Early Morning on the Norfork River

TIME: 6:30 AM to 8:30 AM
WEATHER:  Partly cloudy, mid 60s,
WATER CONDITIONS:  0 Units
LOCATIONS FISHED:  Norfork River, Island above Ackerman/Handicap Access
ROD USED:  8’ 9” 5 wt Joan Wulff Favorite Winston
FLIES USED:   #18 Top Secret, #14 Gray Norfork River Scud
HATCHES: Midges, Caddis
OTHER:  Fished with Kay, Ron, and Kaden.  We entered the water early to avoid other Memorial Day weekend fishers.  Kaden took his fishing lessons from yesterday to heart, and fished like a pro with his casting, mending, and playing fish.  He caught 6 nice fish, including a grand slam, using the Norfork River Scud.   The brown he caught was a nice fish, as was the cutthroat.  


Ron fished across the island, and caught 4 fish, including a good sized brown.  He moved just downstream of us and caught a couple more, then took his 7th fish upstream.  Kay struggled today, taking only one fish, as she fished leftover water that had been beaten to death and fished hard.  I did not fish.  I was really impressed with how well Kaden fished—much more mature than his 14 years.  If he can only remember for next time…

Family Fishin’ Fun

TIME: 7:00 AM to 11:30 AM

WEATHER:  Partly cloudy, mid 80s,

WATER CONDITIONS:  0 Units

LOCATIONS FISHED:  Norfork River, Island above Ackerman/Handicap Access

ROD USED:  8’ 9” 5 wt Joan Wulff Favorite Winston

FLIES USED:   #18 Top Secret, #20 Kay’s Gray, #18 Royal Wulff, #18 Tan Caddis, #18 Parachute Sulphur Dun

HATCHES: Midges, Caddis, Sulphurs, Crane Flies

OTHER:  Fished with Kay, Ron, and Kaden.  We entered the water early anticipating a lot of fishers on this Friday before Memorial Day.  Kaden and I fished together most of the morning.  Even though he’s only 14, he did a great job on the river, hooking and releasing 4 fish using the #18 Top Secret.  He did an exception job with both upstream and downstream mends, and knowing when to use each.  Kay fish downstream of us, and caught 7 fish using a #16 Zebra Midge.  Ron fished across the island and caught close to a dozen and a half using a #14 Norfork River Gray Scud.  Late in the morning, Ron and I moved upstream and I caught several fish using several  different dry flies, despite at least 2 dozen refusals.  It was a great morning.  

Norfork River Trout Have Discriminating Tastes

TIME: 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

WEATHER:  Partly cloudy, mid 80s,

WATER CONDITIONS:  0 Units

LOCATIONS FISHED:  Norfork River, island above Ackerman/Handicap Access

ROD USED:  8’ 9” 5 wt Joan Wulff Favorite Winston

FLIES USED:   #20 Kay’s Grey, #18 Royal Wulff

HATCHES:  Midges, Caddis

OTHER:  Fished with Wayne.  We opted to fish close to home, and it was a great choice.  Beginning in the riffle at the upper end of the island above Ackerman/Handicap Access, we saw lots of fish taking midges.  A couple of fish took the Kay’s Grey, but the fishing was too slow.  On a whim, I switched to a Royal Wulff, and the fun started.  On the first cast, a fish slammed the fly, and it was a nice cutthroat.  The next couple of dozen casts produced furious hits—and lots of misses—the story for the rest of the day.  I fished the riffle downstream, then upstream, and back and forth, resting the water between areas.  Meanwhile, Wayne fished a Zebra Midge and took fish on practically every cast.  Everywhere we fished, we caught fish.  I ended up catching maybe a dozen and a half fish, and missing twice that many more; Wayne caught lots more, but couldn’t have had more fun.  Who would have believed the Royal Wulff would have produced so well?

Don’t Fish Behind Wayne

TIME: 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM

WEATHER:  Partly cloudy, mid 80s,

WATER CONDITIONS:  0 Units

LOCATIONS FISHED:  Norfork River, Otter Creek to Elisabeth Creek

ROD USED:  10’ 4 wt Winston

FLIES USED:   #14 Norfork River Gray Scud, #18 Black/Silver Zebra Midge

HATCHES: Midges, Caddis

OTHER:  Fished with Wayne.  Once again, Mill Dam Eddy was covered up with fishers.  Several “guests” access the river via a property near there, 3 and 4 at a time, covering the area, and fishing it hard.  After fishing the Norfork River for many years, one observation that can be made is that the river and its fish do not handle continuous pressure.  Given the current stocking patterns, generation on both the White and Norfork Rivers, and changes since the Flood, fish tend to move out of an area, when a small reach is fished day in day out, and this has happened to several formerly great areas on the river, e.g. Ol’ Charlie’s Place.

Back to fishing.  I caught 5 fish above the island, including a 16-inch rainbow and a heavy, 18-inch brown.  As I fished upstream behind Wayne, I caught fewer and fewer fish, coming to the conclusion that there are some “don’t” certainties in life:  don’t relieve yourself in the wind, don’t mess with the Lone Ranger, and don’t fish behind Wayne.  He catches practically every catchable fish in the water.  Consequently, I only managed to catch 4 or 5 fish from those above the island to Otter Creek.  On the return trip, I saw Walter II, a 30+ inch brown, move out from under some rocks when I was bringing in a fish, then saw him take a fish a few minutes later.  Also, a 25+ inch rainbow chased another fish I caught—things are looking up.  Today, almost all fish took the gray scud, rather than the zebra midge dropper. 

Back on the Water

TIME: 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

WEATHER:  Partly cloudy, mid 80s,

WATER CONDITIONS:  0 Units

LOCATIONS FISHED:  Norfork River, Elisabeth Creek to Mill Dam Eddy

ROD USED:  10’ 4 wt Winston

FLIES USED:   #14 Norfork River Gray Scud, #18 Black/Silver Zebra Midge

HATCHES: Midges, Caddis

OTHER:  Fished with Wayne.  The Pool fished a bit slow, but adding a #18 Black/Silver Zebra Midge dropper below the Norfork River Gray Scud aided in catching fish.  (It also aids in impaling one’s finger on a hook.  A small fish twisted and turned while trying to get unhooked sliding the scud hook in my little finger almost up to the bend of the hook.  Thank goodness for barbless hooks.)  In fact, every fish caught in the Pool was caught on the midge.  Mill Dam Eddy had been fished pretty hard, and only the small riffle immediately below the island produced fish.  In fact, I hooked 15 fish in this riffle, some in water only a few inches deep.  There were a lot of long distance releases today (LDRs) as several fish unhooked themselves on the way to hand! 

More Of The Same

TIME: 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM

WEATHER:  Partly cloudy, mid 70s,

WATER CONDITIONS:  0 Units

LOCATIONS FISHED:  Norfork River, Elisabeth Creek to Mill Dam Eddy

ROD USED:  8’ 9” 5 wt Winston Joan Wulff Favorite

FLIES USED:  Brown Wayne’s Fly, #20 Red Zebra Midge, #20 Black Zebra Midge

HATCHES: Midges, Caddis

OTHER:  Fished with Wayne.  The pool fished better today, though not great; however, Wayne managed to catch several fish, about twice as many as I caught.  The large riffle at Mill Dam Eddy again did not fish great, though Wayne picked up several fish fishing from from the opposite side than what we normally fish.  I fished the small riffle at the end of the island, and caught several fish, including some 14-inch fish, in water less than a foot deep.  For the day, both Wayne and I missed a lot of fish, and no big fish were caught, though I did have a couple in the 16+ inch range.

As a side note, on this particular fly reel setup, I’ve been using Mastery fly line with a high float tip.  When it was brand new, I really liked it, but after a few weeks, I noticed that the tip section was quite soft and was easily nicked and/or cut by tippet, etc.  Consequently, this fly line will quickly disappear off the reel and another brand will take it’s place.  I’ve also been using Hook and Hackle fluorocarbon tippet, but the verdict is still out as it may not be rigid enough.  Maybe it’s time to go back to Orvis tippet!

Wayne’s Back

TIME: 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM

WEATHER:  Partly cloudy, mid 70s,

WATER CONDITIONS:  0 Units

LOCATIONS FISHED:  Norfork River

ROD USED:  8’ 9” 5 wt Winston Joan Wulff Favorite

FLIES USED:  #14 Norfork River Gray Scud, #18 Norfork River Olive Scud, #18 Red Zebra Midge, #14 Ginger Cockleburr

HATCHES: Midges, Caddis

OTHER:  Fished with Wayne.  We both struggled through the Pool on the way upstream.  I caught a few fish at Mill Dam Eddy, while Wayne waded upstream catching a couple alongside the island below McClelland’s, and a few at Ace in the Hole.  I caught 3 fish in the tailout of the riffle just above the island, and 3 more at Ace in the Hole after dropping the #18 red Zebra Midge below the olive Scud.  Wayne began catching fish with regularity along the bank opposite Otter Creek, and continued catching fish on the way back downstream.  He caught fish again at Mill Dam Eddy, and wore the upper Pool out wading downstream.  I had about a dozen fish for the day, while he must have caught 2 or 3 dozen.  He’s back!  And it’s always fun fishing with him. 

Combat Fishing, Almost, And A Grand Slam

TIME: 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM

WEATHER:  Partly cloudy, mid 70s,

WATER CONDITIONS:  0 Units

LOCATIONS FISHED:  Norfork River, Ace in the Hole to Elisabeth Creek

ROD USED:  8’ 9” 5 wt Winston Joan Wulff Favorite

FLIES USED:  #14 Norfork River Gray Scud, #20 Olive Cockleburr

HATCHES: Midges, Caddis

OTHER:  Fished solo.  It was a great day to fish, but catching was difficult; I had to work very hard for each fish.  Once again, I struggled in the Pool, not catching any fish.  Mill Dam Eddy produced only one fish on the Cockleburr, and the reach along the island below McClelland’s did not yield any fish.  The tailout of the riffle just above the island fished very well from the right descending bank, i.e. river right, with several nice fish caught and released, including an 18 inch cutthroat.  In fact, about one third of the fish caught were 15 inches or better.  Ace in the Hole did not yield a single fish, but the reach on the right descending bank opposite Otter Creek fished better than at any time since the flood though nothing compared to pre-flood fishing.  After a difficult day, I managed to catch between 2 dozen and 30 fish, with a grand slam coming after catching a small brown. 

Back On The Water, Finally

TIME: 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

WEATHER:  Partly cloudy, mid 70s,

WATER CONDITIONS:  0 Units

LOCATIONS FISHED:  Norfork River

ROD USED:  8’ 9” 5 wt Winston Joan Wulff Favorite

FLIES USED:  Brown Wayne’s Fly, #14 Norfork River Gray Scud

HATCHES: Midges, Caddis

OTHER:  Fished solo.  Fishing was great, catching was difficult.  I struggled in the Pool, catching only one fish.  Mill Dam Eddy was occupied with a fisher fishing both sides, taking up the entire reach, and he was catching lots of fish.  The reach along the island below McClelland’s did not yield any fish, but just above the island proved to be good, with several fish caught using the Gray Scud.  Ace in the Hole was quiet and I only caught 3 fish there.  All told, I caught 8-10 fish.  It was great to be back on the water.