Phenomonal Phishing On The North Phork

[Justin Spencer]

I was watching it snow on the river today and after feeding the livestock without freezing to death I decided an afternoon float and fish was in order. I aired up the pontoon and took off with a rod and a cell phone so I could call my wife to pick me up at a location to be determined later. I immediately hooked up with a small rainbow right in front of the house and would hook and lose a big brown just above fantasy island. The water is cranking at about 1500 cfs so all the fishing was done from the boat. Those first two fish took a yellow/brown pat's rubberlegs #6, and the big brown took it in some swift deep water filled with big boulders and snags. I had him on for a minute or so and he rewarded me with a big jump before I finally was forced to pull too hard trying to avoid a downed tree. The hook simply pulled loose and I was bested by yet another big fish. I reached Patrick Bridge without any more action and decided to continue on down to James Bridge about 4 miles downstream. By now I had lost all my yellow Pat's, remember you must get it on the bottom on the NFoW! I now had on a coffee and black Pat's (tied with a little bling)and quickly caught 2 browns in the water leading up to Riverside. Most of the riffles I was flying through out of control so I actually caught more fish in the slower water today. I continued to pick up brown after brown all between 10-15 inches until another big boy ate. As I approached the last riffle above James Bridge I snagged what I thought was the bottom, I set the hook and it flew out of the water and landed in my lap, it just so happened to be a sculpin. Being in red ribbon water I decided to leave the sculpin hooked up and drag it through the riffle (not exactly purist, but all the old timers say sculpin are the best bait). I flipped my rig over a shelf as I floated through and immediately saw a submarine come up and grab my "nymph". I set the hook and after a big tug my line snapped as I palmed the reel a little too hard. That's what I get for bait fishing!! What a wonderful 2 1/2 hours on the water. Nothing big brought to hand but lots of little guys, big clear water, only me the eagles and the deer on the river. If you've never fished in the snow it is an experience like no other, catching fish is just icing on the cake!

[laker67]

Fishing a stream with a snow covered bank is quite the treat. Glad you had a good trip. How big were the browns you hooked and what is the largest brown, that you know of, ever caught on the Norfork?

[fishgypsy]

I can't wait to get back down there...

[Chris Gates]

Great Report Justin! Wish I was fishing in the snow. I'll see you down there soon. Chris

[Justin Spencer]

I don't know what the biggest caught is. I have personally measured (someone else caught it) a 28". We have a few people a year saying they caught a 30". Seems to be a good round number for huge browns. Maybe Brian or Kyle know of some big ones, if you watch when you float you will normally see some big big fish! I really don't know how big they will get in a river like this. They don't stock the big broodstock fish so they have to grow from 10" in a fast flowing river with lots of hazards, eagles, otters, fishermen. Plenty of fish push that 30" mark but not sure how much bigger they will go.

[laker67]

I don't know what the biggest caught is. I have personally measured (someone else caught it) a 28". We have a few people a year saying they caught a 30". Seems to be a good round number for huge browns. Maybe Brian or Kyle know of some big ones, if you watch when you float you will normally see some big big fish! I really don't know how big they will get in a river like this. They don't stock the big broodstock fish so they have to grow from 10" in a fast flowing river with lots of hazards, eagles, otters, fishermen. Plenty of fish push that 30" mark but not sure how much bigger they will go.

Thanks for the info Justin. A 30 inch river brown is a respectable fish. Hope you land the next one you hook up with. All of the browns at taney start out around the 13 inch mark.

[Brian Wise]

Nice report Justin!

That yellow\brown and yellow\rust tend to do REALLY well on high water....mistaken as a craw maybe?

Well played with the sculpin, funny stuff.

Brian

[Gavin]

Thanks for the report. The brown fishery on the NFoW seems to be improving. Rainbow fishery too..Hope to spend more time down there this year.

[Chris Gates]

These recent years of good water and snow should only help all the fisheries in the ozarks. I don't think the drought years do any good, High water is a hassle some times but it pays dividends for the fish population in the long run, imho.

[Justin Spencer]

I agree 100%, not sure how the timing of flood events affects spawns but the fish always seem to be there when the water goes back down. When you see some of these floods you would think all the fish would be down in the lake. Around 1000+ cfs on the North Fork is the best fishing in my opinion, but it is difficult to wade. A drift boat or pontoon and you can really get after them. I have considered getting a frame for one of my rafts which would turn it into an indestructable "drift boat". Would anyone be interested in renting this if it was offered up. Would probably have to charge around 100 bucks for it depending on the set-up we come up with. I may put this question up on another thread just to see peoples opinion.