Christmas Day Fishing with Dry Flies

DATE: Saturday, 12/25/2004

TIME: 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM

WEATHER: Mid-30's, partly cloudy

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, Mill Dam Eddy and at Ol’ Charlie's

HATCH: Midges

ROD USED: Unknown

FLIES USED: #20 Dunn's Dun, #20 Griffith's gnat

OTHER: I fished with Kay and Karyn, catching one at Mill Dam Eddy where water pours off towards left descending bank. Karyn did not have a strike, so we moved to Ol’ Charlie's. She did real well on #20 Griffith's gnat, catching about 6 and missing at least 8. She had trouble, at first, detecting the take, but soon was in the real swing of things. Fish were hitting the Griffith's gnat greased on top, and also striking the fly during the swing. Low temperature was 9 degrees at sunrise.

It’s Cold Out Here

DATE: Friday, 12/24/2004

TIME: 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM

WEATHER: Mid-20's, sunny

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, Ol’ Charlie's

HATCH: Midges

ROD USED: Unknown

FLIES USED: #20 Dunn's Dun, #20 blue winged olive

OTHER: I fished with Wayne. It was brutally cold, and low temperature was 4 degrees at sunrise.

A Cold Day in December

DATE: Thursday, 12/23/2004

TIME: 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

WEATHER: Mid-20's, partly cloudy

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, riffle at top of 2^nd island above Ackerman/Handicap Access, Ol’ Charlie's

HATCH: Midges

ROD USED: Unknown

FLIES USED: One fish was caught on a San Juan worm, two fish were caught on #16 olive-gray scuds, and three were caught on #20 Dunn's Dun

OTHER: I fished with Karyn. She did real well to be so inexperienced, and plays fish very well. It was brutally cold, and low temperature was 4 degrees at sunrise.

Ron’s First Day Fly Fishing

DATE: Saturday, 12/18/2004

TIME: 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

WEATHER: Mid-40's, partly cloudy, windy

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, McClellan’s

HATCH: None

ROD USED: Unknown

FLIES USED: Salmon-colored egg pattern, olive-gray humpback scud

OTHER: "Guided" Ron and his girlfriend, Beverly. It was the first time either had fly fished, and each caught 3 to 4 fish. Fish were small, mostly cutthroats and rainbows. Surprisingly, few other fishers were on the river. We fished Ace in the Hole, and right hand chute just above it. We did not see many rising fish, and no hatches.

Back on the Water

DATE: Friday, 12/17/2004

TIME: Unknown

WEATHER: Mid-40's, partly cloudy

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, Mill Dam Eddy

HATCH: Two midge hatches, and blue winged olive hatch

ROD USED: Unknown

FLIES USED: One fish was caught on a #20 gray emerger during the swing, one on #20 Griffith's Gnat on the swing, and one on # 20 Kay's Gray fished below strike indicator with weight. I tried several egg patterns, Red Ass, mini-bugger, Dunn's Dun, blue winged olive, and zebra midge with no luck. Egg patterns were working well for fisher upstream from me.

OTHER: I fished with Harold and Wayne. Wayne fished downstream near his place and at Ol’ Charlie’s. Few other fishers were on the river. It was great to be back on low water after several weeks of generation. River bottom showed lots of silt and vegetation.