Online Store, Open for Business

This is a dream come true!  After a lot of thought, consideration, and planning, I have decided to start tying and selling flies online.  To start off with, I am offering a very limited selection in order to see how things go but the plan is to offer more patterns with more variations in the future.  At this time, I am offering a John Deere mini jig, a bluegill bumblebee, and The Brave.  The John Deere is a great all-around fly that can catch most warm and cold water fish in Missouri.  The bumblebee is a good bluegill and small bass fly that works on a lot of warm water impoundments.  I fish it like a streamer on a slow retrieve.  Finally, The Brave is just a great streamer!  It's done a good job fooling channel catfish, wipers/hybrids, largemouth bass, and white bass as a baitfish pattern.  While I haven't used it for big trout here in Missouri, I sure bet it would work on places like Taneycomoe and the White River in Arkansas.  I will be sure to post about new patterns that I decide to offer, but I sure would like to hear what you guys want.  If you have any suggestions or ideas of what you would like to see for sale, please comment below or on the Facebook page.

Link: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheShowMeFlyGuy?ref=search_shop_redirect

Licata Wins Heartland Regional Cast-Off, Earns Spot in National Finals

By Jim Kissane

Assistant Program Lead

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing - Greater Kansas City

It has been a little more than two years since a chance encounter at Rainbow Fly Shop in Independence that brought Steve Licata and Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing together. A lot has happened in a short time.

“I walked into Matt’s shop and (the Project Healing Waters) guys were there,” Licata says. “That was about two and a half years ago, and I’ve been a part of it ever since.”

Licata has learned fly tying and rod building through his participation in Project Healing Waters Greater Kansas City Program. Earlier this year, he placed third in the National Rod Building Competition. And in June, Licata qualified for the first PHWFF National Fly Casting Competition by winning the Heartland Regional Cast-Off at Lake Quivira Country Club.

On his way to winning the Heartland Region Fly Casting Championship, Steve Licata (left) displays his form while Bob Barnett keeps score. Licata’s victory earned him a spot in the national finals of the first Project Healing Waters Fly Casting Competition in August in Boise, ID.

Licata’s success this year has earned him some good-natured ribbing from his fellow participants. “Mike Davis said I’m going to have to get a bucket of grease to put on my ears so I can get my head through the door,” he laughed.

Competitors in the casting competition were judged on distance, accuracy and casting around obstacles. Licata qualified for the Regional Cast-Off by winning the Greater Kansas City Program competition. Terry Adams of the Omaha Program finished as regional runner-up.

Competitors in the Project Healing Waters Fly Casting Competition were graded on distance, accuracy and the ability to cast around obstacles.

The National Fly Casting Competition will be a featured event at the Fly Fishers international Fly Fishing Fair Aug. 8-11 at Boise, ID. Licata will compete against other regional winners from around the country.

Licata practiced diligently for the competition, receiving instruction from Gary Davison of the Missouri Trout Fishermen’s Association, from the staff at K&K Fly Fishers of Overland Park, and from Jim Rogers, concessionaire at Bennett Spring State Park.

“I had a lot of help, and I’m very grateful for that,” Licata said. “Gary helped me out a lot, especially with my shoulder. I’ve got a park about a block and a half from my house, and I just threw a hat out there as a target. It really was a challenge. It really surprised me doing as well as I did. It just all came together.”

The Regional Competition was held at Lake Quivira Country Club, in conjunction with its Fore-Fish Golf Tournament, a memorial to Thad Millard, a Lake Quivira member known as a consummate golfer and fisherman, for the preservation of Lake Quivira. A portion of the proceeds of the tournament were donated to Project Healing Waters Greater Kansas City Program.

“It was windy,” Licata said of the day of the competition. “There were gusts of 15-25 mph. What was nice was the grass was like a carpet, so you didn’t have to worry about the line catching and throwing off your timing. The wind was mostly at our backs, which was good. But you’ve just gotta take whatever happens. You only get one shot.”

There was a time, Licata says, when he might not have taken that shot. A fly fisher since the early 1980s, he credits Project Healing Waters with encouraging him to try new things.

Top scorers in the Heartland Region Cast-Off, Steve Licata (left) of the Greater Kansas City Program and Terry Adams of the Omaha Program compare notes on the competition. Licata won the event and a spot in the national finals; Adams finished second. This was the first year of the national Project Healing Waters Fly Casting Contest.

“It has meant a lot,” Licata said. “When I came out of the service, there wasn’t anything (like Project Healing Waters), through the VA or anywhere else. I just muddled along in life.

“Being with these guys, the camaraderie, has really helped. It’s something I like to do, with people I enjoy being with. Like the rod building – I never would have built a rod on my own. When I’m working alone, I just can’t stay focused, but when I’m around these guys I can do it, even an intricate design. Normally, I would not have ventured out.”

What matters most to Licata is that he not only benefits from the Project Healing Waters program, but he can also help others, too.

“Give and take,” he says. “It’s beneficial for me because it helps me, and I can help other people. Especially with Veterans – I know I’m going to get help, and at the same time I’m helping them.

“It all happens when you give, because something good comes back to you.”

It's Time for the 2018 Norman J. Herndon Crappie Classic

It is an honor and a privilege for me to promote this fishing tournament for the third straight year.  This crappie fishing tournament is near and dear to my heart because I grew up with the grandson of Norman Herndon and have a lot of respect for the mark that Mr. Herndon made on my hometown of Kearney, Missouri.  

This year the tournament will be held on Saturday, July 28 on Truman Lake.  Boats will leave and return to Sterrett Creek Marina.  The address for Sterrett Creek Marina is 18174 Marina Road in Warsaw, Missouri, here's a link to the Sterrett Creek Marina website: http://sterettcreek.com/.  All of the tournament details and registration can be found at http://njhfund.com/.  Aside from the tournament itself, there is also a fish fry and raffle.  I have attended this event in the past and can attest to how much fun it is!  If you are a crappie fisherman, or like to fish Truman lake, or just want to donate to a worthy cause, please consider visiting the site and learning a little bit more about this charitable event.

2018 Norman J. Herndon Crappie Classic Registration: http://njhfund.com/2018-norman-j-herndon-crappie-classic-online-registration/

Two Interesting Facebook Groups

I wanted to pass along a couple of Facebook groups that I recently learned about.  Both were created by my buddy Harold of suburban Kansas City, Missouri, who is an avid angler.  The fishing reports page is a good resource that has over 200 members.  The swap shop has over 1,300 members and usually has some pretty unique items.  If you need more fishing info or are in the market for some outdoors gear, hit them up and see what they have to offer!

Missouri Area Lakes Fishing Reports and Stories: https://www.facebook.com/groups/423639214442887/

Kansas City Hunting, Fishing Tackle, and Camping Items Swap Shop: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1021367427948393/

Paddle Boarding with a Fly Rod

So last Friday I was lucky enough to hit Legacy Lake in Lee's Summit, Missouri, and do a little fishing.  To make things a little more interesting, I decided to fish the lake from a paddle board.  This was something that I have wanted to do for a long time and didn't really know what I was getting into.  I guess I should have watched this video for some pointers...and should have invented a "Missouri Tuxedo" before I hit the water.  More on that little adventure later in the week, but for now, the comedy and awkwardness of Captain Quinn will have to do.

Mountain Cutthroat Trout In Idaho

Cold fronts and rain got ya down big fella or nice lady?  Do you have too many chores or responsibilities this weekend?  Don't have a backcountry trip to Idaho planned this summer?  Well take a minute and live vicariously through this pack-in trip for native cutthroat.  

Link: https://www.fieldandstream.com/flyfishing-cutthroat-trout-caribou-targhee-national-forest

HOA Lake Fun

Last night, I got to hit up a Homeowners Association (HOA) Lake with my two boys and some friends.  We caught some bluegill and a really nice twelve inch crappie.  If I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times...HOA lakes/ponds are goldmines.  You never know what you are going to catch and usually there are plenty of fish to be caught!  We caught everything on a John Deere fly about 2 feet under an indicator.  It put a lot of fish on the end of the line and made for some happy faces!

Fly Fishing For Carp with Mulberry Flies

I recently conversed with a guy on Facebook about fly fishing for carp with mulberry flies.  Low and behold, Field & Stream published an article by Joe Cermele just a couple days later.  I'm not sure when mulberry trees start dropping fruit in Missouri so hopefully this article is just a little early rather than really, really early!

Link: https://www.fieldandstream.com/flyfishing-for-carp-with-mulberry-flies

More Roaring River

So I didn't want to bombard you with all of my family vacation pictures all at once...so I decided to torture you slowly over time.  Recently, my two sons and my parents visited Roaring River State Park and had a wonderful time.  This is a VERY special place to me and somewhere I don't get to visit enough.  It's a place that holds some amazing memories for me and this trip was no different.  From having my eight year old son net a couple of fish for me, to forcing my three year old to hold a crawdad, to watching my mom get pelted with rocks from both kids, and my dad catch a respectable rainbow, the trip was amazing!  If I've said it once, I have said it a million times; "I could go the rest of my life without leaving Missouri and catch every species of fish that I have ever wanted to catch!"  It also didn't hurt that I caught a couple of beautiful fifteen inch rainbows.

A Heck of a Net Man

My oldest son Mason, did a heck of a job netting a couple rainbows and getting off his dog gone tablet for a few hours.  It's funny that kids don't want to get off technology until they experience something real and hands-on.  I have to beg him (usually tell him) to get outside, but once he gets there, he has an amazing time.  That smile you see is genuine and lights up my life!  If you're reading this son (he's a great reader by the way), I love you and I love every moment we spend together.

The Old Man with a Nice Trout

My dad, Bob, is one of the nicest, most generous, most compassionate people you will ever meet.  He's also a heck of a fisherman and like his own dad, he could catch a fish out of a pot hole I'm pretty sure!  He loves his trout fishing and typically lands one nice fish on every trip that we go on.  I'm not sure if he does it because he loves it or to show that he still has IT!  Regardless, I wouldn't be typing these words without him so thank you for introducing me to the outdoors, for pushing me to do my best at everything I do, and for being the perfect father.  I love you dad and I love every moment we spend on the water as father and son.

A Pair of Fifteen Inch Rainbows on the Final Day 
Life's funny.  I don't mean "ha ha" funny, I just mean whimsical and unexpected.  I have seen on many occasions the great outdoors give a person what they need at that point in that person's life.  I know a guy that caught a HUGE trout at Bennett when he was going through a tough time in his life, a guy shoot a huge eight point buck on his first hunt, and I personally caught a six pound brown on the White River with my dad.  I believe with all my heart that these things are not coincidences.  In fact, I don't believe in coincidences at all.  I believe that all things happen for a reason, and my last day at Roaring River was no different.  I have been going through a few things lately (don't worry, nothing life threatening) and these fish gave me a break that I needed from the stresses and worries of day to day life.

4 Different Ways to Strip Line

This is something that I had always wondered about but was never taught.  Now I feel like I've been taught.  While this video describes fishing for bonefish, permit, tarpon, and snook, I feel like the same principals could be applied to fly fishing for largemouth, smallmouth, and trout.  I'll definitely be playing around with these different techniques next time I hit the water.

Nymphing- How I Do It

Well, it's been a long time since I published a video but I finally put the finishing touches on a video title, "Nymphing for Trout- How I Do It."  I hope you find some of the info useful and that maybe it helps you hook a few more fish.

Ticks! I Hate Ticks!

Yes, this is indeed a fishing blog, but you sure as heck aren't going fishing if you contract some disease from a skeeter or tick!  We (folks that frequent this site) all have a little adventure in our hearts and fly fishermen might have more than normal anglers.  We go to crazy and beautiful places to catch big rainbows on a dry or bass on poppers.  We climb hills, blaze trails, cross prairies, and venture into places with the hope of being the first person that fish have seen in a VERY long time.  That means encountering snakes, mosquitos, ticks, bears (potentially), and other critters that could hurt or kill us.  Here is some info to help keep you safe, keep you fishing, and keep you happy.  Like the hokey pokey, that's what it's all about.

Tick populations and diseases on the rise.

Link: https://www.fieldandstream.com/ticks-and-tick-borne-diseases-are-on-rise

The stats and maps speak for themselves.  Good gracious, this will get your attention!

Link: https://www.rei.com/blog/news/tick-and-mosquito-borne-diseases?cm_mmc=sm_fb-_-news_journal-_-mosquitos-_-blog

And for good measure, here's a horrifying story for all you parents!

Link: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/a-5-year-old-girl%E2%80%99s-sudden-paralysis-was-a-mystery-then-her-mother-checked-her-scalp/ar-AAyviYC?li=BBnbfcL

Rocky Forks Lake

So I've got this friend.  We'll call him Paul to protect his anonymity.  Anyway, Paul and I wanted to get together to do some fishing in the Columbia, Missouri, area.  Columbia is halfway between where I live near Kansas City, Missouri, and where he lives in Missouri.  I'm not sure if he wants me to share his location or not, but let's say it rhymes with Paint Rewis.  Anyway, we decided on a location called Rocky Fork Lakes Conservation Area.  

We really didn't know anything about the area other than there was a decent sized lake with a boat ramp, a dock, and a shooting range on site.  I tried to do some research online about what the fishing was like on this lake and found almost nothing.  I then tried to ask a buddy that graduated from Mizzou and he said he had never even heard of the area.  Needless to say, I was a little skeptical about having success on this lake.  I figured it was a bass, bluegill, catfish lake like so many are in central and northern Missouri, and just hoped to put a few fish in the boat.  To add to my skepticism, it was new water.  It usually takes me a few outings to get the handle on a lake and to gain an understanding on what techniques work and which ones don't.  However, when we arrived, I felt a sense of hope and promise because it looked like so many lakes I have fished in the past.

Shores lined with timber as well as moss and vegetation along the edges made me feel right at home.  It reminded me of lakes like North Lake near Harrisonville, Missouri, and Lake Remembrance near Blue Springs, Missouri.  And in a strange twist of fate, it pretty much fished the same was as well.  I was able to pick up some small bluegill of which some were 8 inch males that fought REALLY hard.  I also picked up a ten inch crappie and a couple of small channel cats.  What I wasn't prepared for was a ten inch crappie, a ten inch redear sunfish (one of the biggest I've ever caught), and a sixteen inch bass.  All of my fish came on a John Deere jig under a float.  Not be be outdone, Paul landed 3-4 bass with one of them being 16-17 inches long and 2 pounds.  He landed his bass on Berkely Power Worms and a lizard of unknown origins.  

All in all, it was a fun morning on a new lake, with a good, old friend, and a few fish boated.  If you're interested in fishing at Rocky Fork Lake, take a look at the link below.  And one more thing, don't let Google give you directions to this place.  It will put you on a dead end gravel road in the middle of nowhere which just so happens to resemble where the Texas Chainsaw Massacre family lived.

Link:  https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/rocky-fork-lakes-ca

New State Record

Most people don't head out on the water to go fishing with the intent to break a state record, but sometimes that is exactly what happens.  Congratulations to Kerry Glenn on his new and slightly obscure state record.  I've only caught one goldeye in my life (out of the Little Blue River) and had no idea what I had caught, just like Kerry which made this story relatable!

Link: https://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/sedalia-angler-hooks-state-record-goldeye

Fly Tying: Nacho Heredero's Eborsisk Popper

I have literally never seen a popper like this before.  I mean, I guess it might make a big old 8 pound bass mad/curious enough to eat it but man does it look formidable.  I might not personally be tackling this fly, but good luck to all that pursue this mythical beast...apparently its from the movie Willow.

High Country Cutthroat By Todd Moen

What a beautifully made video by Todd Moen!  He does such a great job of catching all the little nuances of fly fishing as well as great shots of the scenery and fish.  If you haven't subscribed to the Catch Magazine YouTube Channel, you should really consider it.  There are lots of interesting, high quality videos there and many more by Mr. Moen.

Catch Magazine YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/CatchMagazine

Fly Fishing the Ozarks -- Spring 2018

Well it looks like Brian Wise was able to hit up the North Fork of the White River last spring.  I laughed pretty hard when I was watching this because some of my buddies and I fished the same river and stayed at Sunburst Ranch as well.  (Feel free to read part 1 or part 2).  It looks like the weather was a little better for them and the fish were biting a little better...but hey, good for them and I mean that.  I don't need any bad fishing juju following me around.

Brian's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/flyfishingtheozarks

Big Walleye From Mozingo Lake

WOW!  Look at the walleye that Jerry and Vicki Riggs caught at Mozingo Lake in northwest Missouri.  They make the pilgrimage there from St. Louis a couple of times a year and it is easy to see why.  Congratulations to both of you and these pictures are headed to the "Show Me Fish."  If you have any pictures you are proud of and would like to have added to the  page, feel free to email them to me at showmeflyguy@gmail.com.  

Roaring River State Park

Last week I was fortunate enough to go down to Roaring River State Park with my parents and two sons.  I first started going here with my dad, then my mom and dad went, then my folks and first son, and finally the youngest got in on the fun.  If you've never been to Roaring River, it is a truly beautiful place with LOTS of fish.  My dad and I caught plenty of fish to keep our interest and excitement each day we were there.  Roaring River is also incredibly family friendly.  There are playgrounds, a pool, a nature center, and plenty of activities to keep younger and older kids occupied if they aren't interested in fishing.  I've included a few pictures from our trip and tried to narrow it down to the best of the best.  I'm doing my best to not bore you like your old aunt might have done after returning from a trip to Mt. Rushmore or wherever she might have gone.

The Mouth of the Spring

This is a pretty cool (literally) place.  The mouth of the spring originates from a small cave that you can wander back into and actually hike over should you feel so inclined.

The Hatchery- Feeding the Brood Stock 
Oh my gosh is this fun.  Seeing the big boys (and girls) is pretty awe inspiring, but seeing them feed is just plain amazing.  The beauty, speed, and quickness that these browns and rainbows possess is incredible.

The Hatchery- Feeding the Stockers
While feeding the brood stock is fun, the stockers are just comical.  They literally swim over themselves to get to the little food pellets you throw in and their youthful exuberance is relatable if you are if young children.  Also, here's a little trick.  Take along a few plastic cups to put put the fish food you purchase in.  This keeps you from having to keep the pellets and bumbling around with the little spheres.  It's also easier for your kids to handle...or old parents.

The Hatchery- Stockers Jumping Upstream 
While I have been to the Roaring River hatchery before, as well as other hatcheries, this was the first time or place that I have witnessed trout trying to jump waterfalls upstream.  After being amazed by their tenacity and determination.  I have no idea why they were so determined to get up the small falls, but by golly they were not to be denied.  It also dawned on me that this might be the only place in Missouri you can see activity like this!  I don't recall other hatcheries in the state being set up like this, but it sure if fun to watch.