Back to Basics

TIME: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM

WEATHER:  Partly cloudy, mid 80s,

WATER CONDITIONS:  0 Units

LOCATIONS FISHED:  Norfork River, Island above Ackerman/Handicap Access

ROD USED:  8’ 9” 5 wt Joan Wulff Favorite Winston

FLIES USED:   #18 Olive Norfork River Scud, #20 Black/Silver Zebra Midge, #20 Kay’s Gray, #20 Dunn’s Dun

HATCHES: Midges

OTHER:  Fished with Wayne.  We opted to fish close to home today.  The areas we fished were crowded, and no one else was catching fish; I saw one person catch one fish.  Beginning near the top of the island with no success, I waded downstream downstream and fished across from Old Charlie’s.  After several futile casts with the scud and midge, I tied on the only Kay’s Gray in the fly box, and immediately got looks, but no bites, fishing it dry.  The refusals were fun to watch, though.  This is the way I used to fish all the time, and it was fun returning to this style of fishing, back to basics.  After one swing, I stripped the fly back and hooked up.  This worked a few more times before the fly wore out, causing a switch to a Dunn’s Dun which proved successful as well.  I moved back upstream to the top of the island and tried stripping with no success.  However, fishing the fly dry produced one hook-up after another, including a 15-16 inch cutthroat.  The takes were beautiful to watch.  Interestingly, the fish at this location would not take the fly being stripped, preferring it fished dry, where further downstream the opposite held true.  All told, I managed to fool just shy of a dozen fish, and as usual Wayne caught that many and probably more.  Most of the fish appeared to be stockers, including several small browns.  Neither of us had much of a stomach fishing in the crowds, so opted to quit early and tie flies.  As they say, a good day was had by all.