Sunday, July 1, 2012—The Upper Norfork, Again

DATE: Sunday, July 1, 2012

TIME: 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

WEATHER: Low 90s to high 90s, sunny, windy

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 Units, 2 units of generation at 3:00 PM

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, Riffle below Resort Hole to Riffle above McClellan’s

FLIES USED: Green Wayne’s Fly, #20 red/silver Zebra Midge, #16 Bead Head Pheasant Tail Nymph, #14 Special K, #10 Dave's Hopper, #10 Big Ugly

ROD USED: Winston 9’ 6-weight BIIX

HATCHES: None observed

OTHER: Fished solo. The riffle at the bottom of the Resort Hole was the first place I fished, and it produced a couple of fish. The tail out had been fished, and the fisher was working his way downstream to the top of the Long Hole. We exchanged pleasantries and I continued rowing downstream. I fished the Long Hole hard from the top to about 2/3 of the way downstream, wading via the center of the channel, picking up only one fish. The wind was howling upstream and made a drag free drift near impossible. At the riffle at the bottom of the Long Hole, birds were attacking insects like crazy, just above the water's surface, though no hatches were observed. A couple of fish were caught in the bubble line on the zebra midge, then a Big Ugly was tied on. Fish would suspend on the surface with open mouths waiting for the fly to drift in. A couple of fish were taken this way, and a switch to a Dave's Hopper, provided similar results. And then, the water began rising via apparent generation, and I began rowing downstream passing above a big, deep hole holding more large fish than I have seen in a long, long time. It will be on my itinerary next time, maybe July 4. The day ended with less than 3/4 dozen fish caught.