Thursday, June 21, 2012—Big Ugly

DATE: Thursday, June 21, 2012

TIME: 9:15 AM to 12:30 PM

WEATHER: Low to mid-80s, mostly sunny, high winds

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 Units

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

FLIES USED: Olive Wayne’s Fly, #20 red/silver Zebra Midge, #20 Dunn’s Dun, #14 Special K, #10 Big Ugly

ROD USED: Winston 8’ 6” 5-weight WT JWF

HATCHES: Occasional sulphurs

OTHER: Fished with Wayne; we repeated yesterday’s scenario, though the bite was much less frequent, and the fish not as big.  We worked our way upstream, with only an occasional fish here and there.  About half of what I caught up to Mill Dam Eddy were on the #20 red/silver zebra midge.  Just below Mill Dam Eddy, the fish were “midging”, and I tied on a #20 black/silver cockleburr, then a #20 Dunn’s Dun.  I finally resorted to a #14 Special K and had success pulling the fly under the surface and short stripping it back.  I took 5 fish this way.  Then, I decided to try the Big Ugly in the leaf line where fish were gently surfacing.

I was immediately rewarded with a small brookie, then a nice 14 or 15-inch brown. Wayne switched to a Big Ugly and caught 4 fish, including a couple of nice 16 to 17-inch browns.  I ended the day with 14 fish.