Norfork Report: Jim and Marlene Mengle
May 15, 2008 by mountainriverjournal
Our fly tying instructor and all round good guy Jim Mengle took advantage of the low water windows on Norfork this week.
I took a look at the water flow this AM and told Marleen to get ready to go to the Norfork, ”No units on”, the guy on the phone said !
We got to the handicap ( Goat Rock) access about 8:30 AM, got our gear together and hit the river. It felt good to have my waders on and my ZXL in my hand again. I gave Marleen a Profile Sow Bug, size #16, I put on a Clint’s Sunday Special, Size #16.
The water was very clear and it was a very beautiful day. I told Marleen I was going to walk up-stream a bit and for her to keep a sharp eye on the water rising. I got up to the bottom end of Charles island, which has changed considerably.
I hooked and landed a nice fat 18 inch Bow almost immediately. I hung up the Sunday Special on the bottom on the next cast and lost it, l looked in my fly box and selected a bright green Caddis soft hackle and immediately I was in business. I caught 6 fish including a Brown and a nice Cut of about 17 inches.
I had picked out a rock to keep an eye on for rising water, no I didn’t have a $100 bill to put on the rock I just filled up my car with gas. The river began to rise very rapidly and I headed down stream back to the car, I signaled Marleen with my whistle but I could see she was already getting out of the river.
We met back at the access and she told me she caught some small bows on the sow-bug.
The river has changed here but the bottom was very clean. I saw a few Midges in the air and some adult Caddis. The river around Charlie’s island has changed considerably but there is some very nice runs and deep water against the left bank We only had about an hour to fish and were back at the car about 10 AM, both of our waders had leaks but my spirits was high. It was great to get on the river again.
Tight lines,
Jim & Marleen Mengle
PS The next day they did it again
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We just got back home from fishing below thr Norfork dam at Quarry Park. Fishing was outstanding. Between Marleen and I we caught over 50 fish, all on a size #16 Clints Sunday special. We also got the “Norfork Slam”
