Aaron Mills

I was wondering if anyone can suggest an anchor type/weight and setup for the white. I have a 21 foot X 3 foot aluminum john boat with a 15 horse motor. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm sure it's not a good idea to be anchoring in the water the way it is now, but I need to get set up for this fall and to anchor behind the islands right now.

Hey everyone, Thanks for the advice. I got away Sat. and walked down the tracks to the first island. What a beautiful stretch of water that is. the fishing was rough. I picked up a couple on a soft hackle below a dry. There were several rises in the slower water toward the end of the island, but I couldn't figure out what to throw. A crawdad picked up a couple more. The boat traffic was heavy. Everyone was nice, but "catchin' anything" got old to hear after a while. My dad and I packed back to the parking lot at darn 3 for lunch. I proceded to catch about 20 fish in 2 hours between the upper pool and the water along the back just downstream from the railroad bridge. In the upper pool, I pulled in a nice, fat 18 inch bow. It was fun to release that big guy. He actually had a little kipe started. Anyway, I caught most all of those fish on a peacock herl soft hackle or a zebra midge soft hackle I dropped off it. It was amazing how the fish kept repleneshing in the runs from the main hatchery shoots. I had tried woolly's woolly sculpins, zoo cougars, dries, terrestrials, soft hackles, scuds, stones and crawdads at the down stream island without much luck. Thanks again for all the advice. I look forward to fishing that downstream island this fall. Aaron Mills

Thanks 3wt. do you dead drift your leaches under a split shot or swing em??? I've had a couple of people mention fishing leeches on that stretch. The only time I've fished at Montauk since I was a kid, I did get into the trico hatch. That was a lot of fun. I'll have to rig up my 4wt. I was lucky, when I was 4 or 5, my uncle managed the hatchery. He took me out a few times and I hooked my first trout there on a worm. still remember that. I'm excited to go back.

Well, My wife, dad and I are gonna pack up and fish the current below montauk this week. I was hoping for some advice... flies to tie, spots to wade. we will likely wade from Tan Vat downstream until we get tired and come back unless someone has a better suggestion. definitely want to hear about what flies/insects we should be prepared to see and any spots people particularly like to fish. maybe we'll bump into some of you out there. take care all aaron mills

Well, My wife, dad and I are gonna pack up and fish the current below montauk this week. I was hoping for some advice... flies to tie, spots to wade. we will likely wade from Tan Vat downstream until we get tired and come back unless someone has a better suggestion. definitely want to hear about what flies/insects we should be prepared to see and any spots people particularly like to fish. maybe we'll bump into some of you out there. take care all aaron mills

Well, My wife, dad and I are gonna pack up and fish the current below montauk this week. I was hoping for some advice... flies to tie, spots to wade. we will likely wade from Tan Vat downstream until we get tired and come back unless someone has a better suggestion. definitely want to hear about what flies/insects we should be prepared to see and any spots people particularly like to fish. maybe we'll bump into some of you out there. take care all aaron mills

Well, My wife, dad and I are gonna pack up and fish the current below montauk this week. I was hoping for some advice... flies to tie, spots to wade. we will likely wade from Tan Vat downstream until we get tired and come back unless someone has a better suggestion. definitely want to hear about what flies/insects we should be prepared to see and any spots people particularly like to fish. maybe we'll bump into some of you out there. take care all aaron mills

thanks a ton dano and yakfly. I have been looking online for spring river info for a while and there just isn't any. I moved to West Plains a year ago. So, i bounce around fishing the White, NFOW, NF, and Spring Rivers depending on where the water is fishable. how far of a hike is it to the island you described??? Sounds like a great place. I appreciate the tips. Good fishing to you both. take care, aaron

I have been trying to learn the spring river over the past season. I was wondering how everyone else fishes it and where. I have had great luck at Dam 3 fishing egg patterns and especially green soft hackles. the section below the parking lot has some good deep holes and the fish consistently hit the soft hackles there. Honestly, though I'm getting tired of fishing there. Can anyone give a suggestion as to where to fish and what kind of flies are working for them??? would greatly appreciate it. I am teaching my dad to fly fish down there mostly and any help would be greatly appreciated. He is picking it up rather well. Take care all, aaron

I think that if there isn't another rain this week, the water will be great for you the end of this week.

Brian, do you just park at the patrick access and hike up the river or is there a trail from the campground to get up to the islands. i was thinking of fishing that area with my wife and dad, but they aren't too keen on wading in much water. how's the wading up there right now??? Thanks aaron

Wow, I was out of town for a week and was hoping for the water to come down. I was going to spend a day redfishing in the delta but 6 inches of rain and tornados squashed that. I am cursed this spring. Aaron

Well, you caught better fish than I ever did on my first NFOW fishing trip. I am pretty clumsy and have to admit I've lost the tip section of my rod a couple of times falling in holes and stuff. I'm pretty impressed you got out there to wade. I think that lower section is still a little goofy with the water backing up over Dawt Mill. I had friends tell me it's like paddling a lake after James Bridge. They didn't see many if any trout but a lot of warm water fish. Hope the water is better for you next time. ... Brian, where do you go to find the flow reports for the NFOW? Aaron

thanks for the update. hopefully no more rain for a while. I haven't checked the forecast, its getting too depressing. amazing how a river changes. take care, aaron mills

Thanks for the input from everyone. I think I'll have plenty of time to get my flybox ready. I knew moving back I'd need to be starting to tie some cracklebacks sometime. I agree with Brian I think the high water has been here long enough. Compliments to your wife for the photography then. Too bad there aren't any trout in my crawl space. I've got two feet of water in there. I'll get to pump that out this weekend. RODNEY!!! What're you up to these days. It has been a while. Hard to believe we've been out of high school that long, huh. Would be glad to go fishin with you when you're back in town. Just shot me an e-mail any time. aaronlmills@hotmail.com Hopefully, I'll bump into some of you all on the river. Aaron

I just moved back to West Plains this year after being gone for 11 years. Unfortunately, I didn't start fly fishing until I moved. I'm looking forward to getting to know the NFOW again this year. I was hoping someone could help me get my fly box together for this spring. What else am I going to do right now but tie flies? I have to admit. I really don't even know where to start with this river. But I really would like to have a good appreciation of my home water instead of trekking to Mtn. Home every weekend. I also wonder how the fishing progresses throughout the year. Is there a predictable pattern for available food for the trout? Suggestions of flies with sizes and color for this spring would be greatly appreciated. Take care everyone hopefully we will have some fishable water soon. I just stumbled onto Brian Wise's blog from a link. Pretty tremendous stuff Brian. Thanks for putting the effort into it. I really am impressed by some of your photography. Aaron Mills

Brian, I appreciate your reports and tips. You often mention targeting the tailouts. Can you explain what you mean by that? What do they look like and how do you fish your fly in a tailout? Wonderful photo. as well. Take care.