Loon Holiday Giveaway

There is a REALLY good giveaway going on right now at the Loon Outdoors website.  Check it out and decide if giving up your email address is worth it.  I thought it was!

Link: https://loonoutdoors.com/pages/spirit-of-giving

Hank Patterson's Holiday Shopping Guide

Hank is back with a Christmas request (you'll never believe what it is) and to show off his math skills!

Hank's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-bT8MFX_lEt0OY1sPI6sYQ

New State Record Walleye

If you haven't seen the new state record walleye or heard the story behind it, you are missing out on a pretty interesting tale.  Like the article says, apparently lightning can strike twice.

Link: https://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/warsaw-man-catches-state-record-walleye-jug-line

World Record Crappie

Holy monkey is this a big crappie!  Click the link below for the full story.

Link: https://www.wideopenspaces.com/possible-new-world-record-black-crappie-caught-if-dna-gets-confirmed/

Moments 05: Hoppin'

This is such a cool story about one person and one fish!

Get Out There!

I'm a little late on the Thanksgiving post, but I am thankful for the Missouri Department of Conservation's trout stocking program.  My oldest son and I were able to get out to Jesse James Fairgrounds in Kearney, Missouri, yesterday and he caught a really pretty, male rainbow. His smile says it all.  So grab a rod and get out there! They are fun, pretty, and it sure beats Black Friday shopping.  In fact, we should rename this day Black Fly Day!  Who's with me?

Facebook Group- Fly Fishing Lake Taneycomo

There are a lot of big fish being caught on Lake Taneycomo these days and you can get all of the jaw dropping pics on this page!  I've been drooling over these for a few weeks now and I would really like to get down to Branson sometime soon!  Feel free to become a member of the page and live vicariously through the fortune of others.

Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/475336342589703/

Angle for Accuracy

I'll be honest, I always thought dressing your hook with thread was a waste of time...not anymore.  This makes perfect sense now! 

Bow River Bugger from Fly Fish Food

Such a cool streamer!  Now you have something to do on your Thanksgiving break!

Amazon Peacock Bass - Jungle Fly Fishing by Todd Moen

Another gem from Todd Moen.  This time he heads down to the Amazon and chases Peacock Bass.

Fly Line to Leader Connections

One of the most commonly asked questions that I get from folks that are new to fly fishing is how to connect fly line to leader.  This article gives you some options to make that all-important connection.

Link: https://www.ginkandgasoline.com/fly-fishing-tips-technique/3-options-for-attaching-a-leader-to-your-fly-line/

Fly Tying: Beginner Predator Flies - Four New Videos From Gunnar Brammer

Gunnar Brammer has been cranking out some impressive fly tying videos and I wanted to pass them along.  Hopefully you're filling some fly boxes with this unseasonably cold and snowy weather that we are getting here in northwest Missouri and other parts of the Midwest.

Gunnar's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheTardyDuck1

Streamer Lovefest

Did you get a big buck this weekend?  Is your fishing season over?  Are you bored, sad, and in need of something to look forward to?  Then friends, do I have something for you!  If you love big flies, big fly rods, and big fish then get ready to book and room in the fabulous town of Cotter, Arkansas on the White River.  Click on the link for more details!

Link: https://ozarkflyfisherjournal.wordpress.com/the-streamer-lovefest/

Take a Kid Fishing!

Just a little funny video of my youngest son talking about fishing.  I posted this because I wanted everyone to see how much fun it can be to take a kid fishing.  Also, have a great weekend and if you are venturing into the fields or timber for some deer hunting, good luck and be safe!

Missouri Department of Conservation Winter Trout Stocking Program

It's that time of year again when you might have an old fishing buddy a little closer to you than usual.  Rainbow trout have been stocked in lakes around the state and one of those lakes might just be close to you!  The Missouri Department of Conservation stocks rainbow trout in some select lakes when water temperatures drop and environments are right for supporting the fish through the winter months.  Clock on the links below for more information and to find where these colorful critters have been stocked.

General Information Link: https://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-stocks-trout-winter-fishing-around-state

Trout Fishing Locations Link: https://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/fishing/species/trout/trout-where-fish/winter-trout-fishing-areas

I Made My Three Year Old Lip a Fish...But Should I Have Done That?

Most kids are interested in fishing in come capacity.  Whether it is casting, digging up worms, tying flies, getting a bite, reeling a fish in, holding it, or watching it swim away, the entire process is pretty darn exciting to youngsters.  My eight year old likes to bring in fish and then see it swim off.  I think he finds some sort of enjoyment in touching but not killing wildlife.  However, he didn't start off this way.  I started him fishing at the age of two and probably pushed fishing on him too fast and too early.  I was so excited for him to love fishing just as much as I do that I made him fish for too long and expected too much of him.  One of the expectations I had was that he would lip the first fish he ever caught like a natural and pose for pictures without being prompted to do so.  Now if you know anything about kids, you know that I was living in fantasy land and none of that was going to happen.  Instead, I begged, pleaded, and yes even bribed (with candy) him to lip his first fish.  It wasn't pleasant but he's not afraid to do it today!  Just see below for evidence.

So then kid number two came along and I vowed that things would be different this time.  I told myself that I wouldn't force fishing on him and would just wait until he naturally gravitated towards the idea.  Eventually he did at the age of three and thought the entire idea was both silly but fascinating.  He watched me reel in a few fish and played with some of my tackle but I could see what was on the horizon.  He was eventually going to catch his first fish and I was going to take pictures of that moment.  That wasn't an option...period.  What was an option was how I was going to approach the idea of him holding and lipping the fish.  The coaxing idea had flopped with the other kid so I decided on a shock and awe campaign.  When the moment came, without hesitation.  I grabbed the fish with one hand and my son's hand with the other.  I stuck his thumb in the fish's mouth so fast he couldn't tell what had happened and just started snapping pictures.  The entire event was over before he could squirm, argue, or cry.

I am proud to say that both of my sons are not emotionally scarred as a result of holding fish and will readily hold one to this day.  However, as with so many things in life, I can't help but wonder, "Should I have done that?"  After mulling this over for a long time, I have decided that I don't regret forcing this momentous event on either one of them.  It wasn't dangerous or unhealthy in any way.  It showed them that nature is accessible and tangible.  

And finally, I don't have to worry about them going fishing with their buddies when they are older or with girlfriends and experiencing the embarrassment of hearing someone say "You've never held a fish before?"  I'm not going to lie, that happened with me and a buddy of mine.  He was thirty years old and wouldn't lip a bass on a fishing trip I took him on.  I just remember thinking "Good gracious, were you neglected as a child?"  Obviously, I mean that sarcastically, but I was shocked that he was scared of a bass!  Nope, not my boys!  Now if we can just get a deer to field dress they will be a little closer to manhood!

Fishing Brings Smiles to Faces!

Last weekend, my boys and I got to hit a farm pond for most likely the last time this year.  The weather is getting cold, the fish are getting lethargic, and the entire venture seems to be winding down.  However, we pulled off one more trip and as you can see by the looks on their faces, we gave it a good last effort.  I love my boys with all my heart and it restores my soul to see them outdoors and enjoying all of the excitement and beauty that nature has to offer.  The smiles say it all and if you could see me on the other side of the camera, I was smiling even bigger....except for maybe the last picture of the tow head.  That's a pretty big smile!

Feather Game Changer

I'm getting closer and closer to attempting my first game changer fly adn this pattern is just tempting me even more to give it a shot.  If anyone else has some successful patterns to share, I would love to see them on the Facebook page on in my inbox.  Feel free to email me at showmeflyguy@gmail.com.

Fly Fishing (for Bluegill) Guide

Have you ever had one of those days when fishing was slow and you let you mind wander?  I'm sure it's a normal thing, but what might not be normal is to act on such a weird and dumb impulse.  What is even less strange is to take said ridiculous idea and film it and post it to social media.  Make no mistake about it, this is a poor attempt at humor out of boredom.  Hopefully it makes you laugh because that was the whole point.

Feel free to subscribe to my YouTube Channel as well: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIE8TFKdv5ivGRG8IwS6IDA

Trail Cam Pics

Aside from chasing fish with a fly rod, I also enjoy deer hunting as well and ran across something I wanted to pass along.  Last weekend I was surprised to find this big twelve point buck on my trail camera and can't wait for gun season to come along.  Hopefully there is a part 2 to this story that I can share in a few weeks.  Our family farm is in northwest Missouri which produces some pretty big deer on an annual basis.  This is yet another reason that I love Missouri and wouldn't want to live anywhere else!