Interesting Day On Dry Run Creek

[John Berry]

While I was guiding a couple of gentlemen on the White and Norfork last weekend, My wife, Lori, guided Jack on Dry Run Creek. His grand father, Bill, went along to take pictures. When they arrived, the creek was high and muddy from the previous night's thunderstorm. Bill remarked that it looked like the Mississippi. Lori was not discouraged. She rigged Jack with a hot pink San Juan worm. That did the trick! They ended the day with fifty one fish (Jack's careful count). The large fish was a twenty three inch rainbow. Jack returned the next day to lower, clearer water and bigger fish. He landed a twenty seven inch brown and a twenty five inch rainbow. Don't let high off color water discourage you.

[Greg]

John - any suggestions on fly patterns or techniques to get the bigger fish at dry run creek to bite? I was there last week with my son. We fished there for several hours. He caught a lot of fish (probably 25 in just a few hours) and had a good time. However towards the end he found a pocket with several huge fish. He drifted several patterns over those fish for over an hour but just couldn't get them to take.

Thanks,

Greg

[John Berry]

Greg,

Go for the fish you do not see not the ones that you do see. I concentrate on heavy deep water where I generally can not see big fish. If I can not see them they can not see me. There are fish every where. The big ones will be feeding in protected lies where they feel safe.

[brownieman]

You are exactly right John.

As I have stated before I don't sight fish and from my experience the fish can see you long before you see them...most real big fish don't get that way from being stupid.

Far as off color water IMO that is the best time to nail biguns...seems they are on the feed more and can't see you as easy. Most of my largest fish have come from very murkey water. On the Current my favorite water condition is when you can't see the bottom in waist deep water...bar none I have caught more nice ones when most would consider it too murkey to fish.

[Greg]

John thanks for the advice. I appreciate it. We'll look for those deeper runs you mentioned. I think I know just where you are talking about. My son is 14 and a half. He loves dry run creek. We plan on several more trips before his 16th. I would like for him to catch a really big one there in the next year.

Regarding sight fishing - I've had pretty good luck sight fishing to bigger fish at Taneycomo over the years. But dry run creek is probably a different matter.

Greg