Monday, July 2, 2012—Fishing Nearby

DATE: Monday, July 2, 2012

TIME: 6:30 AM to 8:15 AM

WEATHER: Low 70s to low 80s, sunny

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 Units

LOCATIONS FISHED:  Norfork River, Cook’s Island upstream to the riffle at the bottom of the Pool

FLIES USED:  #20 red/silver Zebra Midge, #16 Bead Head Pheasant Tail Nymph, #20 Furnace Cockleburr, #20 Kay’s Gray, Big Ugly

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

HATCHES: Midges

OTHER: Fished solo. This was a quick, early morning trip due to other commitments at church later in the day, and scheduled early generation.  It’s the first time I had been to this particular area in several weeks as the aesthetics have gone to heck in a hand basket because of the work done under the auspices of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.  Even at the early hour of 6:30 AM, the river was already crowded.  Finding a spot away from nearby fishers, I tried the nymph/zebra midge combination and connected with only one fish. Switching to a #20 Furnace Cockleburr, I began fishing the far side of the bubble line, and hooked up with a fish.  A group of fishers waded up from the access downstream, and crowded me a bit.  Recognizing one of them, I gave him my spot, a couple of flies, and some direction on how/where to fish, and then waded upstream. As the sun rose above the horizon, the fish actively pursued the Cockleburr, and I took over a half dozen fish.  A fisher above me, recently moved to the area from Alaska, waded down and asked about the fly and technique.  I gave him a couple, told him how to fish the fly and area, caught 3 more fish, and left—too many people!  This “being nice to people” sure goes against my instincts—guess Kay will be proud of me.