Monday, July 24, 2006

DATE: Monday, July 24, 2006

TIME: 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM

WEATHER: Low 80s rising to mid-90s

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units (no generation prior 5 days)

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, the Pool to Mill Dam Eddy and back

HATCH: Some few midges and occasional crane flies

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

FLIES USED: #14 tan Norfork River scud, #16 tan Norfork River scud, #20 furnace cockleburr

OTHER: Wayne and I fished together. Wayne is a fishing machine, catching fish almost every cast. The river was great today, and with Wayne's style of fishing, we both had sections of the river to ourselves with no one in sight. My improved clinch knot kept pulling off the hook when fish were on, causing me to lose several fish AND flies. I must have finally got it right as the knot remained intact. After I got the first fish to hand, I managed to take a lot of fish, including three about 16 inches, on the tan scud, and the fish were particularly heavy. At about 10 AM, I switched to a #20 furnace cockleburr and had a blast, catching fish both on the surface and in the film. I t was a great day. I left the water at 11 o'clock for some volunteer church work.

Saturday, July 22, 2006

DATE: Saturday, July 22, 2006

TIME: 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM

WEATHER: Low 70s

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units (no generation prior 5 days), with unexpected beginning generation

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, the Pool to Mill Dam Eddy and back

HATCH: Some few midges

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

FLIES USED: #14 gray Norfork River scud

OTHER: I fished solo, but Wayne came out of the river just as I was coming out. He had been upstream of me. This was my first day back on the Norfork after an absence of 3-1/2 months. I managed to hook several fish, but brought nothing to hand. It demonstrates what a lapse of fishing can do to one's timing on the Norfork. The river was packed, even in areas traditionally not fished. I had one guy casting, not drifting, to within a couple of yards of me. It was all I could do to remain silent. It’s just another reason not to "pack heat" while on the water. I had only been in the water about 30 minutes and generation began; I was skunked for the first time in a long time—a humbling experience.

Thursday, July 20, 2006

DATE: Thursday, July 20, 2006

TIME: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM

WEATHER: Low 90s rising to low 100s

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units (no generation prior 5 days)

LOCATIONS FISHED: White River, Wildcat Shoals

HATCH: Some few midges

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

FLIES USED: #14 bead head flashback pheasant tail, #16 White River sow bug, #20 zebra midge

OTHER: Wayne and I decided to fish somewhere out of the ordinary, and chose Wildcat Shoals. As usual, Wayne caught fish continuously. I managed to take a few. We fished our way downstream from the public launch about 1/2 mile, then back up. Fishing was best about 200 yards below the public launch. It was HOT, weather wise. This was my first day back on home waters since early April.