Monday, June 18, 2012—Moving Upstream

DATE: Monday, June 18, 2012
TIME: 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM
WEATHER: Low to mid-80s, mostly sunny, wind
WATER CONDITIONS: 0 Units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, Riffle above the Island below McClellan’s to Otter Creek
FLIES USED: Brown Wayne’s Fly, #20 red/silver Zebra Midge, #14 Gray Norfork River Scud, #20 black/silver Zebra Midge.

ROD USED: Winston 8’ 6” 5-weight WT JWF

HATCHES: Midges, sulphurs
OTHER: Fished solo. I began today, as I do most days, by fishing the tail out below the riffle, except today I fished it from the left descending bank.  I used a Wayne’s Fly and a red/silver zebra midge, taking about a half dozen fish.  I moved out of the riffle and waded upstream to the plunge pool and missed a couple of fish in the left descending bank riffle.  Wading further upstream on the left descending bank, Ace in the Hole was quite productive, and I took another half dozen fish right immediately, then the action stopped.  Further upstream, the Walnut Tree hole produced a few fish.  I was intent to fish all the way upstream as far as water depths would allow wading—above the gravel above Otter Creek (below McClellan’s Dock) and I saw Donnie and Susie from McGehee, and looked forward to visiting with them.  I caught quite a few fish at the top of the gravel, and had decided to wade further upstream, but saw a couple of kayaks coming down the river, and it can get real crowded real fast.  I turned downstream and fished my way back.  The tail out below the riffle above the island below McClellan’s fished better than at any time this year, producing a half dozen or more fish in a brief period despite the fact that I had fished it earlier from the other side of the river.  Further downstream, I missed a couple of fish under the trees along the island, ending the day with maybe 3 dozen fish.


No big fish were caught, though the number and percentage of browns were higher than I can remember ever catching.