Justin Spencer

I agree I'm tired of it, if anyone wants to buy a campground let me know and I'll move to a city somewhere!

Crappy river, crappy fish, crappy tune, crappy video. Time for a new hobby!

Nothing wrong with that! Try beefing up your line a little, baby steps if you are nervous about the fish seeing it. But here on the NFoW (which may be the clearest water in the state) I use a 7 1/2 foot 2X leader then tie on 3X (main fly) and 4X (dropper) (probably at least 6-8 pound) and it works fine. Also get most of my flies back when they hang on the bottom or in a tree. It took me a while to believe this wasn't too heavy of line, but now the lightest leader I carry is 5X, and I only use it if I can't get the 4X through the eye of my fly. Try it you'll be a believer when you use the same fly all day!

Pretty sure Blue Ribbon fly shop carries both SA and Orvis. I always use Orvis' fluoro tippet since it is the cheapest and works great. After living in Florida for a few years I realized the importance of Fluoro in clear water situations. Well worth the extra money. I seldom use smaller than 4X tippet and have no problems with fish seeing the line. It also sinks better than mono, so that helps if not fishing drys. I do still use mono leaders, too cheap to go the full fluoro route, but I would assume it would be great as it might sink just that much faster.

On cloudy days I fish to James, on sunny days Kelly to Sunburst, but there are just as many fish downstream and probably more smallmouth, however if I was looking to fly fish smallmouth I would go elsewhere. You won't see many trout on this river as they are very secretive and most often in the fast water or tucked in the rocks in the tailouts. Lots of eagles, otters etc. These fish are skittish because the rainbows aren't stocked and the browns that are, are only stocked once a year so if they don't learn quickly they end up as dinner!

Nice Fish! Good to know spiderman is still alive, I had my doubts!

Fished with friend Steve Farr in his driftboat from Kelly to Sunburst on Monday and caught fish the whole way. Either my patterns rock (if I saw them at a flyshop I wouldn't pay a nickel for them) or the fish were biting on everything. Caught fish on several different hand tied stone patterns, hare's ears, princes, and a couple different rubber legs patterns tied with a little peacock herl at the head which Steve thought represented a caddis pupae. I just tied them because I thought they looked cool and buggy. Gloden Brown, Olive, and Orangish Brown all caught fish in the stone and caddis patterns. Missed lots of fish also which I assume were on the smaller dropper flies. Caught somewhere between 15-20 fish no big rainbows most being 10-12 inches with the biggest bow maybe 14", also caught 1 smallmouth. Saved the best for last catching a 17" (see pic) brown at the first riffle past Blair bridge public access, and an 18" Brown just 50 yards up from the Sunburst boat ramp. I saw this fish come out look at the stonefly and eat it. It then ran straight upstream so Steve anchored the boat. Finally got him turned around and as he came downstream he wrapped around a rock where we thought we had lost him. Steve was able to row back up past the rock where we coaxed him out and eventually got him to the boat. I called my wife on the cell phone and she ran down to the ramp with her camera to snap a few pics before we sent the fish back to his lair. This past week some nice fish have been caught at Sunburst by our campers including a 22" brown and a 20" brown.

I've found that when you have a chance to go fishing, just go. There are so many variables that go in to stream fishing that unless you can fish everyday it is tough to figure why the fish are biting or not. I've caught fish in all conditions and also had horrible days when it seems like everything should be perfect. I've given up trying to figure them out and now just use all the different conditions as excuses as to why the fish weren't biting. One thing I think I know about trout on the NFoW is that if it is a cloudy day I'm going to fish the lower section for browns as they seem to like it cloudy.

Really pretty light weekend on the river, all outfitters reporting a slow weekend. Holidays on the NFoW are much less than normal summer weekends. This river is not the big party river like the Niangua, Elk or Current, we mostly have the "grown up" partiers that have outgrown the true party rivers. That being said, there is still plenty of drunk stupidity happening on this river every weekend, just a little less than some of the rivers closer to the big cities.

You might try Pettit's canoe rental, all of our sleeper cabins are taken. Camping on gravel bars would all be on private property in this section. Camping here is $8 per person per night and you could put in here (2 miles upstream of Patrick). Free camping at Patrick (bring hillbilly repellent), camping also at Tecumseh I think (norfork lake, no such thing as Norfolk). Look at last few topics to see what's working.

Have fished several times the last 2 weeks and the fishing has been superb. You probably won't believe me, but this upcoming holiday weekend will give you an opportunity to fish the NFoW on a summer weekend without too many crowds. I have talked to the other outfitters, and none of us have much going on this weekend. Instead of boat numbers in the hundreds they are in the 20's and 30's. For those who have never fished this river one of the reasons it is difficult is the high flows. Right now the river is about as low as it gets which makes the wade fishing superb. I have been fishing using big rubberlegs patterns to get my hare's ear, and princes down, and have not had to use much other weight. The rainbows are right where you would expect them and have been willing to eat. I will be honest in saying that there is some algae right now, and you will have to clean off your hook on a regular basis, but the fishing has been so good it hasn't even bothered me. You will have to wade through a bunch of 11-13 inch rainbows to get to the big ones, but catching these wild fish in swift current is lots of fun. Their is no excuse why fisheremen shouldn't be out in numbers this weekend, nice weather, light crowds, and I'll even add a 7:00 shuttle up to Kelly Shoals which will ensure you will see very few until noon or after. Rig with 3X flouro. to main fly, 4X to dropper and you'll lose very few flies and catch plenty of fish. For those who have wanted to check out this river now is the time before it starts raining and returns the river to the normal fishing where only the big boys can come to play.

Fished a couple times over the last few days, they are absolutely wearing out princes, hare's ear and pheasant tails about a size 14-16. Using a weighed yellow rubber legs with the smaller nymph dropped off of it. The rubber legs is heavy enough to get it down and I think it is attracting them as well. Caught a few on the rubber legs but most on the other nymph. Didn't catch any dropped off of a brown rubberlegs which makes me think the yellow gets their attn. then they grab the smaller fly. Mostly 11-13" bows, lost two fair sized browns today, caught probably 10+ bows in 2 hours in the 100yd. strech below fantasy island. 3X flouro to main fly 4X to dropper, 1/2" thingamabobber about 6 feet. up.

You sure that's a paddle blade and not a cutting board? Ever fly fish in that creek?

It was great to hear of you guys catching fish! It can be tough this time of year with the low clear water. I bet I fished an hour and a half or so in that 75 yard strech, caught 1 bow lost 1 bow, and got that nice brown. You guys seemed to be doing better than that, I still have plenty to learn about catching fish this time of year. Would love to have any good pics of your trip, and look forward to you coming back so I can get my $4.50 (compounding interest is a bitch!).

Sounds like wonderful torture!

Thanks for the info Gavin. Pretty sure it's the hex, Autumn Sedge should be here soon, they end up all over our windows at night when we leave the lights on. Guess I'd better fish again tonight and take a bug net just to make sure that is what I am seeing. At least that's what I'll tell Amy I'm doing as an excuse to try and catch this fishes momma.

Looking at Brian's Hex report for the 11 pt. I think that is what was hatching down here.

Yesterday evening I headed down to slippery riffle to try my luck. The leaders on my rods are trashed and I have no tippet smaller than 3X so I grabbed my 6 year old's Ross Journey 4 wt with fly start reel and gave it a try. Caught a 11 inch rainbow on a little green caddis. Then noticed some big yellowish ugly bugs zooming around, not sure what they were, the size of a big stone, but didn't fly like a stone (any ideas). Put on a yellow size 6 pat's rubberlegs and hooked and lost another small rainbow. Had covered the same water 3 times before I finally got the big brown to eat. This fish hit and quickly got me into my backing, when you hook a big fish in fast water it is quite a rush. Got my drag set as tight as I dared and proceeded to fight this fish for 10 minutes or so. With no net I finally was able to get this fish to hand and measured it at 21 3/4 inches. Had to fight the algae a little but well worth the effort. Had a few fly fishermen here last weekend and this week and everyone is reporting good fishing, even with low clear water and high sun.

Believe me I already thought about your schedule and figured you would be here during the daylight hours, maybe around "beer thirty"? We're having a wedding reception that evening for someone I know is an old buddy of Kyle's. You'll have to stop by and say hi, surely you get 2- 15 minute breaks every 8 hours. You are welcome to take out here if all you are fishing is blue ribbon. Figure with that much time you may be going to James. After you are done come by and a hot shower and cold beer awaits.

Great idea, glad it's you and not me. Stop by the campstore or house on your way by and we'll make it worth your while. Hopefully the other outfitters on the river will do the same. Good luck, and look forward to seeing some footage from the event.

I find it ironic how people pick and choose what kinds of animals they feel bad about abusing. Unless you are a vegetarian (which I am not!) then you contribute to the problem by eating chickens, beef and pork that are raised in feedlots and crowded barns. In my opinion this is some of the worst animal abuse, as can be seen by antibiotics being pumped into the feed just to keep these animals alive long enough to be slaughtered. Fortunatly I have the ability to raise my own cattle, sheep and chickens which I do so without antibiotics or grain which results in a much healthier product. By slaughtering on my farm, my animals are killed doing what they love (eating) and never see it coming. For those who are animal advocates you should look for grass "finished" beef, or buy free range chickens and pork. These products are raised in a humane manner and while many still must go to the slaughterhouse to be killed, they live a normal life until then. You will pay a higher price for these products but if you are complaining about what hunters might do, take a look at yourself and put your money where your mouth is. If you are already doing so, good job. If not, I don't care, just take a look in the mirror and make sure you are not being hypocritical. By the way, I still like to go out and order a big fat grain fed steak every once in a while (sorry cows!).

I guess Blue Ribbon areas work when the fish are dying of natural causes. Probably ate too many snails. I've had browns crap a handful of snails out when you pull them out of the water. Can't be good on their intestines.

I disagree with most in that I think it saves quite a bit of money. Depending on how much you fish and how many flies you lose, I know I come out ahead. Also fishing on the NFOW I use the proper amount of weight because I know each fly didn't cost $2, instead cost a quarter or so and 10 minutes. That makes me feel better when I lose a dozen or so a day. I catch a lot more fish when I'm fishing deep enough to lose flies. You can also tie simple effective patterns that you can't buy at your everyday fly shop. It is also much more rewarding to me to catch a fish on a fly I tied, or a pattern I "invented". If you don't have much time to fish, and don't do it that often, then I would just keep buying them, otherwise it is a fun hobby that can be done when it's too hot, or too cold to fish. My main problem is people always want to know what I use, when I tell them they ask if I have any for sale. Then I go to my own stash and sell them all I have. If I want to go fishing I have to set aside an hour to tie flies just so I have something to fish with. Anyone got any flies for sale?

brian sloss

Use whatever you like for smallmouth/goggle eye the first few miles. Grubs, plastic worms, crawdad cranks, beetle spin etc. Once you hit the upper outlet of rainbow spring put away the soft plastics, only artificials from there down. Keep using crawdad cranks, rooster tails(with split shot). Flies - woolie buggers, mohair leech, various nymphs (smaller sizes 14-18), soft hackles, maybe even some hoppers. Trout fishing will probably be tough as you will reach trout water once the sun is high and weather is hot, but you should still find a few in the fastest water you can find. You must get it on the bottom, somehow avoiding the algae at the same time. See you on Sunday.