North Clear Creek, WY

WEATHER: Clear, Low 60s

WATER CONDITIONS: Normal

LOCATIONS FISHED: North Clear Creek, BIG HORN MOUNTAINS

FLIES USED: #12 Half Back, #12 Hopper, Chernobyl Ant

ROD USED: 7’9” 2 wt Winston

HATCHES: None

OTHER: Fished with Dick and Dave. Dave is Dick’s brother and owns Sports Lure, the largest sporting goods store in Wyoming. Dave took Dick and me up into the Big Horn Mountains via mules and pack horse. After driving to the trailhead, we rode about an hour and a half to fish at Hunter Park. The scenery was spectacular. We all wet waded as the creek was only a foot or so deep in most places, with lots of riffles and small pools. Small brook trout were abundant, taking the hopper readily. I must have caught 40+ fish in a 2 to 3 hour period, though about half were less than 6 inches long. It was a great day, with saddle sores, sore knee, and all. This area can be hiked into as well and is definitely worth fishing again.

Crazy Woman Creek and North Fork Crazy Woman Creek, WY

WEATHER: Clear, Low 60s

WATER CONDITIONS: Normal

LOCATIONS FISHED: Crazy Woman Creek in Crazy Woman Canyon, and North Fork Crazy Woman Creek at Crazy Woman Campground, BIG HORN MOUNTAINS

FLIES USED: #12 Half Back, #12 Hopper, #20 Dunn’s Dun

ROD USED: 7’9” 2 wt Winston

HATCHES: None

OTHER: Fished with Kay and Dick. After lunch, we descended about 3,000 feet into Crazy Woman Canyon and fished Crazy Woman Creek. Crazy Woman Creek in this location flows within the forest and has huge boulders with alternative riffles and pools which are about the size of a large picnic table. First three casts yielded three brookies, with the largest being about 9 inches. Ended up catching 8-10 fish in about an hour, most on the Half Back. I wanted to try the more open North Fork of Crazy Woman Creek higher up, so we ascended back to the upper valley. There were several rises, and a mosquito-type insect was coming off. I tried several dry flies and finally caught one fish on the Dunn’s Dunn. The fish were not as active as the day before, so Dick and I moved to an upstream beaver pond where we had seen several rises the afternoon before. Kay had already fished it and caught 4 fish. Fish were rising like crazy, but I managed to catch only one brookie. These mountain streams are great and I must fish them more.

North Fork Clear Creek and Crazy Woman Creek, WY

WEATHER: Clear, Low 70s

WATER CONDITIONS: Normal

LOCATIONS FISHED: North Fork Clear Creek near North Fork Campground and Crazy Woman Creek at Crazy Woman Campground, BIG HORN MOUNTAINS

FLIES USED: #12 Half Back, #12 Hopper, Big Ugly

ROD USED: 7’9” 2 wt Winston

HATCHES: None

OTHER: Fished with Kay and Dick. After lunch, we drove up into the Big Horn Mountains looking for likely places to fish. Found a great little creek, North Fork of Clear Creek, and fished it beginning with a small hopper switching to other dry flies. Caught 4 fish, including rainbows and brookies. Drove higher up into the mountains and found Crazy Woman Creek in a nice valley, about 8,500 feet, with several beaver dams. Not as much cover as is on the forested creeks. Managed to catch only 2 fish, and missed 10. Will fish it again tomorrow.

Norfork River

WEATHER: PC, High 80s

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Quarry Park to 2nd Island above Ackerman/Handicap Access

FLIES USED: #14 Gray Norfork Scud

ROD USED: 10 ft 4 wt Winston

HATCHES: Midges, Few Sulphurs, Few Craneflies

OTHER: Fished with Ron and John. Resort Hole fished slow, with several fish caught real quick, then a couple more slowly, then nothing. The riffle below the Resort Hole produced nothing, nor the chute below the riffle. The riffle at the head of the Long Hole produced some fish, but they were far and few between. John managed to take several there, however. The Long Hole produced well, with a number of browns taken on a slow drift. The riffle above McClellan's produced nothing. The pool between McClellan's Dock and the Catch and Release sign produced a number of fish, and Ron outfished his step pop 2 to 1, ending with a 22-inch rainbow at the Catch and Release Sign. He was using a Tan Norfork River Scud. For the day, I managed to take a couple dozen fish.

Norfork River

WEATHER: PC, High 80s

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Quarry Park to 2nd Island above Ackerman/Handicap Access

FLIES USED: #14 Gray Norfork Scud, #18 Sulphur, #20 Furnace Cockleburr

ROD USED: 10 ft 4 wt Winston

HATCHES: Midges, Sulphurs, Craneflies

OTHER: Fished with Ed. Resort Hole was FANTASTIC, with both Ed and me catching lots of fish, including at least a dozen and a half doubles. Riffle at tail of Resort Hole fished well, but not as good as previously. Long Hole fished OK on slow drift. Riffle above McClellan's was non-productive, with few fish caught. SULPHURS ARE FINISHED FOR THE SEASON. Pool from McClellan's Dock downstream was excellent, with lots of fish caught on slow drift. Riffle above island below McClellan's fished good. Water came up as we began fishing Mill Dam Eddy. This was a great day with many fish caught.

Norfork River

WEATHER: PC, High 80s

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Quarry Park to 2nd Island above Ackerman/Handicap Access

FLIES USED: #14 Gray Norfork Scud, #18 Sulphur, #20 Furnace Cockleburr

ROD USED: 10 ft 4 wt Winston

HATCHES: Midges, Sulphurs, Craneflies

OTHER: Fished with Ed. Resort Hole was slow, but both of us caught fish. Long Hole was good, with several fish caught on a slow drift. Riffle above McClellan's was good with Sulphurs, but a guide and client had been there all morning; consequently, the fish were wary. Pool from McClellan's Dock downstream was excellent, with lots of fish caught on slow drift. Riffle above island below McClellan's fished pretty good, with Sulphurs coming off. Some "old" yahoo from Texas drifted downstream in a double pontoon and anchored immediately adjacent to us. We were tolerant and did not say anything. People are so rude!

Saturday, October 14, 2006

DATE: Saturday, October 14, 2006

TIME: 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM

WEATHER: Low 40’s rising to low 70s

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, McClellan's

HATCH: Several midges and crane flies

ROD USED: Winston 8’ 6” 5-weight WT Joan Wulff Favorite

FLIES USED: #14 tan Norfork River scud, #14 gray Norfork River scud, #14 mini bugger, #20 Kay's Gray, #20 olive cockleburr

OTHER: We fished with Ron and Ginger. It was another tough day, particularly on sub-surface flies. However, Ron and I got into a pretty good midge and crane fly hatch above the island, and took several cutthroats on the Kay's Gray fished as a dry fly. (Note: my experience is that the Kay's Gray works best with full sun as I've had no success with overcast skies.) Ron continued fishing downstream and caught several fish on top using the #20 Cockleburr. Dry fly fishing is the only way to go some days.