or both.

This was a cigar box that got a coat of black spray paint.

Now you’re down to the last step.  You need to accurately measure the inside of the cigar box both length and width.  You will then mark those dimensions on the piece of foam and cut the foam to fit.  I like to use a razor and a straight edge like a ruler in order to make sure I get the straightest cut.  Scissors have a tendency to get off track slightly and imperfections will be visible when construction is complete.  You also need to decide if you are going to attach foam to the inside of the lid as well.  I usually do because I want to store as many flies as possible.  You will want to keep an eye out however to see how the lower part of the box and the inner lid interlock with one another.  You might need to cut the foam slightly smaller than the inside of the lid to ensure the box can close.  As far as attaching the pieces of foam are attached to the box, I like to use a strong adhesive such as Goop or epoxy.  Sometimes the foam wants to bubble up while the adhesive dries so you might want to place a weight on top of the foam to ensure that it lies flat.  Finally, if you are going to put some larger flies in the box, you might consider cutting some slits in the foam with a razor and straight edge.  This way flies can be wedged into the foam rather than inserting the hooks into the foam which will slowly deteriorate the foam over time.

A nearly complete fly box.  Wedges were cut into the foam to reduce wear and tear.

This is the top of the box that needed some gaps between the edge of the box and the edge of the foam.  This makes sure that the box will close and gives it a snug fit and shuts securely.

If you look closely, you can see these large flies are wedged in the grooves and not hooked into the foam.

And that’s it.  All you need are some cheap materials, some time, and some proper planning and you have a fly box that is as nice as one you can buy in a fly shop.  Even more, this fly box means more because YOU made it and things that are built with our own hands seem to carry more prestige…at least in my opinion.  They also make great gifts for friends or family members and great Christmas presents.  Speaking of Christmas, you can do the same thing with a gift card tin and end up with a pocket-sized fly box.  Anyway, good luck and let me know if you have any questions or need any help with any part of the assembly.

One of my favorite boxes that I engraved with a wood burning tool.
I actually picked this box up at Michael's for five bucks but didn't have to spray paint it or remove any stickers.

The contents of the box shown above.  This is primarily my mousing box but has some other bass flies as well.

Top 10 Fishing Quotes...Mostly Fly Fishing

Feel free to include any of your favorite quotes in the comments section.  Hopefully some of these are new to you.  Enjoy!

1. “The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.” – Herbert Hoover

2. “Our tradition is that of the first man who sneaked away to the creek when the tribe did not really need fish.” – by Roderick Haig-Brown, about modern fishing, A River Never Sleeps, 1946

3. “Something to think about: If you fish the wrong fly long and hard enough, it will sooner or later become the right fly.” – John Gierach

4. “Calling fly-fishing a hobby is like calling brain surgery a job.” – Paul Schullery

5. “There he stands, draped in more equipment than a telephone lineman, trying to outwit an organism with a brain no bigger than a breadcrumb, and getting licked in the process.” –Paul O’Neil

6. “Three-fourths of the Earth’s surface is water, and one-fourth is land.  It is quite clear that the good Lord intended us to spend triple the amount of time fishing as taking care of the lawn.” –Chuck Clark

7. “The difference between fly fishers and worm dunkers is the quality of their excuses.” –Anonymous

8. “The man who coined the phrase ‘Money can’t buy happiness’, never bought himself a good fly rod!” – Reg Baird

9. “If fishing is like religion, then fly-fishing is high church.”- Tom Brokaw

10. “I fell in love with a fly fisherman…I can’t believe my competition is a fish, and not other women.” –Allison Moir

Featured Link Friday

I have a lot of friends that love the outdoors and it always surprises me when I find out that some of them don’t frequent www.fieldandstream.com.  I bet I check this site twice a day and religiously during my lunch break.  There are some really talented writers on this site and a wide range of content.  As far as fly fishing goes, I rarely miss a post from Tim Romano, Kirk Deeter, or Joe Cermele and I NEVER miss an episode of Hook Shots.  I am going to include three links today for your viewing pleasure:

1. This is the Fly Fishing section that you can check out by going to www.fieldandstream.com and can be found under the fishing heading or just click on this link: 

http://www.fieldandstream.com/fishing/fly-fishing?dom=fas&loc=mainnav&lnk=fly-fishing

2. This is the Hook Shots program that I mentioned earlier.  I highly recommend the video titled “Stripping for Ozark Browns”.  Hook Shots episodes can be found under the fishing heading as well on the homepage:
http://www.fieldandstream.com/hook-shots?dom=fas&loc=mainnav&lnk=hook-shots

3. There is also a section called “Fly Talk” and this features one of my favorite writers, Kirk Deeter.  This can be found by clicking on the “Blogs” heading on the homepage and then scrolling down to the “Fly Talk” and clicking on the heading:
http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/flytalk

If you have never used a mouse fly...

...then you will want to run out the door with a fly rod and a mouse fly after watching this video.  I think I have watched this video about thirty times since I first found it a couple of years ago and it never gets old.  If I'm having a bad day, I watch this.  If I'm having a good day, this video makes it better.  This video inspired me to start fishing a mouse for bass around farm ponds I frequent and if you haven't ever tried it, I highly suggest it.  You might not catch a lot, but the ones you will catch will be angry and memorable.  Anyway, enjoy the video and pay particular attention to the part where they cut open the brown trout and see how many dead mice you can count.

Hybrid/Wiper Trip...The Conclusion

It was an angry sea that day my friends…actually there was a 7 mph wind and the only waves on the water were from boat traffic, but I usually start most of my good fishing trip stories the same way.  In every sense of the word, this was a memorable fishing trip for so many reasons and I am going to struggle to condense the entire day down to 3-4 paragraphs but here it goes.

My buddy Pat and I met Gary Price of Gary’s Fishing Guide Service near Truman Lake Resort at 6:30 AM and Gary started to work his magic.  Gary has a host of tricks up his sleeve that he uses to locate and get fish to bite, but he is best known for the down-riggers he deploys.  Watching him use his sonar and downriggers is like watching Michelangelo work on a piece of canvas.  He is always checking his fishing depths, lake location, bait locations, and fish sizes.  With that in mind, it would be easy to imagine a guy that is just calculating a plan behind the wheel of the boat but that would be an injustice to the type of guide and person Gary is.  Gary is a genuine people person and gets more excited when his clients catch fish than he does when he catches one himself.  Admittedly, I get pretty excited when I am catching fish and probably seem child-like when I am catching big fish.  It’s what I love to do and I’m not scared to show how much I love the feeling of hooking into a big, angry fish.  With that in mind, I honestly believe that Gary smiled every bit as much as I did that day and was always there to offer up a high five that I so sorely wanted after landing an especially feisty or large fish.  If you are looking for an honest, positive, and passionate fishing guide then you need to hire Gary!  I could go on telling you about all of Gary’s incredible qualities, but it would mean so much more if you just went fishing with him.

Alright, now let’s get down to the actual fishing.  The morning was a little slow possibly due to the cool temps and large amount of boat traffic.  Gary switched up lures and spots until we started to figure out what was working on this particular day.  The first fish that Pat hooked was a MONSTER walleye that I don’t think anyone was expecting since we were fishing for wipers/hybrids.  Pat got it all the way to the boat before it got off and I honestly believe that it was an easy seven pounds.  While we were pumped about getting a fish hooked-up, there was a general feeling of disappointment that we didn’t get it in the boat.  We all agreed that sometimes this is how fishing goes and we moved on pretty quickly.  That feeling was almost replaced with a feeling of me wetting my pants when a four foot long spoonbill completely breached about fifteen feet away from the back of the boat.  I was watching a seagull dive for shad and was pretty focused on the bird when the fish jumped right in my line of sight.  It also didn’t take long before we had a second fish on the line and Pat landed a small hybrid.  Again, the positive vibe was on the rise because now we were catching the species that we were looking for.  After this, the fishing got really good, really fast.

With a lot of boat traffic leaving the lake for lunch, we found our groove.  Gary started to mark bait balls, single wipers/hybrids, and groups of wipers/hybrids.  The first fish that hit was a beautiful six pound, twenty-three inch hybrid.  A second six pounder followed shortly thereafter for me and Pat caught a carbon copy just minutes later.  We were on the fish and they were biting regularly.  Gary had put the fishing puzzle together like a surgeon and we were catching some big, hard-fighting fish.  There were smiles to spare and we were having such a great time that we barely noticed that we had missed lunch. After Pat caught his second six pound wiper/hybrid, Gary explained that we had probably found a group of fish that were in the same age range that might exhibit similar sizes and for the most part he was right.  However, my favorite thing about fishing is that there is no way for you to know what is going to happen next and nothing could have compared me for the surprise that laid in store for me.  A rod went off with the strike of a fish and I started to reel.  This bite felt different than a wiper/hybrid.  It didn’t run or give a violent head shake but instead felt like dead weight and for a moment I thought I was reeling in a log.  When the unknown assailant got closer to the boat, it suddenly displayed some legitimate fight and started to thrash.  After advice from Pat, I kept the fish from rising to the surface and Gary got the landing net deep into the water to try and keep the fish calm.  After he netted the fish and got it on board, I realized that I had caught the biggest walleye of my life.  It was six pound, twenty-six inch walleye and needless to say, I was ecstatic.  I honestly believe that I probably won’t ever  catch a bigger walleye  in my life and I am seriously considering getting a replica mount made sometime in the near future.  It was an amazing fish and I think Gary and I high-fived each other about three times.

Now in my mind, things couldn’t have gotten much better than that, but mother-nature was being especially generous on this particular day.  Pat caught two more wipers/hybrids that went about six pounds each and I caught a seven pound, twenty-five inch wiper that put up an incredible fight and made the reel sing twice even though it was hooked on twenty pound line.  All in all, Pat caught five wipers/hybrids and I landed 4 as well as an incredible walleye.  We only kept the walleye to eat and had not problems letting the wipers/hybrids go in hopes that next summer they might be eight to nine pounds.

On this trip Pat caught more wipers/hybrids in a single day than he ever had in a single day, I caught more wipers/hybrids in a single day than I ever had, Pat hooked his first walleye, I landed my biggest walleye, and we drove home happily exhausted.  Finally, I cannot thank Gary enough for taking us out and I cannot say enough good things about him.  It is hard for me to imagine anyone having any regrets if you book him for a trip and I highly recommend him.  If you like hooking fish that are easily in the six to seven pound range and you like hooking into a multiple fish that have serious attitude problems, then Gary’s Fishing Guide Service and Truman Lake is for you.  Here’s his link on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Garys-Fishing-Guide-Service/786920361388180?fref=ts

Pat reeling in a hybrid/wiper.

A hybrid/wiper on the line.

My six pound walleye.

A six pound hybrid/wiper.

Gary and I with my seven pound hybrid/wiper. 

Upcoming Hybrid/Wiper Fishing Trip

An average wiper that I landed with Gary last summer.

I am incredibly fortunate to be going on a guided wiper fishing trip tomorrow on Truman Lake with my friend Gary Price of Gary’s Fishing Guide Service.  I don’t get to fish with a guide very often so this is a big deal for me, but I can honestly say through my limited experiences, Gary is the best fishing guide I have ever hit the water with.  Gary is a great guy that I fished with last summer and knows Truman Lake like the back of his hand.  He works hard to get you on fish, is willing to change tactics to try and trigger a bite if things get slow, and always has an upbeat and positive attitude.  He is also unique in the sense that he offers fly fishing for wipers as well.  He has fly rods set up for trolling and has helped clients catch wipers by casting to schools that are chasing shad and busting them at the surface.  If you get the chance and have the desire to catch a fish as strong and beautiful as a wiper, I highly recommend getting in contact with him at (816) 520-5358.  His Facebook page address is https://www.facebook.com/pages/Garys-Fishing-Guide-Service/786920361388180?fref=ts or you can search Gary’s Fishing Guide Service on Facebook.  He has a lot photos available and nothing but 5 star reviews.

I would be remiss if I didn’t take a little bit of time to mention what a wiper is (for those that don’t know) and how we will be fishing for them.  A wiper is a cross between a white bass (which is small) and a striped bass (which get large).  An average wiper is between 4 and 8 pounds with fish in the 10-12 pound range being very respectable an on the heavy side.  Since they are hybrids, they are not able to reproduce in the wild and are stocked in some bodies of water by the Missouri Department of Conservation.  They are used mainly to manage populations of shad in lakes and they serve that purpose nicely.  Actually, nicely is not the appropriate term because there is nothing nice about the voracious predators.  They hunt like wolf packs, have speed and aggression to spare, and leave a trail of shad scales in their wake.  We will be marking bait and wipers,  trolling for them , and using down riggers to get lures to the right depth.  They basically hook themselves and when they hit and are pound for pound one of the hardest fighting fish I have ever hooked.  They will make the drag on your reel sing, have violent head shakes, and don’t give up when they see the boat…they just get angrier.  I have had the fortune of landing a few wipers since I started fishing for them last summer and I would fish for them more if I had the boat and equipment, but since I don’t, I use Gary and I’m glad I do.  I am going to take tomorrow off from posting but will be back with a fishing report on Monday.  Good luck to everyone else that is hitting the water and be safe.

A "small" wiper that Gary helped hook me up with.

Short Fly Fishing For Bass Video

This is a really well-made video and has some great footage.  This guy can CAST and the fish are beautiful.  The video is great if you need a break at work of if you want to usher in the weekend.  I hope you get on the water and catch a few of these this weekend!

Welcome to"Featured Link Friday"

For the next few weeks I am going to feature a websites in a post that you might find interesting and/or useful.  Each link will also be included under the “Links” heading on this blog so you can find it in the future if necessary.  Let’s get started.

Today’s highlighted link is Fly Anglers Online.  This is a site that I have used for years and for a variety of purposes.  There are two great resources along the left side of the page labeled “Fly Tying” and “FOTW”.  The “Fly Tying” heading gives some great tips for beginner, intermediate, and advanced tiers and also has a wide range of other helpful general pieces of information.  The “FOTW” heading is short for Fly of the Week.  There is a HUGE catalog of fly tying recipes that are accompanied by step-by-step instruction and accompanying pictures most of the time.  This is by far my favorite part of the site!

There are also some really good writers that contribute to the site.  They come from a wide range of backgrounds and cover a wide-ranging of topics.  Some fly fish for bluegill in farm ponds while others focus on saltwater.  I also highly suggest the “Lighter Side” heading which includes some pretty funny fly fishing cartoons.  The site is updated about every 2 weeks and hopefully you get as much out of it as I have.  In fact, I just found an article about fly fishing out of a float tube that I am heading  to when I finish this post.  Have a great Friday and check back tomorrow for a post about an upcoming wiper/hybrid trip I am preparing for!

Link: http://flyanglersonline.com/

Screenshot of the Fly Anglers Online Homepage

Missouri Fishing Records and Awards

If you are a fisherman you have probably caught yourself thinking, when the fishing gets slow usually, “I wonder what the state record is for a largemouth bass” (of which you probably aren’t catching a lot of at the time).  Or maybe you did catch a monster fish and wondered if it came close or even broke a state record for that species.  I actually work with a guy that swears up and down that he actually caught and ate what he believes was a new state record yellow perch out of Lake Lotawana east of Kansas City, Missouri.  He told me that he found out the next day what the record was for a yellow perch and that it bothers him to this day that he could have been a state record holder.  Well if you didn’t know, the state of Missouri does keep track of that information.  And if you did know, it never hurts to take a look at the record books just in case you land a fish that might be in the ballpark of being a state record.  Here’s the link: http://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/fishing/trophies-certificates/state-fish-record-list .

A screenshot from the records page.

Also, did you know that there is an award given by the Missouri Department of Conservation to individuals that catch a species of fish that meets or exceeds certain length or weight limits?  I’m not sure how these limits were determined, but to see a list of species specific requirements and to download a Missouri Master Angler Award, just go to http://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/fishing/trophies-certificates/master-angler-award .  The certificates look nice, you can include a picture of your fish on the certificate, and are a nice memento of your catch.  You can hang it on the wall in your office, in your man cave, or even in your garage next to some fishing equipment.  State record qualifying fish have to be weighed on certified scales to ensure accurate measurements which usually results in the death of the fish.  The Master Angler Award is based on the honor system and does not require certified scales or any type of official confirmation.  Master Angler qualifying fish can be measured quickly by an individual after being landed and then returned to the water in order to promote catch and release and the survival of larger fish.

A screenshot of the list of Master Angler requirements that can be found at the aforementioned link.  

Finally, there is a certificate for kids as well.  The First Fish Certificate is offered by the Missouri Department of Conservation and is a little different from the other certificates previously mentioned.  This is a certificated that can be downloaded, customized, and printed from your computer.  It is a .pdf file though and I am not sure how it will interface with different mobile devices so you might want to stick to using a desktop, laptop, or tablet with the necessary software to open and change the form.  Also, if your child caught his/her first fish months or even years ago, that’s alright.  Just backdate the certificate and if you have a picture of the catch, that can be included as well.  If you forgot the date of the catch, most digital photography is stamped with a date so you might try looking there for help.  The address for the kid's First Fish Certificate is: http://mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/files/resources/2010/10/firstfishkid_2013.pdf .  There is also a First Fish Certificate for adults as well.  You might want to use this if you just recently started fishing or recently introduced someone to our great sport.  Here’s that link: http://mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/files/resources/2010/10/firstfishadult_2013.pdf .

Kid's certificate screenshot

Adult's certificate screenshot

Fly Fishing For Carp

An 8 pound, 2 ounce common carp caught on a fly.

One of the reasons that I started this blog was to show people that you can fly fish for just about any species of fish.  There is a misconception that some people have about fly fishing and it usually goes something like this: “I thought you could only fly fish for trout.”  I know a lot of people also think that you have to be wading in a cold water stream with snow capped mountains in the background.  The fact is, if you do a little research and time things just right, you can catch any species of fish that you want to target.

This summer, I have spent a lot of time learning about and targeting carp.  There are usually two reactions that I get from people when I tell them this.  1. You can fly fish for carp?  2. And why would you want to catch carp?  Both valid questions so let’s take this one at a time.

You CAN fly fish for carp but it can be a challenge which is partially what makes it so rewarding when you actually hook one.  While carp might look big, slow, and stupid, let me assure you they are not.  I once had a fisherman tell me that carp actually have an IQ of 12.  (I am curious what type of person develops and gives a fish IQ test).  Carp are very versatile creatures in the sense that they are omnivorous and are able to eat anything from small fish and crayfish to mulberries and aquatic vegetation.  A fisherman can use this to his/her advantage, but there is a catch.  Carp usually like to target specific food sources at different times of the year or even day and are very picky when it comes to making sure that what they eat is the real deal so they are not duped easily.  I have had the best luck catching carp that are slurping small bugs off the surface of the water in the evenings.

Catching a carp is unlike landing any other fish I have ever fished for.  They run from you like a freight train in open water and they don’t tire out easily.  How they have so much strength and stamina is what makes them unique and fun to catch.  They’re not like bass that have one or two good runs in them or like catfish that just try to bury themselves in the bottom of the lake.  This attitude and power helps to compensate for what some people believe is a lack of good looks.  Personally, I think they are kind of pretty with their golden color, large scales, and small barbells around their big rubber lips…which are admittedly ugly.  They also grow to large sizes and you could easily catch a carp at any time that is heavier than the largest bass you have ever caught.  Catching a carp in the five to eight pound range is pretty common but fairly rare if you are going after largemouth.  They can actually grow over sixty or seventy pounds.  Who wouldn’t want to try and catch a fish that large, that pretty, and with that much feistiness?

This summer, I have had the fortune of catching a few carp at a nearby lake that a friend of mine owns.  I have had the best luck hooking (and sometimes even landing) fish by targeting two behaviors.  The first, and the most difficult, has been going after carp that are feeding on leaves from aquatic vegetation in shallow and flooded area.  I have a leaf fly that I use in these situations and have tricked a few fish using this method.  The most difficult part is getting close enough to a feeding fish without spooking it or at least making it aware that you are there.  They don’t hit the fly hard but give it a light “bump” and I try to go strictly by feel which is challenging.  The second activity I look for is for carp cruising along the surface of the water and eating insects.  I don’t always know exactly what they are feeding on but I have had my best luck when I put a Griffith’s gnat in their path.  Again, it can be easy to spook a feeding fish if you aren’t careful with your footsteps and in this case you casting.  You need to be quiet, efficient with your casts so you don’t rip the water too many times, and be accurate with your casts.  Hitting a carp on the head with a fly will alert it and casting over a carp can scare it off as well.  Catching a big, smart fish isn’t easy regardless of the species so make sure you bring enough patience to the lake as well.  You might also want to bring a camera because if you DO actually land a carp on a fly, you will want to share it with you buddies…or start a blog about the tale…pun intended.

A 6 pound carp that I landed earlier this summer.

What a majestic and beautiful creature!

Top flies: Griffith's gnats
Bottom flies: leaf imitation flies

A Missouri Guy Singing About Boats and Fishing...Cool!

I like music, I love country music, and I really love country fishing songs.  This song features everything a good country fishing song needs and has some deep roots in Missouri for extra measure.  Chris Janson is actually from Perryville, Missouri, which is between St. Louis and Cape Girardeau so let's support a good ole Missouri boy.  The video also features a Ford F-150 which very well could have been made in Kansas City, Missouri, so that's pretty cool as well.  Finally, while there is nothing fly fishing related in the video, if you watch carefully there is a guy in a sweet pair of old school camo waders with a spinning rod so we're going to call that close enough. I wonder if he caught anything during the filming with all the outboard motoer rooster tails and hootin' and hollerin'.  I hope you like the song and enjoy the video.

The Legend of John Deere Grows

There is a fly that is far and away my most productive and versatile fly; the John Deere mini jig.  (Just for the record, I didn’t name it so if anyone is reading this post from Moline, Illinois, you can sue someone else).  This small green mini jig has caught more species of fish for me than any other fly in my box.  In fact, it is so useful, I often forget that I have other flies and sometimes get “stuck” on this fly and just refuse to use anything else because if a John Deere isn’t working, I have a hard time believing that anything else will work…but that psychology will be a topic for a post at another time.

As of yesterday afternoon, the John Deere mini jig had duped rainbow trout, brown trout, common carp, bass, redear sunfish, green sunfish, longer sunfish, bluegill, hybrid bluegill, and channel catfish.  However, I was able to land my first bullhead catfish yesterday evening in a small tributary to the Little Blue River in Independence, Missouri.  It is tied on a 1/80 ounce jig head in a ball style without any gold or silver plating.  I dip the jig head in OS coatings paint in a color the company calls “watermelon”.  It sure doesn’t look like any watermelon I would eat and is more of what fly fishermen would call olive.  After the paint dries, I dip a cheap paintbrush in some yellow paint and dot the eyes on.  From there, I tie on a short and stubby light olive marabou tail and wrap the body in light olive chenille.  It is an incredibly easy fly to tie and perfect of any beginner. 

In shallow water, I fish it about eighteen inches under a strike indicator if I am searching for fish but will set it deeper if I find the fish are suspended deeper or sitting on the bottom.  As far as retrieval goes, I will drift it, set it and forget it, strip it in a short and erratic motion, or even bring it in on a slow and steady retrieve. 

In the future, I plan on making an instructional video showing the step-by-step process on how I tie them, but for now, if you have any questions, please feel free to comment or email me.

Kids Fishing Photo and Essay Contest

If you have kids, this looks like a fun contest that is awarding some incredible prizes. It might also be good for a kid if he or she ever mentions that he/she is bored and has nothing to do during these summer months.

http://www.icontact-archive.com/jjiXoF3Cf8NfV-NNtAkNpQOXXd-TbPeV?w=4

Testify | A Visual Poem of Trout Fishing

A beautifully written, narrated, and filmed video.  Great for a first post.  Granted, it was shot in Michigan instead of Missouri (which doesn't exactly fit the blog theme), but awesome nonetheless.