Tying the Tiger Tail

I've been hearing more and more about how a fly called a Tiger Tail is catching fish down on Lake Taneycomo.  My buddy Mark recently caught 6 fish in the trophy area on one of these actually.  I'll be honest, I had no idea what a Tiger Tail was when I first heard about it.  I pictured something with yellow, orange, and black.  I was wrong.  It's actually a really simple fly to tie and is a little bit crackleback and a little bit wooly bugger.  I'm pretty sure that you need to fish these on a sinking leader, sink tip, or sinking line.  The video offers an additional weighting option so you might want to check that out.  So without further delay, I present to you the Tiger Tail!

Link to River Run Outfitters: https://www.riverrunoutfitters.com/fly-recipes/tiger-tail/

Link to Missouri Trout Fishers Association- Springfield- http://www.mtfa-springfield.org/resources/fly-tying-recipes-patterns/tiger-tail/

Link to Ozarks Chillbilly YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjjS6r3lI4GaMnOEEG9Za6A

Roadside Oddities

Warning: Some might find the images of fish that have been filleted and nailed to utility poles to be disturbing.  There's no blood or guts or anything, but if you are squeamish, you might not want to scroll down to the pictures. 

So my dad wanted to take a ride the other day and visit some of the old fishing holes that his dad used to take him to and asked if my mom and I would join him.  Since I was excited to check these spots out and since a son can't so no that that anyway, we found ourselves driving down gravel roads before you knew it.  One place in particular was a tributary to the Missouri River.  As we got closer to the river, my dad noticed something out of the corner of his eye and said "Did you see those big catfish?'  I looked out the window to see a small oxbow lake and crops in a field.  I was starting to think the old man was loosing his mind when he said it again.  This time I saw two large, filleted catfish nailed to a utility pole.

My mom thought this was extremely odd until my dad and I informed her that this was actually a pretty good method of cleaning catfish.  I have never done it but the way I have heard it described is that you put a nail through the catfish's head which keeps it in place and allows gravity to help you fillet it.  That always seemed a little gross to me but the method makes sense.  I have a problem actually putting a nail through something's head though.  Call me squeamish.

After checking out the tributary we drove back by and I snapped some pictures.  In all, there were seven catfish affixed to these utility poles and their carcasses were left to rot and dry in the summer sun.   Now I don't necessarily have a problem with this, but others might and I get that perspective.  My biggest question to the person or people that did this is why?  The method works but doesn't it give fishermen a bad look when we leave these strung up like trophies?  On the other hand, this place was pretty much in the middle of nowhere so maybe that wasn't the intent.  Maybe the person or people have plans to do something with the catfish after they dehydrate.  Are they fertilizer?  Is this a strange catfish jerky recipe?  Did Native Americans practice this method?  Is someone baiting in raccoons and opossums?  Maybe it is a science experiment?  I'm not here to cast stones or judge, just curious and want to make sense of what I saw.  If you have any ideas or answers, feel free to comment below.

The things you see driving down a gravel road in Missouri!

Driftwood Outdoors

http://driftwoodoutdoors.com/

You WILL NOT find a couple of better guys than Brandon Butler and Nathan "Shags" McLeod.  These are the fellas that founded Driftwood Outdoors and they are passionate about hunting, fishing, and conservation.  If you are looking for up-to-date articles to read online, just visit their website.  Are you looking for a new outdoors podcast to listen to?  They've got you covered there too.  The bottom line is that these two gentlemen are entertaining to listen to and dedicated to conservation.

I am proud to say that I have had the pleasure of meeting these guys and while I can type all day about how great they are, their resumes speak for themselves.  Brandon has received multiple awards for his conservation efforts and is an accomplished writer.  Shags (the big fella, obviously), has been recognize for his work in radio multiple times and is the co-founder of Conservation Day at the Capitol.

Personally, I think their biggest and best contribution to the outdoors is their podcast.  They release a new podcast every Tuesday morning and they cover a wide range of topics.  Many topics are Missouri-based such as the upcoming elk season this fall in Missouri.  Aside from offering consistent content, they offer outstanding guests.  Some you will know like Chuck Gries (Angler Outfitters of Lake Taneycomo), Duane Doty (Ozark Trout Runners) and Lauren "Big Fish" Plunkett (collegiate bass angler and social media superstar).  Other guests will be new to you such as Larry Whitley but you'll get to know them fast.  In fact, you already know of Larry because you've probably heard his voice coming from the rafters of a Bass Pro Shops.  He does all the voice work for them.  One of my favorite episodes is the one with Brian Sloss.  This was Episode 5 and they actually recorded their podcast while fishing on the 11 Point River!  If you don't believe me about how great their podcast is, just read the glowing review that was written by Wes Johnson in the Springfield News Leader.

https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/2020/06/18/driftwood-outdoors-podcast-missouri-outdoors-camping-fishing/3206497001/?fbclid=IwAR3p8pPSBNgdpG9mbJZeRREQ_72bwdEW3Hg8fmlK4hF9kpDOaomCBs3aw48

You can find their podcasts on Spotify, Apple, Google, their website, or anywhere you get your podcasts.  On another note, did you know that in 2019, 51% of Americans had listened to a podcast?  I write that because I want to stress how this is a growing media and a great way to learn and be entertained whether at home or on the go!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/driftwood-outdoors/id1478802870

https://open.spotify.com/show/3cwdMU7ejLD2qFsF2c4c7q

Fly Tying Tutorial: Adam Kornuth's Magic Mouse

I'm a sucker for a good mouse pattern and this one makes the cut.  The articulation is a a nice touch and I like how the double barrel popper head got flipped around.  The rear of the fly is just like how I tie my mouse flies and a little confidence going into a new fly is reassuring.  As always, if you tie this fly or even better, catch something on it, feel free to email me a picture or post it on the Facebook page!

Link to Flymen Fishing Company YouTube Page: https://www.youtube.com/user/FlymenFishing

Zoom Fly Tying

UPDATE:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/79705260790?pwd=MTgyK0hHK2R3UlJKSzkvM1ZSODhEZz09

Meeting ID: 797 0526 0790
Password: Milo

My buddy Milo is going to try to put together a Zoom Fly Tying get together tonight.  As I get more details, I will update this post.  I'm just giving you a heads up because I will be a guest tyer and will be showing how I tie a complex bugger and the brave.  The video will end up being posted on Mahoney Outdoors YouTube Channel but when I get a link or access code, I will post it so you might want to check in later today.  The gathering starts at 6:00 so maybe check back around 5:30 or 5:45 for all the necessary credentials.

Link to Mahoney Outdoors YouTube Channel for the video after it is complete: https://www.youtube.com/user/prohunter172

Tiger Trout in Arkansas

Arkansas has been busy stocking new species of trout in their waters.  About a month ago, I posted about how Arkansas Game and Fish stocked the Little Red River with Bonneville Cutthroat Trout.  To read that post, just click here.

Arkansas Game and Fish has now stocked tiger trout in the catch and release area below Bull Shoals Dam.  Tiger trout are a cross between brook trout and brown trout.  While this stocking was recent, I have heard some rumors on Facebook that some have already been caught, but I have yet to see any visual evidence.  Arkansas chose to stock these fish in limited quantities and they cannot reproduce.  They were also stocked in a catch and release area so biologists can monitor their growth and success.  This entire program was partially in response to Arkansas citizens asking for more unique species to catch and I think they got what they asked for.  Besides being unique and interesting in appearance, the article also mentions they are pretty good fighters.  If anyone has any additional information or has hooked a tiger trout in Arkansas or otherwise, feel free to leave a comment below or post a picture on the Show Me Fly Guy Facebook page!


Link to the full article: https://www.agfc.com/en/news/2020/05/27/agfc-to-try-tiger-trout-hybrid-in-bull-shoals-tailwater/

Watkins Mill Fishing Report

Last Saturday night was pretty memorable out at Watkins Mill State Park.  Wendy and I didn't have plans and wanted to hit the water.  We finally decided on Watkins Mill and got on the water a little after 6:00 PM.  It should be noted that right before leaving the house though, Wendy said that she wanted to bring a spinning rod and her newly purchased whopper plopper lure.  I grabbed mine too because I wasn't about to have her start catching fish on this thing and get left out of the fun.  If you don't know what a whopper plopper is, click here to see what one looks like.  We used the "blue blood" color pattern and yes, they are indeed about $15 each!

We started fishing coves and structure with the plopper but didn't even get a sniff.  We switched over to fly rods and started picking up good male bluegills and hard-fighting redear sunfish.  The large redear population is one of the reasons that I like Watkins Mill so much.  The bit started to slow down so we decided to move to the opposite side and end of the lake where we have had success in the past.  On a whim, I decided that we should troll out whopper ploppers along the way.

En route to the new spot, I saw a shad break the surface.  Then I saw another and another.  Before you know it, there were shad everywhere being chased to the surface by unseen predators.  It looked likek the perfect situation to start casting our topwater lures which just happened to be shad-colored.  It also just so happens that this lake was stocked with hybrid striped bass about three years ago.  I was hopeful that the shad were being pursued by these wipers and that we might catch a few while they were in a feeding frenzy.

We made a lot of casts and chased a lot of shad blowups without a take.  Eventually, Wendy missed one.  We actually saw the fish miss her lure and then come charging back for a second time and threw up a pretty good wall of water.  This gave us hope and it wasn't long before I got a bit too.  I set the hook and the fight was on!

I was expecting a pound to two pound wiper.  Everything felt wiper-like and my rod was doubled over.  I remember thinking "I sure forgot how hard these guys fight."  During the fight, I could tell the fish was coming to the surface.  This seemed uncharacteristic of a wiper and my suspicions were proven when a big largemouth fully breached.  My heart raced when I saw how big the fish was.  The bass then went under the boat and risked getting wrapped around the trolling motor.  I stuck most of the rod in the water and was able to work around the motor.  As the fish tired it came to the surface and it just seemed to get bigger and bigger.  After I landed it and took some hero shots, the tale of the tape was 20 inches and a little over 4 pounds.  The beast was released to fight another day and looked healthy as it swam off.

We continued fishing and actually did catch a few wipers but nothing as big as that fish.  The wipers are getting to be about 14 inches (at least the ones we caught) and looked like they were enjoying their shad dinner.  I reminded Wendy that things don't always work out with shad busting the surface and the right lure on the end of your line.  She reminded me that the entire thing was because of her, to which I responded "It sure was babe!  Great call and thanks for helping me catch that big bass!"  The look on her face was both pride and envy.  I wish I had a picture of it, but instead, here's a few more pictures that were results of her forethought. 

   

 

I Saw Something Strange Coming Home From a Fishing Trip

One of the best parts about a fishing trip is the journey itself.  Either you stop at the usual places and purchase the usual things or your see new and strange things.  On a trip back from Bennett Spring a couple of weeks ago, I saw a little of both.  Between 65 Highway and Kansas City there is a spot that I am used to seeing.  It is just west of Bates City.  From the highway you can see a few planes sitting in a field and they seem to be sitting in the backyard of someone's house.  On this particular trip, I wasn't driving (which was weird for me) which gave me the ability to explore my curiosity.  My buddy Pat told me a few years ago that there are MANY more planes behind the ones you can see from the highway.  I hopped on Google Earth and found out that my buddy was right!  

Don't miss the rest of this post below the pictures.

Again, from the road, you can see parts of about 5-6 planes.  There are more than that!  A lot more!  Also, I was under the impression that these planes just belonged to the folks that live in the house.  Now it appears that they are there because of the airport that I didn't know existed.  While I'm not sure what purposes the planes serve at Harry S. Truman Regional Airport, I DO know that my curiosity hasn't been satisfied.  Just like I tell my students in science class, it seems that when one question gets answered, two or three pop up in their place.

Update!

After writing this post, I found a website that attempts to answer some of my newer questions.

Link: https://www.airplaneboneyards.com/harry-truman-bates-city-airport-airplane-boneyard.htm

Fly Fishing for Bass Tactics

Yes, you read all the time how great the articles are that I post but it is always true!  I only share the best with you folks!  I go through A LOT of articles on a daily basis and rarely find one that I think you boys and girls would find useful.  Let's face it, this blog isn't about fly fishing in alpine lakes or matching the hatch in Montana.  This site is about fly fishing the Midwest and all of it's unique opportunities.  And yes, this is a REALLY good article.

Tim Romano has done an outstanding job of describing how to fly fish for bass by including information that both newbies and veterans can learn from.  For example, it appears that my bass fly hook-set needs to be tweaked!  My jaw literally dropped and my eyes widened when I read his descriptions of how to set a hook on largemouth and I now realize that my trout hook-set has probably cost me a few fish.  Hopefully you learn something or two from this, and if you don't fly fish for bass, then I hope this article pushes you to do so!


Link: https://www.fieldandstream.com/story/fishing/essential-rules-of-flyfishing-for-bass/

I Bought a BOAT!

I have put off the event of owning a boat for a long time but the time has finally come!  I want to be able to take my two sons, girlfriend, and her son out on the water and that just wasn't going to happen with my one kayak and 8 foot, 2 person boat.  I got a really good deal on this and I cannot thank the two kind folks that sold me this boat enough.  Yes, it's thirty years old and needs a little work, but for now, it will allow me to share experiences on the water with my friends and family that will lead to memories that will last a lifetime.  I'm not looking forward to licenses, taxes, insurance, and fees I haven't even considered but for now, it feels pretty good.

All Apologies!

Sorry everyone, but no post today. Had to do something pretty cool today and will post about that tomorrow! No big news for you but a pretty big deal for me!

Fly Tying Tips - EP Fibers

Brain Wise is here to show you how to use EP fibers and all of their applications!  I prefer to use natural materials but these sure to have their applications.  After this video, I might have to change my ratio.

Link to Fly Fishing the Ozarks YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/flyfishingtheozarks

The Best Places to Trout Fish in Missouri!

Let me preface that I had never heard of this website before a friend of mine (thank you Mark) forwarded it to me.  I still don't know much about how reliable the information is nor do I know when this article was published.  With that being said, it actually looked pretty legit!

After reading the article and cross referencing with my own experiences, I would say it does a pretty good job describing the areas that I have been to.  As for the other areas, I obviously can't validate the information.  I have actually been wanting to explore some of these other areas and this article gives me a good jumping off point.  Just knowing river access points starts to narrow down where exactly to go.  If you still have some holes in your summer planning and want to continue to social distance, I don't think you can go wrong with any of these options!  Happy reading, have a good weekend, and start planning a fishing trip!


Link: https://guiderecommended.com/fly-fish-missouri/

I Came, I Saw, I Tenkaraed, Then it Stopped!- The Conclusion

Today's post is the conclusion of a post that started yesterday.  If you need to read yesterday's post, just click here.

So there I was, in my boat with a tenkara rod, and slowly learning how to work this thing.  After I got used to the casting nuances, I started getting bites.  The bluegill and small bass were in the shallows and specifically, in the shadows.  I missed my first few bites probably because I was used to holding fly line with my left hand and the rod in my right.  After a while I learned that all it took was a flick of the wrist and didn't require as much force as a fly rod.  My first fish was a small bluegill but felt like a monumental success.  It was my first fish on a tenkara rod and I started to see the allure of this fishing method.  I missed a few more but then hooked into a bigger bluegill.  As the morning went on, my casting hook sets, and confidence improved.  I also learned A LOT in a short amount of time.

I learned that I was pretty good at bow and arrow casting (not sure one is supposed to do that) and that you can present a fly really delicately with a gentle swing.  What amazed me the most was how quickly fish get wore out on a tenkara rod.  Unlike a fly rod, the harder they pull, the more resistance there is.  While that can be achieved with a fly rod undoubtedly, when a fish wants to run I can feed them line.  With a tenkara rod they just wear themselves out super fast because the rod pulls back as hard as the fish pulls!  Another observation was that I was extremely nervous about losing fish when I hooked them.  I was constantly concerned that the fish was going to break me off but again, my confidence grew over the course of the morning and I never had one snap my line.  I also kept a little trick in the back of my mind. 

I once read a short story in a John Gierach book about a guy that hooked a big trout on a tenkara rod.  While playing the fish, it became apparent that the fish might break the line and get away.  At this point, the gentlemen just chucked his rod in the water.  Because the rod is so light (the cork handle doesn't hurt either), the rod simply moved around the stream with the fish still attached.  The fella ended up landing the fish by letting the fish tire and letting the rod wash up on stream!  I will never forget that story and I had that tool available if the situation presented itself.  It did not.

Towards the end of the morning, I was landing fish at a higher percentage and really enjoying the simplicity of the system even if I did keep reaching for fly line and/or a reel.  I caught a few bluegill that went 8 inches and some 12 inch bass.  I wanted to hit one more cove before I called it quits.  There were the last remnants of shade in there and I hoped to find a concentration of fish.  I caught a nice bluegill on what I called my last cast.  Then I got greedy.  Did you know that greed is a sin?  It is!  It is also punishable because on my second last cast, the rod snapped when I set the hook.  My tenkara rod that had collected dust for years and was not finally being used and enjoyed was now in two pieces.  I did land the fish when I retrieved the tip section out of the water because it floated so I guess I did use that fella's trick just not in the way I desired.

So here are my final thoughts on tenkara rods.  They are fun and simple!  Why not try one, especially if you can find a cheap one to play around with at first!  On the other hand, casting isn't a lot of fun and distances are limited.  It's applications are limited but would be great for newbies and kids.  It might be a good intro to fly fishing for someone before all of the intricacies are revealed and would be less overwhelming.  Final grade from me: B.  Good, not great but you will always learn more if you expose yourself to new methods and ideas!  If you are considering tenkara, go for it!  If it is not for you right now, I get that too because I'm done with it...until I find a used one for a low price!

• Bow and arrow casts are effective
• You can swing a fly to your spot
• Can cast it like a fly rod still.
• Fights are short and intense
• The rod is incredibly flexible with a taper
• Has certain application and not to be used all the time- need the right place and right time
• I kept reaching for a reel or fly line when I hook a fish
• Site fishing is fun with this but the conditions of clear water in ponds and lakes which in Missouri is rare
• If you find an inexpensive one, buy it!  It's fun!
• Really lightweight
• Caught 3 species of fish- bluegill, bass, green sunfish
• Popper and dropper setup next time?
• Was always scared that the fish was going to break the line because of no drag system

This little guy drank my sweat for about 15 minutes that morning.  I had to include that due to the oddity.

This green sunfish found this wiffle ball to be very important!  I'm guessing there were eggs in it or nearby?

I was able to put my tenkara rod in tight places like this one!

The payment of my hubris.

I Came, I Saw, I Tenkaraed, Then it Stopped!- Part 1

So yesterday I had the urge to hit a small lake near my house and catch some bass and bluegill on a fly.  I have been there and done that countless times so I decided that I needed to spice things up and try something new with a tenkara rod.  A friend of mine gave it to me years ago and it has just collected dust for that long.  I've always had the intention to use it, but it seems like I always had a reason not to plus it was a little out of my comfort zone.  I know next to nothing about a tenkara rod other than there isn't a reel.  I don't know anything about flies, casting, or leader length.  Again, in an effort to make things more interesting, I decided to just give it a shot.  I didn't do any research or watch any videos.  I decided to just jump in head first and figure it out...on the fly.  I do NOT apologize for that pun and frankly, I'm pretty proud of it.

When I got to the lake, I caught fish on my first, third, and fifth casts while I was using my 4 weight fly rod.  Before I used the tenkara rod, I wanted to figure out where the fish were in order to give me a chance at success.  While that success didn't come quickly, it did come.  My setup was simple; a small jig under an indicator.  I have no idea if this is something that is common practice or a no-no in tenkara so watch out if you decide to try it.  What I instantly found out was that I couldn't cast very far from the boat.  The rod was about 14 feet long so I decided to go with a 12 foot leader.  I figured that the two foot difference would compensate for the flex of the rod that the fish would provide and allow me to handle the fish effectively.  However, I learned that a 12 foot leader with a 14 foot rod does not get you very far in terms of casting.  I didn't like that part!

For the sake of time and simplicity, I am including some observations that I made during my first experience.  There will be more observations and pictures tomorrow when I wrap this story up.

• The rod is super sensitive and casting is accurate.
• No tangles.  No guides or line laying on the ground.
• The set up is simple.  It doesn't get much more basic.
• Great for kids and beginners- see and feel what a bite looks like
• Presentation is very delicate and giving action to flies is effortless and sensitive.  Not going to spook fish with this and can get flies in tight quarters.
• Not a lot of options when it comes to where you can fish- you gotta move
• Wears out the fish quickly- pulls with equal strength- simple physics- the more a fish pulls and the more/longer bends in the rod wear out the fish faster
• Hook sets are easy- a flick of a wrist
• Doing this the Midwest way
• Cross between a fly rod and cane pole