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Fly Tying
Nick Williams

Taneycomo

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Im heading to Lake Taneycomo in Branson, MO in the next month so I am looking for some patterns to tie for the fly fishing there, but I am not just specifically looking at getting into any huge browns, though I wouldn't mind. Just flies that will catch me some trout! Any ideas/advice? Thanks!

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Contact Ty Ingram, near Branson, MO at 417-343-6111. He guides on the Tannycomo, and other waters in MO. and Northern Arkansas. Used to own a fly shop near Branson, but that's history now. Web contact is longboat outfitters. com. Good guy to talk to, in my opinion. Also, google North Arkansas Fly Fishers.com for reports and stream conditions.

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I hope to be there next month too. Consistantly succesful flies are red midges, small grey scuds (nothing fancy), red or pink San Juan worms, black or brown or olive woolybuggers and pellet flies (if you have no pride at all).

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I drifted it about a month ago and the green crackle back got all the attention you could want for fish in the 12 to 20 inch class. I started throwing an articulated beef fly on my ten weight after I saw what I was actually drifting over. It was worth the effort. Lots of casts and only stuck two on the beef but they were ridiculous fish. I have never seen a three mile stretch of river that held more browns over twenty pounds in my life and I have fished a lot of different water. You are

going to have a great trip!

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I'm headed there next weekend. What you fish with will depend on where on the lake you'll be, and how much water is running. If it's slow, go to the headwater and drift tiny scuds or G-Bugs (20-24). 1/100oz marabou jigs in browns & olives work well - add a pinch of peach or orange to them if you're making your own. Paint some jigheads white and wrap with white thread to taper a body from the head down - just white thread (the 'Hurt Fly') - works pretty well under a float in moderate flow. If they're really running some water, it's tricky from a boat - I'm not sure what to tell you if you're planning on wading it...

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At this point, I will be wading. I do have a boat that might come along, but it isn't a flat-bottomed drift boat, will that make a difference? And regarding to where I will be on the river.... I have no idea, I have yet to be there so I am not sure. From all of the reading I have done it has seemed that being up by the dam is the best bet at the moment. I also have the chance to do some night fishing there as well if I want to, and I always hear that mice are a big one for night fishing anywhere so I already tied up some of those.

 

heavynets,

Are pellet flies egg flies?? I haven't heard of pellet flies before.

 

nightheron,

What does your articulated beef fly look like? It is tempting to tie up some big sculpin patterns to go throw at some of those big browns. I keep hearing stories bout them! I will have to tie up some crackle backs though, they seem to be productive everywhere.

 

gpd4,

What is a G-Bug? I plan on tying up some scuds and sow bugs for the trip, they seem to be another "staple" on the river. Is there a map of the river somewhere so I can have a better idea of what I am getting into? In my reading I always hear about locations on the river, but unless you've been there those don't help a single bit!

 

Thanks guys! You are a tremendous help!

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I drifted it about a month ago and the green crackle back got all the attention you could want for fish in the 12 to 20 inch class. I started throwing an articulated beef fly on my ten weight after I saw what I was actually drifting over. It was worth the effort. Lots of casts and only stuck two on the beef but they were ridiculous fish. I have never seen a three mile stretch of river that held more browns over twenty pounds in my life and I have fished a lot of different water. You are

going to have a great trip!

 

I forgot to ask, I assume you drifted it in a boat like a flat bottom right? Did you use a guide for that or did you just do it yourself?

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A pellet fly is usually a piece of brown foam that looks like the fish pellets that they feed stocked trout. There is a hatchery at the dam that puts a lot of trout into Taneycomo. Those stockers are use to seeing pellets, so its a "natural" bait to them.

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I fished it out of something very similar to a bass boat with a jet on the back. You will find plenty of fish within a mile or two from the dam. It's a deep river, easily navigated till you get relatively close to the tail race. If you are going to wade and don't mind company, there is a discharge pipe on river left going downstream. Pretty close to the dam. Watched a ton of fish taken there while I fished the opposite side of the river. I was throwing a seven inch articulated shad pattern. Had to move it very fast to get attention. It took a two handed saltwater strip to move it fast enough to make the big pigs eat. Look for any structure, weed beds or break lines. You will see a lot of fish. Take a five minute pause before you start fishing to give your eyes time to acclimate to the bottom and everything moving. Hope this helps.

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A G-Bug, I believe, was made up by a guide down there by the name of Brett Rader at Chartered Waters. I fished with him last year and we caught a bunch of fish. I tie them on a DaiRiki 270 #22. Basically, a marabou tail, tie in an ostrich herl, thinly dub the body, and palmer the ostrich up to the eye...like a tiny wooley bugger. Fish it about 18-24" below a split shot and 36-48" under a small float. Fish the skinny water, too. I was standing on the gravel bar catching 20"+ rainbows between me and a guy who was less than knee deep in front of me. He was casting into the deep pool....For the fast deeper water (from the boat), we were using the small jigs probably close to 12' (yes, feet) below a float with 10' 6wt rods. Charterd Waters is on the south side of the lake off Acacia Club road if you want to stop by the shop.

 

Brett was booked when I'll be there this year, so I'm fishing with River Run Outfitters (from a drift boat) on Friday. It sounds like a completly different tactic with this group - mostly bigger streamers. I'll offer up some details when I get back.

 

I'm towing my bass boat down there to use the rest of the weekend, but I won't go much upstream from the Fall Creek Dock. The water is fine when it's running, but it drops in a hurry when they shut it off, and rocks & propellers don't mingle well.

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I have fished there a couple of times last year and fish the White river in Arkansas a lot. I have done well on midges and scuds. I will be fishing up there the first of March. There is a couple of fly shops near the damn that have always been super helpful with flies and locations to fish.

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