2014 SOWBUG ROUNDUP

Ok it is almost official. I am the world’s worst blogger. Actually, I don’t think the content of my blogs is that bad, but I seem to forget the write the dang things. Just today I was looking at a friend of mines blog and realized that I needed to get off my rear and write. 

By the way, my friend Michael Lack’s blog is www.BugCrafters.net and he has some pretty cool stuff. Check it out.

So Now for the 2014 Sowbug Roundup Report

I have been tying at the Sowbug for the last 5 years and this year was the largest by far. I am not sure if it had to do with the fact that it was one of the first really nice weekend of the spring or that the Army Corp of Engineers ran water from both Bull Shoals and Norfork dams all weekend and nobody had anything else to do like FISH. The great thing about the Sowbug is that you get to see so many of your friends and fellow tiers.

I got to hang out and tie with master fly tier, movie buff, tailgate gourmet, and all around crazy guy, Don Lawler from the bayou county of Louisiana. I found it incredibly hard to concentrate on tying because I was laughing so hard. Don is single handedly bringing the art of tailgating to the Sowbug. There is nothing like a bunch of fly fishers sitting in the parking lot drinking beer and Apple Pie at noon.

Boot Pierce and Don Lawler tying at the 2014 Sowbug Roundup

Lou showed me around the town and all the really good places to eat. Especially, the Pizza place called Nima’s in Gassville, AR. Wow, that was some really good pizza and according to the wall the best in the country. 

Lou tying at Sowbug

 

Nima's Supreme. YUM! YUM!

I even tried to fish one afternoon, but the water was so high it was more like just skirting along the edge. Did however see evidence of the fisheries managerss nemesis DIDYMO. It was the first time I had ever seen it. Nasty stuff and I can now see why it can ruin a fishery. 

DIDYMO! YUK!

And finally a photo of me tying. Michael seems to be amazed that I used my little finger rather than a thread holder. I don't know. It just seems natural.

Enjoy,
Boot

P.S. Thanks Micheal for motivating me to write something.

Holy Cow and BIG Browns

Holy Cow, I was able to finally make my first meeting of the Ozark Fly Fishers this last Thursday and boy was it ever a shock. I come from the small Roubidoux Fly Fishers Association from rural Waynesville, MO with a standing membership of 8 to 12 people. Attending to a summer with 60-70 people during a summer meeting night was quite a difference.

The Ozark Fly Fishers is a wonderful club. I have been a member for several years. Not because I was able to join the meetings, but more to help them accomplish some of the things they do. They are able to use their large size to perform some wonderful conservations and education projects. They are large enough that their Stream Team has adopted multiple streams for trash clean up and water quality monitoring. They have teamed up with the National Forest Service to create the Mill Creek Watershed Coalition, a project slated to make Missouri’s premier trout stream even better.

At the meeting was able to attend the guest speaker was Steve Dally from Dally’s Flyshop in Cotter, Arkansas. Steve has made a name for him self as a guide who specializes in large brown trout on the White and Norfork river in northern Arkansas. If you have even seen Steve tie, he creates some of the coolest articulated streamers…all about the size of your fist…and all designed to land those large eight to ten pound brown trout that he specializes in.

I was all psyched. Steve’s presentation was a large reason that I made the meeting. I was expecting to see BIG streamers catching BIG fish. Imagine my surprise when the first slide of Steve’s presentation pops up and there is a really BIG recently landed ten pound trout from the White River…with a size 12 dry fly in his mouth.  The greatest thing about fly-fishing is that you are constantly learning something new. Steve’s presentation discussed how the White River has begun to change over the last few years into a really good dry fly stream. And as expected he showed us some wonderful photography of those really BIG fish he is know for.

So what did I learn from going to this meeting. 1) There is power in numbers, even if you are not able to attend meetings, join a club or organization that supports fly fishing. The Federation of Fly Fishers, Trout Unlimited, or Conservation Federation of Missouri are just a few clubs to consider. 2) Never assume you know how to fish a river using only past experience. Many people who like to dry fly fish never went to the White River…It was just not know as a dry fly stream. They may want to reconsider. 3) There are some monster fish in the White River in Arkansas. Can you imagine a eight pound brown hitting a size 12 elk hair caddis?

2013 AnnuaL Watershed Celebration

Stream Teams in the Meramec Watershed are having a celebration and everyone  is invited!

Saturday, July 27, 2013, 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Meramec State Park Shelter 2, Sullivan, MO.

Family-oriented fun, including:

Stream Team awards

Canoe races  

Invertebrate & Naturalist programs  

Kids games & activities

BBQ lunch

Tube float on the river

Attendance prizes & raffle

Please bring a covered dish for potluck BBQ lunch.

Guests are also invited to bring an item of choice to be included in the raffle.

The celebration is hosted by:

Missouri Stream Teams , Northern Ozark Rivers Partnership , The Open Space Council , Missouri Department of Conservation , Missouri Department of Natural Resources 

Come Spend the day or the Weekend 
Free overnight camping is avaliable on July 26 and 27 in Meramec State Park's group campground "C"

Need More Information? Call Larry Cain at 314.638.9646