Monday, November 19, 2007

Norfork River

TIME: 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM


WEATHER: PC, Mid-70s


WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units


LOCATIONS FISHED: 2nd Island above Ackerman/Handicap Access


FLIES USED: #14 Gray Norfork Scud, #20 Dunn’s Dun


ROD USED: 10 ft 4 wt Winston


HATCHES: Midges


OTHER: Fished with Kay and Ron. Upon Ron’s arrival we immediately slipped into waders and began fishing. The Norfork fished really slow, but Ron managed to pick up 4 fish on the Gray Scud. I caught 4 fish as well. Ron is becoming an excellent fly fisher, and just needs to spend lots of time on the water. Kay picked up a couple fish downstream in a very difficult area. None of us caught any real big fish; most were in the 12-14 inch range.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

White River

TIME: 12:00 Noon to 4:00 PM


WEATHER: PC, Mid-70s


WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units


LOCATIONS FISHED: Bottom of Roundhouse Shoals and downstream of Ships Ferry Access


FLIES USED: #14 Beadhead Flashback Pheasant Tail Nymph dropping a #16 Tan Scud; Peacock Ice-T Mini


ROD USED: 9 ft 5 wt Winston


HATCHES: Midges


OTHER: Fished with Wayne. Initially, we fished Roundhouse Shoals, but very little action, at least for me. I caught 3 fish; Wayne picked up a dozen or more. Moved to Ships Ferry where I fished the #14 Beadhead Flashback Pheasant Tail nymph solo. Wayne caught about 2 dozen fish and I caught about a dozen and a half. No big fish were caught.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Norfork River

TIME: 2:00 PM TO 4:00 PM


WEATHER: PC, Low-50s


WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units


LOCATIONS FISHED: 2nd Island above Ackerman/Handicap Access


FLIES USED: #14 Gray Norfork Scud, #14 Tan Norfork Scud, #14 Ice-T Mini, #14 T-Worm, #20 Dunn’s Dun, #20 Kay’s Grey


ROD USED: 10 ft 4 wt Winston


HATCHES: Midges


OTHER: Fished with Kay. It was not as windy as the previous day. Kay and I struggled to catch fish, fooling only a couple each. I threw everything at them I thought would catch fish, with little luck, not even a bite. The river is fishing really slow, and very technical. Small midge hatch, #32 or so, coming off, and the fish were eating them, but would not take anything else.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Another Newcomer

TIME: 8:30 AM 12:00 Noon


WEATHER: PC, Low-60s


WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units


LOCATIONS FISHED: 2nd Island above Ackerman/Handicap Access


FLIES USED: #14 Gray Norfork Scud, #20 Kay’s Grey


ROD USED: 10 ft 4 wt Winston


HATCHES: Midges


OTHER: Fished with Kay and Sandy. Sandy is from New Jersey, is a friend of our friends, the Geerys, and was in Arkansas to remodel the Gerry’s house. He had never flyfished before today. After a short introduction to casting, he began fishing and was a natural, catching and landing four fish on the scud. He is now hooked!

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Norfork River

TIME: 2:00 PM TO 4:00 PM


WEATHER: PC, Low-50s, Very Windy


WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units


LOCATIONS FISHED: 2nd Island above Ackerman/Handicap Access


FLIES USED: #14 Gray Norfork Scud, #14 Tan Norfork Scud, #14 Ice-T Mini, #14 T-Worm, #20 Dunn’s Dun, #20 Kay’s Grey


ROD USED: 10 ft 4 wt Winston


HATCHES: Midges


OTHER: Fished with Kay. It was windy, dark, and cold; and I couldn’t see the emerger flies on the water. Kay and I did manage to take 4 fish each. I caught mine (3 rainbows, 1 brown) on the gray scud, T-worm, and tan scud, but fished the other flies hard. It was the coldest 53 degrees I’ve been in.

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Norfork River

TIME: 9:00 AM TO 12:30 PM


WEATHER: PC, Low 70s


WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units


LOCATIONS FISHED: 2nd Island above Ackerman/Handicap Access; bottom of island below McClellan’s


FLIES USED: #14 Gray Norfork Scud, #20 Dunn’s Dun


ROD USED: 10 ft 4 wt Winston


HATCHES: Midges, at least 3 different species


OTHER: Fished with Rod. Rod and I began fishing the gray scud, but it was really slow, without a single bite. I immediately switched to a Dunn’s Dun and caught only a couple of fish. We decided to wade upstream to the bottom of the island below McClellan’s and several guys had it surrounded. We fish a riffle immediately below the tip of the island, and caught a number of fish dead-drifting a Dunn’s Dun, and also dead-drifting the Dunn’s Dunn and stripping it back. Our success was due in large part to casting upstream of the riffle and drifting the fly through the riffle, disguising it from the fish. I ended up catching 11 fish this way, and all were good fighters. Rod missed a grand slam by not catching a cutthroat. The Dunn’s Dun is back!

Monday, October 8, 2007

Norfork River

TIME: 8:00 PM TO 12:00 PM


WEATHER: PC, Low 70s


WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units


LOCATIONS FISHED: 2nd Island above Ackerman/Handicap Access


FLIES USED: #14 Gray Norfork Scud, #14 T-Worm; #14 Olive Norfork Bead-head Mini-Sculpin, #20 Dunn’s Dun


ROD USED: 10 ft 4 wt Winston


HATCHES: Midges, at least 3 different species


OTHER: Fished with Rod. Rod and I began fishing the gray scud, but it was a bit slow, catching only a couple. I switched to a San Juan worm and caught another couple, then switched to a Norfork mini-sculpin—casting quartering downstream, then stripping back. This technique proved excellent for both Rod and me. The Dunn’s Dun then got a try and proved very good, both dead-drifted and cast quartering downstream and stripping back. Anyway, I ended up with a dozen fish for the morning, though nothing over about 14 inches. I did catch a grand slam, with a rainbow, cutthroat, brown, and a brookie.