Counting Fish

DATE: Tuesday, 3/8/2005

TIME: 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM

WEATHER: Mid-50s, partly sunny, light breeze

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units

LOCATIONS FISHED: White River, Bull Shoals Dam Walk-in Access

HATCH: Moderate midge hatch, on sporadic fish rising to hatch

ROD USED: Winston 8’ 6” 5-weight WT Joan Wulff Favorite

FLIES USED: #20 furnace cockleburr, #14 black cockleburr,#16 bead head pheasant tail

OTHER: I fished with Wayne (Chuck Kelly was also fishing there, and we fished in close proximity the entire time). All three of us caught lots of fish. I had an absolutely awesome day; in fact, it was the best day since April 15, 2003, when Ed, Mike, and I caught lots of fish on caddis flies at Rim Shoals. In fact, it was even better than yesterday, March 7. I have tried very hard to not count fish, but today, I counted. The first hour alone I hooked and landed 27 fish, all on a bead head pheasant tail. After fish number 13, I just knew I was in for bad luck, and sure enough about 5 minutes passed by without so much as even a strike. I finally checked the hook and it was bent over backward, probably from releasing the last fish with forceps. I put on another bead head pheasant tail, and resumed catching fish. After 27, I switched to dry flies, and the catching slowed considerably. I did get three awesome strikes on the black cockleburr, and landed the fish, but I used about an hour of time “experimenting” with the black cockleburr. I switched back to a bead head pheasant tail, and caught one more before the horn sounded. What a fantastic day!