Monday, July 24, 2006

DATE: Monday, July 24, 2006

TIME: 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM

WEATHER: Low 80s rising to mid-90s

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units (no generation prior 5 days)

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, the Pool to Mill Dam Eddy and back

HATCH: Some few midges and occasional crane flies

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

FLIES USED: #14 tan Norfork River scud, #16 tan Norfork River scud, #20 furnace cockleburr

OTHER: Wayne and I fished together. Wayne is a fishing machine, catching fish almost every cast. The river was great today, and with Wayne's style of fishing, we both had sections of the river to ourselves with no one in sight. My improved clinch knot kept pulling off the hook when fish were on, causing me to lose several fish AND flies. I must have finally got it right as the knot remained intact. After I got the first fish to hand, I managed to take a lot of fish, including three about 16 inches, on the tan scud, and the fish were particularly heavy. At about 10 AM, I switched to a #20 furnace cockleburr and had a blast, catching fish both on the surface and in the film. I t was a great day. I left the water at 11 o'clock for some volunteer church work.

Saturday, July 22, 2006

DATE: Saturday, July 22, 2006

TIME: 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM

WEATHER: Low 70s

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units (no generation prior 5 days), with unexpected beginning generation

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, the Pool to Mill Dam Eddy and back

HATCH: Some few midges

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

FLIES USED: #14 gray Norfork River scud

OTHER: I fished solo, but Wayne came out of the river just as I was coming out. He had been upstream of me. This was my first day back on the Norfork after an absence of 3-1/2 months. I managed to hook several fish, but brought nothing to hand. It demonstrates what a lapse of fishing can do to one's timing on the Norfork. The river was packed, even in areas traditionally not fished. I had one guy casting, not drifting, to within a couple of yards of me. It was all I could do to remain silent. It’s just another reason not to "pack heat" while on the water. I had only been in the water about 30 minutes and generation began; I was skunked for the first time in a long time—a humbling experience.

Thursday, July 20, 2006

DATE: Thursday, July 20, 2006

TIME: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM

WEATHER: Low 90s rising to low 100s

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 units (no generation prior 5 days)

LOCATIONS FISHED: White River, Wildcat Shoals

HATCH: Some few midges

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

FLIES USED: #14 bead head flashback pheasant tail, #16 White River sow bug, #20 zebra midge

OTHER: Wayne and I decided to fish somewhere out of the ordinary, and chose Wildcat Shoals. As usual, Wayne caught fish continuously. I managed to take a few. We fished our way downstream from the public launch about 1/2 mile, then back up. Fishing was best about 200 yards below the public launch. It was HOT, weather wise. This was my first day back on home waters since early April.

Tuesday, June 6, 2006

DATE: Tuesday, June 6, 2006

TIME: 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM

WEATHER: High 80s, partly cloudy

WATER CONDITIONS: Clear

LOCATIONS FISHED: Lake Norfork, channel behind Jordan Marina

HATCH: None

ROD USED: G. Loomis 9’ 3-weight IMX custom made

FLIES USED: #10 baby blue popping bug

OTHER: Kay and I fished out of the lake boat for a couple of hours. Conditions were great, but the fish had moved to deep water. I managed to catch two really small bream on the popping bug.

Friday, June 2, 2006

DATE: Friday, June 2, 2006

TIME: 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM

WEATHER: Mid-50s to mid-80s, partly cloudy

WATER CONDITIONS: Clear, temperature unknown

LOCATIONS FISHED: Quetico Wilderness, Ontario, Canada—Basswood Lake

HATCH: Several species of Mayflies and some midges, though fish were not keying on any of the hatches

ROD USED: Winston 9’ 7-weight BL5 Joan Wulff Favorite

FLIES USED: Olive green, two-toned #6 hard body foam popper

OTHER: Today was our last day in camp.

I "guided" Kay in the AM. She caught several fish, and had one over four pounds on a green lizard. I "guided" George on the way back to “civilization”, and he caught about 30 fish. Harry guided Kay.

Thursday, June 1, 2006

DATE: Thursday, June 1, 2006

TIME: 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM

WEATHER: Mid-50s to mid-80s, partly cloudy

WATER CONDITIONS: Clear, temperature unknown

LOCATIONS FISHED: Quetico Wilderness, Ontario, Canada—Basswood Lake

HATCH: Several species of Mayflies and some midges, though fish were not keying on any of the hatches

ROD USED: Winston 9’ 7-weight BL5 Joan Wulff Favorite

FLIES USED: Olive green, two-toned #6 hard body foam popper

OTHER: Fished with Kay.

Today, living on a small island and fishing on Basswood Lake was just another day at the “office”.

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

DATE: Wednesday, May 31, 2006

TIME: 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM

WEATHER: Mid-50s to mid-80s, partly cloudy

WATER CONDITIONS: Clear, temperature unknown

LOCATIONS FISHED: Quetico Wilderness, Ontario, Canada—Basswood Lake

HATCH: Several species of Mayflies and some midges, though fish were not keying on any of the hatches

ROD USED: Winston 9’ 7-weight BL5 Joan Wulff Favorite

FLIES USED: Olive green, two-toned #6 hard body foam popper

OTHER: John was gracious enough to "guide" me. I caught lots of fish on a green popper, including one over 5 pounds. It was a great day, and John is an excellent guide.