A 20-Inch Brown

TIME: 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM
WEATHER:  Clear, mid 60s
WATER CONDITIONS:  0 Units
LOCATIONS FISHED:  Norfork River, Mill Dam Eddy to near Otter Creek, below McClellan’s
ROD USED:  8’ 6” 5 wt Joan Wulff Favorite Winston
FLIES USED:   Wayne’s Brown Fly
HATCHES: Midges
OTHER:  Fished solo. I walked in at Mill Dam Eddy, made a few casts, but without much success. I began fishing upstream along the island, but no fish were caught.  At the top of the island, broke with old habits and waded upstream fishing the right descending bank, but again, no fish were caught.  My ultimate objective was to fish Ace In The Hole and the Walnut Tree.  I didn’t get a single hit at Ace In The Hole, and only one at the Walnut Tree.  I waded across the river, then downstream.  For some odd reason, I decided to fish the plunge pool (we never fish the plunge pool).  My first cast was rewarded with a 20-inch brown, forcing me to step into the deep pool to release the fish.  Back on top, several more casts produced three more fish, though no large ones.  Several fishers were coming downstream in pontoons, so I waded downstream on the left descending bank, fishing the riffle above the island—still no bites.  This has been one of my most productive reaches, but I haven’t caught any fish here this week!  Wading further downstream, I picked up a couple about 40 yards above the island.  Having had enough for the day, I waded downstream and sat on a log at Mill Dam Eddy, to regain some energy.  The fishers from upstream finally made it down, and I watched them pontoon and wade right through prime water.  As Ron White says, “You can’t fix stupid.” 

The Pool

TIME: 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM

WEATHER:  Clear, Low 50s

WATER CONDITIONS:  0 Units

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

ROD USED:  8’ 6” 5 wt Joan Wulff Favorite Winston

FLIES USED:   Wayne’s Green Fly

HATCHES: Midges

OTHER:  Fished with Wayne. After a telephone exchange in which we both were trying to find a reason not to fish, we finally decided to fish the Pool for “exercise”.  This was my first time to fish this area in several months, and it had not fished well then.  After wading upstream of the creek, we both began catching fish with some regularity.  Wayne was fishing behind me and made me look bad by picking up quite a few fish that I had fished over; this was good for quite a laugh.  Neither of us caught a big fish, but we both ended up with well over a dozen fish.  I had a half dozen browns, the most I can remember in several years for a single outing.  It was a great day, and we were glad we fished. 

Midge Emerger Fishing

TIME: 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM

WEATHER:  Clear, mid 60s

WATER CONDITIONS:  0 Units

LOCATIONS FISHED:  Norfork River, Mill Dam Eddy

ROD USED:  8’ 6” 5 wt Joan Wulff Favorite Winston

FLIES USED:   #20 Olive Cocklebur, #20 Kay’s Grey

HATCHES: Midges, Blue Winged Olives, Caddis

OTHER:  Fished with Wayne. We walked in at Mill Dam Eddy, intending to fish upstream.  However, mutual friends of ours, Frank and John, were fishing in the vicinity and we opted to stay in the area, visiting a little and fishing a little.  Wayne began fishing his way downstream while I fished Mill Dam Eddy.  A number of fish were emerging so I tied on the cocklebur, and made several casts, first fishing dry, then stripping the fly back.  I managed a lot of refusals, one fish, and several misses, so switched to a Kay’s Grey.  This fly was the ticket for the day, with several refusals, and a few  fish to hand, both fishing it dry and stripping it back.  I moved to the fast water immediately below the island, and caught several more fish, again fishing the fly both dry and stripping it in.  All in all, I finished the day with 10 fish, and some great memories.  This was a reminder of the good ol’ days when I used to fish midge emergers almost exclusively.  

First Pre-Op Fishing, 2011

TIME: 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM

WEATHER:  Clear, mid 60s

WATER CONDITIONS:  0 Units

LOCATIONS FISHED:  Norfork River, Mill Dam Eddy to First Riffle Above Island Below McClellan’s

ROD USED:  8’ 6” 5 wt Joan Wulff Favorite Winston

FLIES USED:   #14 Gray Norfork River Scud, #20 Red/Silver Zebra Midge, Olive Wayne’s Fly, Brown Wayne’s Fly

HATCHES: Midges

OTHER:  As many of you know, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September 2010.  I had a radical prostatectomy on December 15 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and have been convalescing since.  Consequently, I have not been on the water since mid November 2010, and this was my first time fly fishing since the operation; and it felt good to get out and do something “productive”.  I began wading at the tip of the island below McClellan's, Mill Dam Eddy, and fished the scud and zebra midge combination with which I had much success in the late fall.  I fished hard below the island, as well as ustream adjacent to the island, but without a single hit.  I switched to Wayne’s green fly at the top of the island, in an area in which I had success in the fall, but this time, luck was not present.  Moving upstream on the left descending bank, the green fly produced one fish, and several misses.  Switching to a brown Wayne’s fly, I again had several misses, but did manage 3 additional fish.  It was a slow afternoon!  Absent any appreciable stamina, a couple of hours fishing was all I could manage, ending the day with 4 fish and lots of misses.  Absence from fishing resulted in poor drag free drifts, poor hook sets, and poor fish fighting.  Nevertheless, it was great to be outside, and on my beloved water.