It's gotten so that the collection of "Fly Fishermen" magazines threatens has formed a new support beam in the basement. You realize that you really have five reels for bluegill fishing. Note that the kid has taken to calling you "Ernie" or "Flip." And notice that the significant other is beginning to glare at you and mutter "hot tar" when peering at your pile of hen hackle. Yes, it's true, and, for truly one of the faithful, there is no cure. All serious fly fishermen know that there is no such thing as having too many fly fishing goodies.

To feed the addiction, your friends at the Ozark Fly Fishers have come up with our own 12-step program. We skip the first 11 steps and concentrate on one step--our annual swap meet. The annual swap meet/sale/fly tying night is set for Thursday, June 28, 2001 to allow you to ah...(remember, repeat this mantra to your significant other) "get rid of some of the stuff in the basement." That's right, get rid of some of the stuff in your basement (and replace it with other stuff). Yes, we fly fishermen are weak.

If you have some "stuff" that you want to find a new home for bring it to the meeting at 7:30 p.m. at the Dog Museum in Queeny Park. Tables will be available to spread out stuff for "adoption" purposes (sale). Remember that you're providing a new home for gear that may find itself alone and on the street (on the curb, waiting for trash pickup if the significant other has the final word). One person's trash may be another's treasure.

In addition, some expert tiers will be around the room, showing off some techniques and patterns. This is a great chance to see people who are really good do their thing and pick up all kinds of tips. There also will be casting outside, depending on the weather.

One of my ideas right now is to develop some kind of history of the club and to do that I need you're help. If you have photos, old newsletters, other commemorative items and stories about what we've done as a club and particularly about the people who became our acquaintances and friends, let me know. I'm particularly interested in trying to track down the first newsletter for the club, a list of its past presidents, the names of it's first board of directors, and a first roster. And if you have other suggestions, please don't be shy about letting me or another board member know.

Bob Bowers is retiring and moving to Arizona. Bob has been our club treasurer for several years and has done an outstanding job and deserves our thanks. He also shared some great ideas from his experience with other clubs. But most of all, a lot of us are thankful that we got to know him in the brief time he has been a member of the club. If you're wondering if trout will be a bit hard to locate among the cactus and rattle-snakes, be assured that Bob's new home is surrounded by lakes. He's says he's off in pursuit of the rare "Apache trout" a species that's native to the area. Let's hope they're friendlier than they sound. He leaves big shoes to fill.

We're looking for someone who might be interested in taking on that post. It's not a difficult job nor does it take a lot of time but it calls for someone who is handy with numbers. It's not for someone like me--my wife doesn't even allow me to balance our checkbook.

Something else to think about. It's getting closer to the conclave in Mountain Home this October and flytyers may want to donate some flies. Each year, these donated flies have been used as prizes for participants in the casting games that Ozark has managed as part of the conclave. This year, our members will be man-ning the casting pools again. We'll have word about where the flies can be dropped off on the web site and in subsequent newsletters soon. If you're going to the conclave, think about helping our members out if you have some.

Do I need a guide? Boy, that's a hard one to answer right out of the box. If you are fishing a river for the first time, my recommendation is to hire a guide. A good guide does more than float or wade you down a river. He is a teacher, philosopher, and historian. He will provide you with information on insect life, hatches, fly patterns to use, where the fish lie, and effective fishing tactics and techniques on his river. Don't assume that all rivers fish like our home waters. Let him teach you how to fish his waters. I'm not saying that you need to hire a guide every day, but set aside at least one day to be guided, preferably at the beginning of the trip.

How do I find a guide? Nothing works better than word of mouth. Ask a friend or club member for references. Guiding is a service industry dependent on repeat business. Those that are good survive.

The good ones are also the first to be booked. If possible, you should try to secure the guide you want months in advance. Simply walking into a fly shop and asking for a guide will likely get you the college student or beginning guide. I'm not saying these are not good guides, but your chances of getting a top-notch guide are less if you come as a walk-in. The top of the line guide is usually guaranteed a certain number of trips per season. His calendar is filled with repeat clients, and he is given first crack on sports who call in advance. Can you get a top of the line guide? Sure, if you do your homework and book in advance. Other sources for guides include fly shops in the area, magazines and the Internet.

What should I tell the guide? The key to an enjoyable fishing experience is for you and the guide to be on the same page. Ask the guide whether he offers floating or wading trips. You may prefer one form over the other.

Let the guide know your expectations: "I want big fish" or "I want a lot of fish." The two don't necessarily go hand in hand and the guide is likely to pick different rivers or stretches of river to accommodate your wishes. If you choose big fish, don't be disappointed if you only catch a few fish. The guide may pass over water holding a lot of fish to concentrate on spots where the hawgs are holding. You might not get many fish, but you will have had at least a shot at the big ones. On the other hand, if you prefer lots of fish he may concentrate on the former spot where there are lots of fish, but not many big ones.

If you don't tell him anything, then he may choose for you and may make the wrong choice. This is especially true if you are an intermediate to advanced angler. The guide is likely to assume you have progressed to wanting big fish where in reality what you want is a lot of fish. You come away disappointed and leave a lousy tip. The guide becomes frustrated because he has put you on some big fish albeit not many. What we have here is a miscommunication. I'm not saying that the trip will always meet your expectations, but the chances of having a pleasurable trip are increased if you communicate your desires ahead of time. Remember the guide relies on your repeat business and referrals, so he wants to make sure you have a great trip.

Other topics you should cover with your guide in advance are: the type of equipment you should bring, whether you need to provide your own flies or does the guide provides flies, whether the flies are free or will cost you at the end of the trip, what flies to use - sizes and colors, where should you buy flies, what range of weather and river conditions are expected, clothing requirements, how long the trip lasts, and does the guide provide transportation and lunch. These are only a few topics to cover. The more you ask, the better prepared you will be and the greater the chan-ces for a successful trip.

How much does a guided trip cost? Ah, the question foremost in your mind and something that should be discussed up front with the guide or outfitter. Generally, an all day float trip will cost $300-350 for two sports. This may sound like a lot of money, but it isn't really when you consider equipment costs, insurance, gas, etc. Wade fishing generally costs $225-250 for an all day trip for two sports.

Most guide services offer half day trips, but you only save $25-50 off the above prices. The cost savings is generally the labor cost of the guide. The equipment costs are the same, so there is not much cost saving in a half day trip. Your better off taking the full trip if time allows.

All day trips should include transportation costs and lunch in the fee. Because of the high cost of gas this year, there may be a $10-20 fuel surcharge tacked on to the fee. Many guides will provide flies for free, but if they are affiliated with a shop, they may steer you over to the shop to buy flies. Remember to ask in advance. If the guide says he will provide flies, then do not feel compelled to buy at the shop. Don't forget to ask if his flies are included in the trip fee or whether there will be a surcharge at the end of the trip for flies used. Having said that, I usually buy a dozen or so flies at the shop. It keeps the guide in good stead with the shop . It also buys you information of what's going on with the river, what hatches are coming off, and what flies are working.

How much should I tip my guide? This is a service industry and operates much like a restaurant. The standard tipping fee is 15% for good service. You tip more or less according to the service you feel you have received. There have been occasions where I have not caught many fish but left a 20% tip where the guide obviously worked hard to put me in situations where I could catch a lot of fish. Sometimes the fish just aren't biting. I've also bumped up my tip when I've received a useful casting tips or the guide kept me over the allotted time to put me on more fish. On the other hand, there have been occasions where the guide just floated me down the river and didn't offer much guidance, resulting in a smaller tip.

It is important to remember that most guides do not receive the full price of the trip. Generally, the guide receives half the cost of the trip. The other half goes to the shop or outfitter. The guide's transportation costs, lunch, and flies often come out of his half of the fee. The long and short of it is that the guide works long hours and is appreciative of tips. Tip money goes directly to the guide and is not shared with the shop. Some people like to buy the guide a meal after the trip, but most guides have told me they would rather have the cash and get home to their families. The thing to remember is to use common sense.

Dos and don'ts: Discuss with your guide trip preparation and your expectations. Do be on time. Do not keep your guide out late ( remember he or she has a family). Do ask your guide for advice and guidance about fly selection, presentation and casting tips. I always tell my guide at the beginning of the trip to correct my casting if the guide notices a fault or to suggest a tip if it will improve my presentation. Do ask the guide if your are fishing the right lies and making correct presentations. A guide is a teacher. Utilize his knowledge to your advantage. Do ask questions, including the natural history of the area. Don't be a know it all and assume you know everything. If you don't attempt to learn something new every time you go out, then you will not grow as a fisherman. Listen to the guide and heed the advice once given. Do not ignore the guide's advice even if not solicited. Do ask the guide how to fish out of a boat. Do not hook your guide. Do give your guide a tip according to service. Finally, do have a sense of adventure, a sense of humor, and do have a good time.

See you on the stream,
John

So it was on that day in early May when Bill Freidman and I entered the stream with our guide. Upstream, perhaps seventy five yards, was a beautiful Blue Ridge Mountain waterfall, perhaps ten feet in height. The Rhododendron bloom was on the downside, but still flashed bursts of color into the bluebird day. The river channel was deep, clear and fast. Ancient boulders provided a complex variety of currents and eddies. Buck, our guide, suggested deep nymphs and the setup looked perfect. We were warned there were fish here that had never been landed, so strong, and fast were they. "Snort, snort." I privately snorted to myself. Those fish had never met my six weight rod. With the recommended 4X tippet, I was sure that "big momma" would have a whole new experience today. In quick order, I lost several nice fish to the sharp rocks. Never saw 'em. But Bill was putting on a show. He was "in the groove," had the right fly, and making the right drifts. After catching several, the size of which was astonishing, he hooked the big one. A jump six feet in the air gave me a good look at the beast. The fish jumped. Not me. "Fifteen pounds," I guessed to myself. Buck opined "That would be one of those that never gets caught, fifteen pounds, I'd say." A few less spectacular leaps and the fish roared downstream, Bill, helpless, could just hang on. "Ping" is the sound a taught leader breaking makes in Georgia. This one went PING!!! Poor Bill, he looked dazed as he reeled in the slack line. Minutes later he was into another sizable fish, and landed it weighed about 11 pounds.

Holy Cow! We had only been fishing for an hour! We had the rest of the day to get serious. In short, that six weight rod I had just wasn't enough rod! It was like trying to drive the green with a seven iron. Just wait 'til next year, guys.

Another experience we had was fishing some public water, in fact a State Park outside of Helen Georgia. Catch and Release only, seven miles of small mountain stream. Now get this..... the state provides a shuttle for anglers and will drop off and pick up anglers. This is a private road so you are alone. Stream access is limited by reservation so there was no overcrowding. The shuttle ran every two hours and works great except for the Atlanta guy who put his rod into the provided (exterior) rod rack and had it fall off. "Not to worry," he said. It has a guarantee. Of course the rod escaped damage. His uninsured Loop reel was not so lucky. A following service vehicle crunched it beyond recognition.

Good, friendly fly shops, fine food, superior accommodations. Easy flight from St. Louis, and an hour and a half drive and you are into more miles of stream than you could fish in a lifetime. Avoid summer. Bring money.