Fishing with the Master, Again

TIME: 1:00 PM to3:00 PM

WEATHER:  Cloudy, slight breeze, mid 50s

WATER CONDITIONS:  0 Units, high and turbid from recent rains

LOCATIONS FISHED:  Norfork River, Island above Ackerman Handicap Access

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

FLIES USED:   Wayne’s Fly (Olive and Black)

OTHER:  Fished with the master, my friend Wayne.  I have struggled the last few weeks fishing upstream.  Wayne and I walked in at the top of the island above Ackerman Handicap Access and Wayne hooked up on his first cast.  This was to be one of many fish he caught in the brief afternoon; he finished the day with 3 dozen, including one grand slam, and 3/4 of another.  Though he hasn’t fished since March, he is a fishing machine.  I caught a few in the riffle at the top of the island, but missed many more stripping Wayne’s fly.  The fish seemed to be near the top, and were hitting the fly on the swing as it was being stripped.  I moved downstream to the riffle across from Ol’ Charlie’s and caught a few more, then saw Wayne round the bottom of the island and he was catching fish every cast.  The closer we waded toward each other, the more fish I caught.  I accused him of rubbing something on his clothes before going fishing.  He was fishing a Wayne’s fly/bead combination, but only about 18 inches below an indicator.  I immediately added a bead, and shortened my indicator and the fishing picked up considerably.  Several other people were fishing nearby, but were perplexed at the numbers of fish Wayne was catching.  That big scud of his really works!

If you haven’t seen the rock work done across from Ol’ Charlie’s, you’re in for a surprise.  As a 40+ year practicing water resources engineer and longtime fly fisher, I’ll keep my opinion to myself, but will assure you that the river will change dramatically in the next few months—for worse or better depending on your perspective and what you consider aesthetically pleasing!  I can also tell you that if the US Army Corps of Engineers had done the work in a similar fashion, they would be sued from here to eternity by the AR Game and Fish Commission, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, AR DEQ, and the US EPA.  Enough said!