Madison meets her first White River Rainbow
WHAT a couple of weeks it has been. The fishing has been red hot and the weather gorgeous. We have some more rain pushign through this weekend and come cooling temperatures for next week. But if anything the fishing should get better with a few more nights down into the 30s.
The Journal also managed to get our Head of PR Madison out on the river this week to meet our spotted friends. Basically she was a little marvel, very interested in the trout, kind of bored when thefish weren’t coming in thick and fast _ and even more curious where they went on the release. Untangling dogs and flyline was interesting and of course one of these incidents con-incided with the fish of the trip a fairly decent brown but it was worth the effort.
You will also be thankful the pictures after the one above where she went for a taste test were censored, but of course no dogs or fish were actually hurt in this production.
So grab your gear, grab a friend (2-legged or 4) and head to the river.
WHITE RIVER: The White is fishing very well both for boat based fly fishers or even those roaming the shorelines on the moderate flows. Places like Rim Shoals, the Narrows, Cotter/Roundhouse and Wildcat hae been fishable for waders _ and there are other spots too.
Egg patterns have been tremendously productive, pinks, orange, and other hues, have all done very well. With a bunch of browns having started the spawning cycle before the warm weather (and a bunch more ready to go) the rainbows are really keying on eggs. If you are outside the Rim Shoals Trophy Zone, fish a worm in tandem. Red, brown and light tan dynamite worms or red and brown san Juan worms have been incredibly productive.
But we have been fishing plenty of midge patterns as well. The Journal favors Davy’s Whitetail Midge in a 14, Chad runs a standard Super Midge.
NORFORK: Norfork Lake has crested after our last “monsoon” and the lake level is sarting to fall. But happily there have still been low water windows during the day to entertain the waders. Keey your eye on the schedule as its fluctuating some.
Midge patterns in size 18-22 are a mainstay. Davy’s Hot Spot Midges, standard Zebras, Poison Tungs (Olive/Black) and Tungsten WD40s are very good. For pickier fish, or a little more finesse try the glass bead midges or Charlie Craven’s Jujubees.
