Saturday, September 2, 2006

DATE: Saturday, September 2, 2006

TIME: 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM

WEATHER: Low 70s rising to low 80s

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units

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

HATCH: A few midges and crane flies

ROD USED: Winston 7’ 9” 2-weight LT

FLIES USED: #14 gray Norfork River scud, #14 mini bugger

OTHER: I fished with David, Brian, and Colby. Brian is our daughter's (Jenny) fiancé, David is his father, and Colby is his brother. It was their first time fly fishing for trout. We took about 5 minutes for an instructional casting lesson, and immediately began fishing. Brian ended up in a tough spot, but both Colby and David were positioned to catch fish. David was a good caster and began catching fish on the scud dead drifted in Ed's Hole. Then Colby began catching fish and Brian began getting bites as well. After about two hours, the fish just quit biting, all of a sudden. Then about twenty minutes later, they started again. David moved slightly downstream and took fish in the rather deep chute adjacent to Ace in the Hole. Brian switched to a mini bugger tied with ice dubbing and began getting more consistent bites. Colby moved downstream near his dad and also began getting consistent bites. Several times through the course of the morning, the "Painter" boys had doubles. All of them were somewhat "natural" fishers and did well for their first time out. It was a blast watching them catch lots of trout on a fly rod as first time fly fishers. As a note, the river was packed upstream of the catch and release sign with Labor Day fishers—more than I'd ever seen. I suspect the river got cleaned out.