Tuesday, August 28, 2012—Too Much Water too Fast

TIME: 11:30 AM to 12:05 PM

WEATHER: Mid 80s to low 90s, sunny, windy (18+ miles per hour)

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 Units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, upper riffle at top of island above Ackerman/Handicap Access

FLIES USED: #14 pink cockleburr

ROD USED: Winston 9’ 6-weight Boron

HATCHES: Crane flies

OTHER: I fished solo after canceling a fishing date with Bill and Bruce due to SWPA scheduled early morning releases—the SWPA DID NOT GENERATE AS SCHEDULED and the early morning releases were non-existent.  After taking care of some personal business, I finally got in the water at 11:30 AM.  As I was driving out t meet Bill, I had an uneasy feeling that SWPA might begin generation at any time, so I accessed close to the house in order to quickly egress if the occasion dictated.  Despite extremely windy conditions, a few crane flies were hatching, and fish were rising to these occasional hatches.  I missed the first couple of fish, but hooked-up with the 3rd.  After missing a few more, I caught two fish, and noticed the water was moving a little faster.  It had started to rise very rapidly.  I immediately exited the water and barely made it across the right chute just above Ol’ Charlies.  Gotta start using a wading staff.

Monday, August 27, 2012—Missed Opportunities

TIME: 8:45 AM to 11:45 AM

WEATHER: Mid 80s to low 90s, sunny, breezy

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 Units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, first and second riffles at top of the island below McClellan’s

FLIES USED: Olive and brown Wayne’s Flies, Olive Norfork River Scud, #20 red/silver Zebra Midge, #14 pink cockleburr

ROD USED: Winston 9’ 6-weight Boron

HATCHES: Midges, craneflies

OTHER: I fished with Bill. Bill fished the chute on the right side of the island walking up, but wasn’t successful (he did take several here on the way back downstream on a soft hackle later in the morning).  He opted to fish the right descending side of the river above the island, and I fished the left.  I fished hard, and missed several fish which just tapped the fly—no hook-up.  Near the lower end of the tail out of the riffle, I cast towards the right descending side of an underwater island, and a HUGE brown hit the fly as soon as it hit the water.  I set the hook, and gallantly fought the fish, trying to reel it in across the “island” and keep it’s head up so it would not rub the fly out.  It was so heavy that I could hardly move it in the slow current.  It was a brief battle as the clinch knot attaching the fly to the tippet came loose.  This unloosening of the knot repeated itself a half dozen times over the course of the morning, each time resulting in loss of both the top and bottom flies—frustrating.  I did managed to take 8 fish in the tail out.  Moving upstream to the left riffle in the plunge pool, I did not take any fish.  I saw a few crane flies emerge, and a couple of rises in the riffle just downstream.  I tied on a #14 pink cockleburr and fooled a couple more fish, and missed a couple more.  The right descending side of the riffle did not produce any fish.  I ended the day with just shy of a dozen fish, a dozen lost flies, and about 15 misses.  It was as tough a fishing day as I’ve h ad in years, but a fun one nevertheless.  I did learn, though, the the pink cockleburr with oversized hackle would suffice as a pattern for a crane fly.

Thursday, August 23, 2012—Mill Dam Eddy

WEATHER: High 70s to low 90s, sunny, windy

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 Units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, Mill Dam Eddy

FLIES USED: #20 furnace Cockleburr, #20 Kay’s Grey, #20 Dunn’s Dun, #20 furnace Cockleburr, Big Ugly

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

HATCHES: Midges

OTHER: I fished with Kay. Our intent was to walk upstream to the riffle above the island and enjoy some relatively easy fishing. However, we saw two fishers near the top of the island, wading towards where we wanted to fish. We also considered fishing at Mill Dam Eddy, but there were already two fishers on the gravel near our walk-in point and close to where we would fish. It appeared one was a beginning fly fisher and the other was giving him very basic instructions. We waded upstream of them so as to not interfere with their fishing.  We opted to fish with emerger flies, but both of us had to change what we already had on.  We each tied on a #20 Kay's Grey. Kay struck first, catching a pretty rainbow. Soon after I caught a rainbow. Over the course of the morning, I caught about a dozen fish, most browns, but had to use several different patterns to catch the fish. I missed hooking up with a large fish, estimated at about 20 inches, that attacked the fly ferociously, but did catch a nice 15-16 inch cutthroat. We also caught a fish on the Big Ugly.  The wind began blowing, and we called it quits after a great morning on the water.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012—The Sabbatical is Over

TIME: 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM
WEATHER: High 70s to low 90s, sunny, windy
WATER CONDITIONS: 0 Units
LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, top of the island below McClellan’s to top of the gravel above Otter Creek (below McClellan’s stairs) 
FLIES USED: Olive Wayne’s Fly, Olive Norfork River Scud, #20 red/silver Zebra Midge
ROD USED: Winston 8’ 6” 5-weight WT JWF
HATCHES: Midges
OTHER: I fished solo. This was my first time on the water or three weeks; I had just tired of fishing. There were two fishers above the riffle above the island, surprisingly leaving the best water for me. I caught eight fish in the tail out of the riffle. I proceeded upstream and fished Ace in the Hole, with no success. Further upstream, I caught two fish above the Walnut Tree. I walked upstream to past the end of the gravel above Otter Creek, but below the stairs at McClellan’s, catching one fish with several misses near the tree on the left descending bank. I fished the middle of the river where the current changes from the left side to the right side, with no success. I caught three or four fish on the right descending bank as I worked my way back downstream to the sycamore tree across from Otter Creek. I heard the siren blow, indicating generation was about to begin, and started the long walk to my egress point. I surprised two armadillos, getting within a rod length from each of them. These are not our favorite animals.

Thursday, August 2, 2012-I’m Tired of Fishing!

DATE: Thursday, August 2, 2012
TIME: 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM
WEATHER: High 70s to high 90s, sunny, windy
WATER CONDITIONS: 0 Units
LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, Top of the Island below McClellan’s to above Otter Creek
FLIES USED: Olive Wayne’s Fly, Olive Norfork River Scud, #20 red/silver Zebra Midge
ROD USED: Winston 8’ 6” 5-weight WT JWF
HATCHES: Midges, crane flies
OTHER: Fished with Bill.  We walked in at Mill Dam Eddy and waded/walked upstream to the top of the island.  Bill waded upstream fishing along the right descending bank while I waded upstream fishing the left descending bank.  I managed to take 4 fish in the pool below the riffle, but fished hard.  A brief shower occurred just as I reached the riffle.  I walked upstream to the left riffle in the plunge pool but didn’t take any fish.  I walked just upstream of Otter Creek and fished above the sycamore tree, and took a solo brown, fat and about 14 inches long.  Bill fished upstream of the gravel and took a bunch of fish, including 4 over 16 inches.  Meanwhile, I waded back downstream, without any success, and ended up fishing the riffle above the island, taking 8 fish on almost as many casts.  Bill joined me and we waded downstream, intending to fish Mill Dam Eddy, but unexpected generation—an hour early—ran us off the river.  It’s probably a good thing because this piece of water has been pounded to an extent that many of the fish have moved out, seeking sanctuary.  In the process of wading out, we observed what a 4-inch rise would do (about what minimum flow will generate) and were surprised at how treacherous wading was, including crossing from the island at Mill Dam Eddy—it was all I could safely handle!  This means that when SWPA begins generating, with minimum flow as a base, it will be prohibitively dangerous to wade where I typically wade and cross.  Better be careful what you ask for. 
NOTE:  I have finally lost my desire to fly fish every day; but am hoping it will come back in a few days!  Kay and I have had a great summer staying home and investing in family relationships, spending quality time with kids and grandkids.  And the fishing has been the best I’ve experienced since moving here in 2004.  But the wind, heat, heavy fishing pressure in my home waters, and unreliable generation forecasts has resulted in a need for a break.  I hope to be back on the water in a week or so, but who knows!  Until then…

Wednesday, August 1, 2012—The White River

DATE: Wednesday, August 1, 2012
TIME: 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM
WEATHER: High 70s to high 90s, overcast, windy
WATER CONDITIONS: Up to 5 Units
LOCATIONS FISHED: White River, Red’s Landing to Lindsey’s Boat Dock
FLIES USED: 1/16 oz Zig Jig, various colors
ROD USED: Custom Zig Jig Spinning Rod/Reel combination 
HATCHES: N/A
OTHER: Fished with Bill. We launched at Red’s Landing and fished our way downstream.  Fishing was tough and I only caught a couple of fish.  The heavy generation resulted in a lot of “junk” in the water, and almost every cast would result in debris on the jig.  It was the first time I had been all the way from Red’s Landing to Calico Rock, and there were some great places to fly fish during low water.  We saw a bald eagle and several turkeys, and one feeder stream with small rock bluffs on one side.  This is definitely an area to be further explored, both by kayak and individual pontoon.