Baptist Camp Saturday May 14

[jah]

I fished yesterday below Baptist Camp, and the river has changed quite a lot. It was about 170cfs and the water was really moving. Off colorfor sure, and the further you got from the access, the dingier it became. I hooked into a few at the access point and 50 yards downstream. I drifted an olive wooly and dropped an egg off of it. Equal catch on each fly today (also used a golden stone later in the day). Being the moron that I am, I forgot my fly fishing pack (man-purse, as my wife calls it) because I was so anxious to get on the road. I fed the newborn, grabbed my stuff, and forgot my bag---$40 poorer as I left Montauk lodge with new flies.

But the changes to the river were significant, though it was still high and tough to determine what the end result will be. Here are the highlights:

The fist big hole below the access has dramatically changed. The trees along the bank are all gone (or laying there dead). You can actually wade right to the hole without having to get on land or hugging the bank like in years past. That shallow riffle before the hole has grown in size 3-4 times what it used to be, and now there is a deep run on the opposite bank just above that big rock. Those familiar with the Current probably know what spot I'm talking about. If not, let me know and I'll try to explain better.

The other deep hole just about 20 yards down from the first one is roughly the same.

The river was very deep from this second hole through that run (the one where the access road drops you off at the river by the old tire---which is still there somehow). This run was almost unfishable because of how fast the water was moving, but I did manage one nice rainbow by that log there, as usual. That is always a gimmie fish there.

Below that, at the S bend (I think that's what it's called), the leaves that used to be there in the water are all gone (finally), and that stretch seemed largely the same otherwise. The riffle below it has changed significantly, as it was moving more to the right than the bank side as before.

The major change came at the horshoe bend before you hit the bluffs on your way to Ashley Creek. You couldn't easily cross there, and I almost had my first dunking there. On the bank, once across, you can see how much that hole changed. A lot of debris moved around, creating some slack water areas for those of you who like to target browns. Navigating through the woods there was tough with all the downed trees and new vegetation. Caught a few as I got to the bluffs, but the water was too stained and fast to keep going.

I had to stay on that bank all the way until the S bend as it was not safe to cross where I did before. I was bushwacking to say the least.

Long story short---the river has changed a lot. I still caught about 9 or 10 rainbows and an 8 inch brown. Great day, but tiring from the wading/bushwacking.

Jim

[jdixon]

I went back down saturday, got there at about 6:30 till 3:00, fished down to the backside of the horseshoe. I can,t belive you crossed there, I tryed and almost got swept down river. Got about 1/3 of the way across, water was waist high and gravel was giving way, water started to push me down steam into the deep hole. I thought I was in no mans land but managed to turn around and get back. It seemed like it would be even harder to get back across. I really wanted to fish that stretch to. only saw one person all day besides canoeist and that was early on, I was fishing (old tire hole) and somone was fishing hole above that, guy in orange hat, maybe you. fishing was really good I thought, better than last weekend, lots of agressive fish. I was able to wade in water that I couldn't last weekend so that helped. lots a fun.

[Nortrad]

Thanks for the updates. I'm heading down this coming Sunday. The river changes, new holes, sounds like an interesting June.

[jah]

I went back down saturday, got there at about 6:30 till 3:00, fished down to the backside of the horseshoe. I can,t belive you crossed there, I tryed and almost got swept down river. Got about 1/3 of the way across, water was waist high and gravel was giving way, water started to push me down steam into the deep hole. I thought I was in no mans land but managed to turn around and get back. It seemed like it would be even harder to get back across. I really wanted to fish that stretch to. only saw one person all day besides canoeist and that was early on, I was fishing (old tire hole) and somone was fishing hole above that, guy in orange hat, maybe you. fishing was really good I thought, better than last weekend, lots of agressive fish. I was able to wade in water that I couldn't last weekend so that helped. lots a fun.

That wasn't me, but you're right, the fish were aggressive

[ozark trout fisher]

I fished yesterday below Baptist Camp, and the river has changed quite a lot. It was about 170cfs and the water was really moving. Off colorfor sure, and the further you got from the access, the dingier it became. I hooked into a few at the access point and 50 yards downstream. I drifted an olive wooly and dropped an egg off of it. Equal catch on each fly today (also used a golden stone later in the day). Being the moron that I am, I forgot my fly fishing pack (man-purse, as my wife calls it) because I was so anxious to get on the road. I fed the newborn, grabbed my stuff, and forgot my bag---$40 poorer as I left Montauk lodge with new flies.

But the changes to the river were significant, though it was still high and tough to determine what the end result will be. Here are the highlights:

The fist big hole below the access has dramatically changed. The trees along the bank are all gone (or laying there dead). You can actually wade right to the hole without having to get on land or hugging the bank like in years past. That shallow riffle before the hole has grown in size 3-4 times what it used to be, and now there is a deep run on the opposite bank just above that big rock. Those familiar with the Current probably know what spot I'm talking about. If not, let me know and I'll try to explain better.

The other deep hole just about 20 yards down from the first one is roughly the same.

The river was very deep from this second hole through that run (the one where the access road drops you off at the river by the old tire---which is still there somehow). This run was almost unfishable because of how fast the water was moving, but I did manage one nice rainbow by that log there, as usual. That is always a gimmie fish there.

Below that, at the S bend (I think that's what it's called), the leaves that used to be there in the water are all gone (finally), and that stretch seemed largely the same otherwise. The riffle below it has changed significantly, as it was moving more to the right than the bank side as before.

The major change came at the horshoe bend before you hit the bluffs on your way to Ashley Creek. You couldn't easily cross there, and I almost had my first dunking there. On the bank, once across, you can see how much that hole changed. A lot of debris moved around, creating some slack water areas for those of you who like to target browns. Navigating through the woods there was tough with all the downed trees and new vegetation. Caught a few as I got to the bluffs, but the water was too stained and fast to keep going.

I had to stay on that bank all the way until the S bend as it was not safe to cross where I did before. I was bushwacking to say the least.

Long story short---the river has changed a lot. I still caught about 9 or 10 rainbows and an 8 inch brown. Great day, but tiring from the wading/bushwacking.

Jim

Yikes! Just when I really think I know that stretch of river it goes and changes on me.

Mother nature has a way of doing that though.

[stlfisher]

I fished Friday and the water water was really moving from the Wire down to Tan Vat. The changes I saw were dramatic as well. The trees along the bank 50 yards up from Tan Vat are all gone...yeap all of them and that hole seems to be much deeper. The laydown just below the hole at Tan Vat is also gone. The first bend down from the Wire is also different...not as dramatic and i can't really explain it,but it was different. I think the tree was pushed more toward the bank and seemed less turbelant.

I too experience wading issues on Friday and to be honest decided to just hit the park in the afternoon. It was running at 200CFS and boy it was moving. As far as the park...The fly fishing only actually seemed shallower in some spots....it may make for some great dry fly fishing this year at normal levels. A few more laydown's in the park were noticeably different or missing as well.

I am anxious to see the changes I couldn't see because of the high water.

As far fishing for me it was tough on Friday...I had so much split shot it was nearly sinking my indicator. I caught 12-15 fish with one kicker about 17.

I seriously was nervous while wading outside of the park a few times. Moving gravel under you feet is unsettling to say the least!

Really anxious to get back and see more of the changes.