Welcome to the Ozark Fly Fishers
Founded 1971
A Missouri 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation
BANQUET REMINDER
Dear Members
The time has come to mark your calendars, saving the date for our annual fundraising banquet.
As you know, our annual fundraising banquet is our clubs largest fundraising event
of the year, providing us the opportunity to sponsor our many events throughout
the entire year.
Next year’s banquet and silent auction is on Saturday, January 17th, 2026.
The banquet will be held at the same location as years past. Andre’s at Sunset Hills 13366 West Watson Road Sunset Hill, Missouri 63127
This year’s cost will remain the same as last year, $40.00 per person which includes a nice meal, desert, and open bar.
The event will include raffles, silent auction as well as a live auction.
We encourage all of you to bring your spouse, guest and even friends, who might not be club members, to join us for a great night out.
Please mark your calendars, make plans to attend and support your club.
Reservation forms will be made available in the near future.
Thank you and hope to see you there.
WHERE ARE THE ELLUSIVE OZARK FLY FISHERS?
To borrow a phrase from the late Slim Pickens,
“ What in the Wide World of Sports is going on here!”
I must ask, why is it that Missouri’s largest fly-fishing club has a handful at best of its members at the Sow Bug Roundup and the Tri-Lakes Fly Fishing Exposition? I do not get this. For years now, I have looked forward to attending these events. I am told by some of the long-time members that Ozark used to have many attend the Sow Bug in large numbers. I look forward to these events every year. Numerous tiers from various states have related to me that the Sow Bug is the best tying show in the country. I believe it. Though I thoroughly enjoyed the Sow Bug this year, I believe that I enjoyed the Tri-Lakes a little bit more. Both are great.
On an annual basis, I look forward to reacquainting with those I know, and meeting folks that I have never met. The camaraderie at these events is so very fun. Note also that these events are always requesting exhibition tiers. Consider tying and relating what you know about the hobby and sport.
Various educational programs may be attended if one wishes. Celebrities of the sport also attend and present to attendees. I must mention that the raffles and auctions, both silent and live, are fun. This year, I was able to acquire some nice additions to my fly-fishing collection.
What I am trying to relate is that it is my belief, Ozark members are missing out on a lot of fun. I highly encourage all members to attend these events. If you need further inspiration to attend, ask me about these events or someone else who attends. We will not steer you wrong. If you are not attending, you are missing out on a good time.
- Scott Darrough
Tri-Lakes Outing Pictures
Kansas City Ladies group: WildHERness
We received a request to help a group of Ladies from Kansas City on a trip to Bennet Springs. Sixteen were in the group, called WildHERness. Pretty diverse group. Some had waders and experience, but most were novice and bank fishing.
I tied up a batch of different patterns for them to try in Zone 1, but they had no success with them. Quite a few were first time fly fishers and almost all were using spinning rods. So we moved on to Zone 2. Similar failures there, and when I looked up, none were near me. Got a tap on the shoulder and was told they moved to the (gasp) dark side. Bait fishing.
So I showed them how to rig up Powerbait on a size 18 treble hook, and they caught fish. The positives were they learned several knots. Also informed them they could switch the size 18 treble with a glo-ball and fish the fly areas. Some watched, but many tied their own and did ok. They were having a fish fry later that night, so I showed them how to clean the fish and again, a few did their own. One caught a sucker which later learned it was delicious.
They are interested in doing another trip in the fall, so we will watch for them to contact us. I must admit my initial trout experiences were bait fishing, so it is a start for them.
Dan Rasch
Bennet Springs Update
Hatchery project completion date is now estimated to be January 2026
The list of upcoming events:
May 22 - John Van Vliet - Writer, Driftless Area
June 12 - Picnic at Tilles Park Windegger shelter
July 11-13 - Annual Missouri Stream Team Outing at Montauk
July 24 - Ben Havens - Bennett Spring Hatchery
Aug 21 - Logan Huff, Morgan Guss of The Diamond State Fly Co Arkansas
Sept 25 - Jeff Mace, Feather Craft
October 23 - Joe Oelke - Urban fly fishing in St. Louis
Thanks,
Paul Jackson
CONSERVATION EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
If you have questions about the following events,
contact Scott Darrough at: 314-560-1335 or swdarrough@yahoo.com
ATTENTION! – OZARK FLY FISHERS NEEDS YOU!
CONSERVATION RELATED POSITIONS THAT NEED TO BE FILLED.
LOWG – LEAGUE OF WATERSHED GUARDUANS BOARD MEMBER TO REPRESENT FOR OZARK FLY FISHERS.
- Dan Rasch resigned from this position after holding for several years.
MISSOURI STREAM TEAM CAPTAIN FOR BLUE SPRINGS CREEK, BOURBON, MO
- Glenn Bish dedicated many years of monitoring to this location.
MISSOURI STREAM TEAM CAPTAIN FOR MILL CREEK, NEWBURG, MO
- Bill Leslie dedicated many years of monitoring to this location
July 11-13, 2025: 15th Annual Missouri Stream Team Outing - Montauk State Park
NOTE THAT THE DATES FOR THIS EVENT WERE CHANGED TO THE ABOVE!
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. Currently this outing is in its planning stage. This year our macroinvertebrate theme will concern clams and mussels. Continue to watch for upcoming details. Rooms have been reserved at Montauk Lodge for Ozark members. Be sure to make your reservation. In past years, some of these rooms have not been utilized by club members. I will consider opening these rooms for reservation to non-members if they are not filled by Ozark members. There is no reason to have these rooms go unfilled and tuned back to the lodge when other non-member individuals who would like to attend could put them to use. This will also help maintain and reinforce Ozark’s relationship with the Lodge management. If you plan to attend, please make your reservation soon
July 26, 2025: 29th Annual Watershed Celebration –
Meramec State Park - by invitation from Stream Teams United
Do not miss this “Grand Picnic”! There will be opportunities for members to volunteer for casting and fly-tying instruction, tying safety pin flies and manning the Stream Team macroinvertebrate display. This event provides an opportunity to promote conservation and recruit new members. It is also a fun time.
https://www.streamteamsunited.org/watershed-celebration-picnic.html
August 23, 2025: 58th 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.
Save the Date
June 12th, 2026 5:00pm
Be sure to mark your calendars
So, you will make plans to attend this year’s barbecue
Cost is free to club members
The location will be:
Tillis Park – Windegger shelter
9551 Litzsinger Rd, St. Louis, MO 63124
Fly casting instructions will be available to those who would like to improve their skills
Lake Taneycomo Outing
October 9th, 10th and 11th 2025
Ozark Fly Fishers fall outing will be held at beautiful Lake Taneycomo the second weekend of October. Lodging has been arranged at Lilley’s Landing Resort. This has always been an enjoyable outing with the chance to catch some really large fish. We have reserved four cabins for Thursday, Friday and Saturday night October 9-11, 2025.
Cabin # Type Per Bedroom
19 or 20 2-bedroom LF $346
23 3-bedroom OL $311
17 4-bedroom LF $260
(LF=Lake Front, OL=Off Lake)
The “per bedroom” amount is what each person would pay for all three nights during the event.
The 2-bedroom cabins have two queen beds in one bedroom and one queen bed in the other and can be reserved by the room ($346) or the entire cabin ($692) for up to 4 people.
The 3- and 4-bedroom cabins have either one king bed or two twin beds in each room. They are reserved by the room, so if you want to double up with somebody you each pay half.
Please contact Ed Heist (1-618-201-7195) for reservations and further information.
Reservations must be made by June 30th, 2025. Please make checks payable to
Ozark Fly Fishers
PO Box 31473
St. Louis, MO 63131-0473
Lilley’s Landing has its own trout dock with jon boats that can be rented by the day. For those interested in renting boats or guide services, you can reach out to:
For those interested in renting boats or guide services, you can reach out to:
River Run Outfitters
Historic Hwy 165
Branson. MO 65616
1-417-332-0460
https://www.riverrunoutfitters.com
Lilley’s Landing
367 River Ln 2626
Branson, MO. 65616
1-(417)-334-6380
https://www.lilleyslanding.com /
Thanks, Ed!
Fly of the Month
Duane Hada’s Craft-Fur Slip Minnow
The Clouser Minnow has been around since the ‘70’s, and it has proven to be an extremely versatile and popular fish catcher. Duane Hada, one of North Arkansas’ premier resident artists, fly tyers, and fly fishermen, came up with a really simple and clean version for their local smallmouth streams that I just love. Most Clouser Minnows are tied way too full and bulky and use bucktail which tends to be stiff. That explains all variations that have come out using updated materials. The idea behind his minnow is to imitate all the little forage fish found in their local streams.
Hook: Your favorite 3X straight-eye streamer hook #6 or #8.
You can also use long-shank jig hooks.
Thread: Veevus 8/0 white
Eyes: Lead painted dumbbell eyes - medium
Belly: White Craft-Fur
Flash: Pearl, Gold & Olive Flash-A-Bou
Back: Olive Craft-Fur
Secure the hook in vise and start thread behind the eye. Wrap a smooth base about ½ the hook shank and return to the 2/3rd point.
Build a small bump there to help anchor the dumbbell eyes.
Add the eyes on top of the hook against that bump and secure with figure-8 wraps.
Add a few drops of super-glue or Zap-A-Gap. Advance thread in front of the eyes to 1-eye-length behind the hook eye.
Brush out your white craft-fur and cut a section about the diameter of the hook eye.
Secure the butts behind the hook eye and wrap down towards the eyes, between the eyes and continue about half-way down the shank. Return thread to in front of the eyes.
Flip the hook over so the eyes are on the bottom. This becomes the top of the fly.
Tie in 2 strands of each color of Flash-A-Bou by folding it over the thread and making a couple of thread turns to secure. Trim just longer than the white craft fur.
Comb out the olive craft fur and cut a bunch about 2 eye lengths wide and secure just behind the hook eye. Make a smooth head with thread wraps and whip finish.
Use an olive Sharpie to color the top of the head, and seal with head cement of your choice.
I fish this kind like a jig – with a floating line just off the bottom with short sharp strips to make it dart and dive. The craft fur gives it lots of movement and the subtle flash is just enough to attract attention. Don’t be afraid to throw it in and around boulders, log jams, and cut banks. Better tie extra so you’re not afraid to lose them. Strikes tend to be pretty aggressive.
Mike Ott - Fly Tying Chairman