A Large Rainbow and No Picture

DATE: Saturday, 7/30/2005

TIME: 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

WEATHER: Mid-80s to low 90s, partly cloudy

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, McClellan’s downstream of Otter Creek

HATCH: None

ROD USED: Winston 7- 9” 2-weight LT

FLIES USED: #20 DunnZDun, #14 flying ant, #16 copper Norfork River scud

OTHER: I fished with Kay, and Ron and Ginger. Fish were rising along a leaf line at Ace in the Hole. I managed to take one fish on a DunnZDun, and then switched to a flying ant. I took the largest rainbow of my life. It smashed the ant on second cast (missed a fish on first cast). I was sure to lose the fish with 2-weight rod and 7X tippet. I fought the tagged fish to hand, unhooked it, and thought it was about to die. I did not get a photo or measurement because I was handling the fish very carefully to prevent it from expiring; it fought a great fight and I did not want to mishandle it. Anyway, the fish recovered without measurement or photo. I am guessing it to be 23+ inches. It had a huge girth. I did catch several more fish, including another with a tag, with the copper scud fished below strike indicator. Ron also took several fish.

Mr. Sowbug?

DATE: Friday, 7/29/2005

TIME: 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

WEATHER: Mid-80s to low 90s, partly cloudy

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units

LOCATIONS FISHED: White River, Walk-in Access at Bull Shoals Dam

HATCH: Tiny black midges, crane flies

ROD USED: Winston 8’ 6” 5-weight WT Joan Wulff Favorite

FLIES USED: #20 olive cockleburr, #14 black cockleburr

OTHER: I fished with Dick. The river was crowded as usual. I managed to take a couple of fish on #20 olive cockleburr, but missed two others. Mr. Sowbug was on the water and is a bit obnoxious. He had his cell phone with and unbelievably loud ring. He talked on and on, and his voice was so loud that it annoyed everyone within about 300 yards. He was teaching a class on nymphing. I managed not to say anything, BUT then he began crowding me, and almost cast his line over mine several times. I was holding back on my cast, casting only about 30 feet instead of the usual 60 feet or so I had been casting. I ask him if he knew me and he just waved me off. He kept crowding closer and closer and I finally told him he was fishing my water. He left; and it’s worth repeating, he’s obnoxious.

By the way, his phone conversation was about minimum flow and water pollution. I wonder if he ever heard of noise pollution. It's SOBs like him that damage the cause of protecting our waters, and unfortunately, there are too many of him around as wannabe fly fishing celebrities, officers in fly fishing clubs, etc. It makes me want to puke!

The Old Flies Don’t Work

DATE: Monday, 7/18/2005

TIME: 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM

WEATHER: Mid-80s to low 90s, partly cloudy

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, riffle above McClellan’s

HATCH: Tiny black midges, crane flies

ROD USED: Winston 8’ 6” 5-weight WT Joan Wulff Favorite

FLIES USED: #20 olive cockleburr, #14 furnace cockleburr, #14 flying ant, #16 parachute sulphur, various other dry flies and emergers

OTHER: I fished with Wayne at the riffle above McClellan’s, both river left and river right. I missed several fish before hooking up. Fishing for me was tough, at best, and old, dependable flies did not work. I managed to catch 7 fish, but worked real hard for them. My most successful fly was #20 olive cockleburr.

Mostly Cutthroats

DATE: Wednesday, 7/13/2005

TIME: 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM

WEATHER: Low 80s to low 90s, partly cloudy

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, riffle above McClellan’s

HATCH: Tiny black midges, crane flies

ROD USED: Winston 8’ 6” 5-weight WT Joan Wulff Favorite

FLIES USED: #20 olive cockleburr, #14 furnace cockleburr, #14 flying ant, #16 parachute sulphur, various other dry flies and emergers

OTHER: I fished with Wayne at the riffle above McClellan’s, both river left and river right. I missed at least 6 fish before hooking up. The fish were swirling on the #14 olive cockleburr. I finally ended up getting some catches—about 15—mostly cutthroats; I didn’t catch any big fish, but had loads of fun. I did manage to take 3 on the parachute sulphurs in shallow water near head of riffle. Wayne, as usual, caught lots of fish until generation began and ran us off the river.

Crooked Creek

DATE: Saturday, 7/2/2005

TIME: 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

WEATHER: Low 90s, clear

WATER CONDITIONS: N/A

LOCATIONS FISHED: Crooked Creek, Snow Access

HATCH: None

ROD USED: Unknown

FLIES USED: Unknown

OTHER: I fished with Ron and Kay. Ron caught a bunch; Kay caught two.

Getting Crosswise

DATE: Friday, 7/1/2005

TIME: 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM

WEATHER: Low 80s to mid-80s, overcast

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, riffle above McClellan’s

HATCH: Tiny black midges, crane flies

ROD USED: Winston 8’ 6” 5-weight WT Joan Wulff Favorite

FLIES USED: #20 olive cockleburr, #14 furnace cockleburr

OTHER: I fished with Dick Todd. I fished downstream of the riffle—there was a boat crosswise in the riffle, right where the fish tend to hold. The boat had pushed the fish downstream and they were feeding on midge clusters. The #20 olive cockleburr took some fish cast quartering downstream and stripped back. The boat left after about an hour and we moved upstream and the fish followed. Fish were coming out of the water for the #14 olive cockleburr. There were no big fish, but the small ones were loads of fun.