Welcome to the Ozark Fly Fishers
Founded 1971
A Missouri 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation
Our March Speaker:
Ryan Walker is from Springfield MO, started up the Ozark Smallmouth Alliance and is a professional guide. Ryan is an avid fly fisherman and an avid conservationist when it comes to smallies. You can look him up on google, facebook, instagram, or his website www.osaflyco.com.
BOB HEINE AUTO ACCIDENT
Our fellow angler, Bob Heine, is currently hospitalized in Springfield, MO due to a serious auto accident which occurred on March 1st. When his recovery allows, his family plans to move him to a St. Louis hospital. Bob’s family has been keeping me informed of his condition. Ozark members are welcome to call me to check on his progress. The family relates that Bob will be on a long road to recovery. Please keep Bob in your prayers. – Scott Darrough: 314-560-133
Upcoming Events
Here are the upcoming events. Note the section in bold which has changed slightly:
March 19th - Ryan Walker, Smallmouth Guide 7pm to 9 pm Holy Cross Lutheran Church 13014 Olive Blvd, Creve Coeur Spring Small Mouth Fishing
March 26 – 28 Sow Bug Baxter County Fairgrounds 1507 Fairgrounds Dr, Mountain Home, AR 72653
April 23 - Mike Krewse, Trout Fishing Guide 7pm to 9 pm Holy Cross Lutheran Church 13014 Olive Blvd, Creve Coeur
May 28- Jim Murphy's Drift Boat Build 7pm to 9 pm Holy Cross Lutheran Church 13014 Olive Blvd, Creve Coeur
June 11 - Member Barbecue Tilles Park 5pm to 8pm
July 11 – Blake Stephens, MDC Fisheries – Current River, Eleven Point, and Crane Creek, 7pm to 9 pm Holy Cross Lutheran Church 13014 Olive Blvd, Creve Coeur
August 27 – TBD
September 24 – Nick Lamey, MDC Fisheries – Little Piney and Mill Creek, 7pm to 9 pm Holy Cross Lutheran Church 13014 Olive Blvd, Creve Coeur
Thanks, Paul Jackson
Fly Casting Tip:
Fly casting tip March 2026
“There’s magic in the rod tip”.
“The loop is the proof”
“You don’t cast with power; you cast with rhythm and timing.”
What do these three quotes from Mel Krieger tell us?
1) “There’s magic in the rod tip”.
“ The position of the rod tip at the conclusion of the casting stroke controls the size of the casting loop.”
“The path of the rod tip during the casting stroke determines the shape of the casting loop”.
SLP (Straight Line Path) = good loop
Convex path = open to non-loop
Tailing loop = bounce or shook of the rod tip ( or poor timing)
The fly goes in the direction the rod tip speeds up and stops.
2) “The loop is the proof”
If you can control the loop you can make the presentation cast you desire to make. Learning loop control is one of the keys to better casting.
3) “You don’t cast with power; you cast with rhythm and timing.”
Proof of this, is the fact that good casting, distance or accuracy, is not dependent on strength. The rhythm and timing combined with the power developed in the loaded rod are the main factors. Maxine McCormick won multiple golds at age 12 and later, including a 165-foot sea trout cast.
CONSERVATION
Scott Darrough
Ozark Fly Fishers is an affiliate of the Missouri Stream Team program, - Stream Team #31. Since its inception, Ozark Fly Fishers has been associated with numerous conservation endeavors such as stream bank stabilizations, skyhook construction, riparian tree plantings, water quality monitoring, watershed clean-ups and monetary contributions to preserve stream habitat along with education programs such as Passport to Clean Water.
ATTENTION! – OZARK FLY FISHERS NEEDS YOU!
CONSERVATION RELATED POSITIONS THAT NEED TO BE FILLED.
Ø LOWG – LEAGUE OF WATERSHED GUARDUANS BOARD MEMBER TO REPRESENT FOR OZARK FLY FISHERS.
o Dan Rasch resigned from this position after holding for several years.
Ø MISSOURI STREAM TEAM CAPTAIN FOR BLUE SPRINGS CREEK, BOURBON, MO
o Glenn Bish dedicated many years of monitoring to this location.
Ø MISSOURI STREAM TEAM CAPTAIN FOR MILL CREEK, NEWBURG, MO
o Bill Leslie dedicated many years of monitoring to this location.
Interested in filling one of these positions – contact Scott Darrough at:314-560-1335 or swdarrough@yahoo.com
EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
If you have questions about the following events, contact Scott Darrough at: 314-560-1335 or swdarrough@yahoo.com
April 4, 2026: Biologic Stream Monitoring - 9:30 am - Krautmann Farm, 8095 State Road BB, Hillsboro, MO 63050 - by invitation from the Belews Creek Watershed Partnership - Stream Team 3853
Hey OFF members! Can you identify the classic aquatic organisms that fly fishers imitate? Mayflies, Stoneflies, Caddisflies, etc.…If you cannot, then here is an event that will let you do so. Whether you are versed on this subject or not, we want you to attend. This will be hands on “fun” learning - easy to comprehend. The first thing attendees need to understand about this event is that there are NO stupid questions. All questions and queries are welcome and encouraged. Questions are how we learn. We want you to learn about the awesome biodiversity in this beautiful Ozark stream. We will look at the insects, crustaceans, worms, mollusks and possibly fish inhabitants. Our nets will “tell” the story of the stream. We can also discuss the riparian plant life and the watershed in general, if there is an interest. All members and non-members are welcome. Parents are encouraged to bring their children. Depending on the number of attendees, we may deploy multiple net racks. Other Stream Teams will be invited as well. This typically is an awesome time of the year to monitor. The organisms tend to be bigger and more plentiful, as they have not yet emerged and left the stream. Waders are not necessary for those who do not have them as, the nets will be carried to dry land where we can study in comfort. Attendees will be encouraged to pluck specimens from the nets (with forceps) and place them in divided trays for better observation and identification. Please notify Scott Darrough at 314-560-1335 or swdarrough@yahoo.com if attending. Environmental conditions this time of year can be unpredictable, and the event may need to be cancelled or rescheduled. This was the case last year as the night before the event brought a tornado a few miles away tearing massive sycamores from the stream banks and obliterating homes. Also, the creek was blown out, unsafe condition to monitor. Note- there will be adequate parking. This stream is a short drive from St. Louis. Come, enjoy the camaraderie, and learn about this beautiful stream.
July 17-19,2026: 15th Annual Missouri Stream Team Outing- Montauk State Park
This event spotlights the Missouri Stream Team Program offering numerous opportunities combining the sport of fly fishing and science. Keeping with tradition, various presentations and activities are planned. Note that this year we are organizing a very special nocturnal event. We are arranging the use of lights to attract adult specimens of the larval forms that we typically observe in the stream bottom. Anyone interested in dry fly fishing will want to attend this endeavor. Currently this outing is in its planning stage. Continue to watch for upcoming details, but for now mark your calendars to save the date.
July 25, 2026: 30th Annual Watershed Celebration - Meramec State Park
- by invitation from Stream Teams United
Do not miss this “Grand Picnic”! There will be opportunities for OFF members to volunteer for casting and fly-tying instruction, tying safety pin flies and manning the Stream Team macroinvertebrate display. Lunch is provided. Experience the massive raffle. This event provides an opportunity to promote conservation and recruit new members. It is also a fun time.
August 22, 2026: 59th Annual Operation Clean Stream - Byrnes Mill City Park
- by invitation from the Trashmanian Devils Stream Team 3797
Ozark members are invited to attend this clean-up of the Meramec watershed. Details will follow in the months to come.
Fly of the Month:
Lance Egan’s Silver Bullet Baetis
Full disclosure – I lifted this from Fly Fish Food’s website. (If you are not familiar, you need to be.) This fly embodies all the good things you need to imitate a Baetis (BWO) nymph and nothing you don’t. It’s clean, simple, easy to tie, sinks like a bullet, and absolutely works when the nymphs are active.
Hook: Fulling Mill 5045 Jig Force Barbless Hook - 16
Bead: Slotted Tungsten Beads - Silver – 3.0mm or 3.2mm
Thread: UTC Ultra thread 70 Denier - Light Olive
Tail: Spanish Coq De Leon - Pardo
Rib: UTC Ultra Wire - Brassie Size - Sculpin Olive
Coating; Solarez Bone Dry
Thorax: Ice Dub - Peacock Black
Thread slotted bead on jig hook and secure in vise. Start thread behind the bead and advance to half-way point.
Tie in 5 or 6 CDL fibers about as long as the body starting at the midpoint and wrapping to the hook bend. Return the thread to behind the eye forming a nice smooth body.
Tie in a section of wire on top of the hook shank by poking the end into the bead slot and wrapping back to the hook bend just above the tail. Again, nice smooth wraps.
Return the thread to just behind the bead in even smooth wraps forming the body.
Spiral wrap the wire to just behind the bead to form a nice even rib.
Tie off wire and trim excess.
Coat body with just a little Bone Dry. You should be able to see very pronounced rib. Cure with UV light.
Dub a sparse tight collar of black peacock Ice Dub. Add a little superglue to the thread, make a couple of turns and whip-finish behind the bead.
I fish this either under a dry as a dry-dropper, under a bigger nymph if I need to get down, or as the top fly trailed by an unweighted nymph or emerger to get that fly down a bit. Normally I dead-drift these, but it can help to let it rise up at the end of the drift like a bug emerging. I’ve caught fish on this fly a lot of different ways. Feel free to experiment.
——-
I have gotten a number of requests for the material list of the flies we tied with Son Tao.
I contacted him and he got this back to me:
Steve Antonic
Latex Crane Fly
Hook: Ahrex 150 - size 6-10 Weight - Lead wire 0.20
Body: Kileys nymph skin and 1/8 scud backing in brown
GFA Hopper
Hook: Tiemco 3761 or 2302 size 8-12
Body: 2-pieces of 2mm foam glued together by zap-a-gap.
- Alternatively, you can just use 1-piece of 2mm or 3mm or 4mm foam.
Legs: Silli Legs Wing: Deer or elk hair
Squirmy Egg Hook:
Gamakatsu C12s size 10-12
Body: Fulling Mill mini UV ez egg yarn
Tail: Caster's Squirmito Squirmy Wormy materia
Egg Clusters
Hook: Gamakatsu C12s size 10-12 or Fulling Mill Grub Hook size 8-12
Body: White or Cheese color yarn by The Bug Shop in micro size (link below).
- Then use a piece of orange or pink micro yarn for the egg yoak. https://www.tcoflyfishing.com/products/glo-bug-micro-yarn?variant=31308436602922
