Fly Fishing BS thread

Lower Illinois River...tailwater below Lake Tenkiller in Oklahoma. Trout (and stripers) below the lake and smallmouth above.

 

Thanks. That looks amazing.

 

Where you at?

 

My money is on the Bighorn lol the terrain looks right and that many midges usually means a tailwater

 

I don’t know how not to be a jerk and not reveal a spot that is well known but gets more crowded every year. A lake. Every spot I’ve fished for years gets more and more crowded especially with COVID. I just think that the mere mention of any place increases the pressure. Big lake - popular. I can’t tell you how many places are now effectively ruined due to the crowds. I used to fish the upper east gallatin all the time by myself. Now all the fish are small. Sad. I guess it is just the way it is.

 

so true, but shouldn’t be. So much entitlement and lack of respect for a sustainable fishery has made things go downhill. I’ve fished the same places you mentioned and it makes me sad for the future of our children and what they will never know, but will consider as normal going forward.

 

Hell, my kids may live in a world where they'll read about tigers as an extinct species. It's heartbreaking and frustrating.

 

I'm wanting to get out to the Lower Illinois or Mountain Fork sometime soon. I wish we had better fly fishing in central OK.

 

Used to love fishing the Mountain Fork, but it’s an example of one of those places that’s now being loved to death...the level of development and increased visitation over the past 10 years is unfortunate, but you can’t fault the locals for trying to earn a living as there aren’t a lot of other options in that area. Mismanagement of flood flows several years back by the Corps had hugely devastating impacts on Spillway Creek and the Evening Hole, too. Lack of enforcement of regulations puts a big damper on things, as well. Only time I fish there now is the middle of the winter when the stop logs are out (expanding the fishable area) and the crowds are down.

Even the Reel Recovery retreats I volunteered at there (and my father participated in) have moved on to a new location, but I’ll always have a lot of good memories from the Fork, including putting a recovering family friend on this fish!





An episode of the TU show, On the Rise, was filmed there back in the good old days. May be able to find it online if you search.

 

Sorry didn’t mean like your specific spot. Just what side of the state.

 

I live in Helena.

 

Love how the photographer caught the rainbow rising from the water.

 

You ever fish in the Beartooths?

 

I used to fish Parley's Canyon coming into Salt Lake City from the east, for native cutthroat. It was a beautiful spot and chock full of fish, and I was usually alone even though the city was just miles away. But then they put the freeway through and the creek died.
Now I have Salina Creek coming out of the foothills just to my east and it is dead too. No fish, no bugs.

 

Anybody interested in a Simms Pro Dry jacket in size large? Bought one in medium that fits better and missed the return window for the L. New with tags - $250 shipped?

 

Out on the home waters 30 minutes from the house here in Utah. I’m so glad I moved out here. And it’s always fun catching fish on new flies you tie

 

Couple small chubby chasers from a quick 20 minute trip a couple days ago.