So We Know The Large Browns Are Feasting, But...

[Gavin]

The fishing on the NFoW was pathetic in the early 2000's but its gotten allot better. Wild rainbow counts were probably less than 100 per mile back then. I'm not sure what the counts are like now...but it doesnt seem that the river has bounced back completly yet...Think it used to hold around 900 wild rainbows per mile...but that was over 20 years ago. It might take awhile to get there again or it might not get there at all.

I think the habitat has changed quite a bit. Seems there is more snot moss in the water during the summers and I'm not sure what causes it...Inadequate Sewer System in Mountain Grove, leaky septic from all the development along the river, more cows and wells pumping water out of the aquifer. Dunno for sure.

It was never known for huge rainbows though. I've seen some nice ones caught over the years (18-22") but those fish are pretty rare...A 15"er still makes my day. Cheers.