Thursday, June 14, 2012—A Big Fish

DATE: Thursday, June 14, 2012

TIME: 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM

WEATHER: Low to mid-80s, mostly sunny, light wind

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 Units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, Riffle above the Island below McClellan’s to just upstream of Mill Dam Eddy

FLIES USED: Brown Wayne’s Fly, #20 red/silver Zebra Midge, #16 Parachute Sulphur Dun, #20 Special K, #14 Special K, #14 Gray Norfork River Scud, #20 black/silver Zebra Midge.

ROD USED: Winston 7’ 9” 2-weight LT

HATCHES: Midges, sulphurs

OTHER: Fished solo. I began today, as I do most days, by fishing the the tail out below the riffle with Wayne’s Fly and a red/silver zebra midge, taking about a half dozen fish. The first sulphur came off about a half hour after I began fishing, so I tried the #14 Special K that was so successful yesterday.  I took a few fish pretty quickly, then it really slowed down.  I switched to a #16 parachute sulphur dun, and only took a few fish.  Next, I tied on a #20 Special K, but it only brought a couple of fish to hand.  I moved out of the riffle and waded upstream to the plunge pool and took a couple of fish on the small Special K.  Continuing wading upstream, I fished above the walnut tree, and caught a 20+ inch brown, my biggest fish this year.

I continued fishing upstream above Otter Creek, and took almost a couple of dozen fish in the slow water pool below McClellan’s Dock, all on the gray Norfork River scud.  I met Donnie and Susie from McGehee.  Donnie attended some fly tying seminars I presented in Little Rock in the early 2000s.  He is probably the best fisher I’ve ever “taught”; I sure wouldn’t want to fish behind him.  He informed me that Susie caught a 30-inch brown yesterday on a fly on the Norfork, and they had photos to prove it.  WOW!