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Given that nothing gets my goat like the flash-boil-KAPOW of a big brown trout nailing a giant streamer right off the bank, this March I pulled the trigger on something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time; get back to the Ozarks with nothing but a box of jointeds, a 7-weight outfit, and a long sink tip. And along with that came the chance to fish with Brian Wise from Fly Fishing The Ozarks, who I largely credit with turning me on to the big bugs, thanks to the exceptional tying videos he posts. I also knew that Brian was as in love with the quest for “the one” as I was. This style of fishing does not fill stringers. It does not keep rods bent all day. It’s work. It takes patience. But the pay-off—the big crush—is absolutely worth it. This shoot was a great adventure, filled with everything from glory to heartache to corn dogs and cable access TV. Enjoy the ride. Special shout-out to Rio for making sure our flies got where they needed to go on this one.