Fishing Report Upper River

[Sam Potter]

Busy week on the stream and several fishermen on the water this weekend. The Current River is running very low and very clear and fishing success has been good to fair. The browns are ending their thing and the rainbows are getting in the mood. We even saw a male rainbow that thought he was going to pair up with a female brown. I have never seen this before, but I guess there is always a first. Egg patterns seemed to be the best fly to use this week, with streamers and soft hackles also taking fish. When the weather clears, the caddis start flying and the fish are more inclined to take the elk hair. The rain and cool weather has the Olives flying, but we did not see many numbers, not enough to get excited over, but there were enough for the fish to take them off the top so they will provide some dry fly action in the morning. There are two olives coming off right now. A tiny one that is pale olive and in a size 24, and a larger olive that is a dark olive in color and a size 20. The larger one seems to prefer the "Baetis type days" like we had this weekend.

See the attachment for a nice rainbow caught by a client yesterday.

"A Bad Day Fishing is Still a Great Day"

www.TightLine.Biz

[East Tide]

Hey Sam, judging by the pic I was the guy fishing above and below you a bit on Sun. Just out of curiousity, how many other fish did your client get? I only managed one rainbow, not as nice as that one, and tried everything (but softhackles!).

Nice fish,

Dave

[Gavin]

If your the fellow who wandered out of the park to find two anglers in a head of him...That was my wife and I. Guess we caught around 20 bows and a few browns, but nothing bigger than 16" though. Small (approx 3-4mm) egg patterns were the best producer. Highlight of the trip was finding two small brown bats roosting under a bunch of Oyster mushrooms and fishing within 20 yards of a whitetail do. Better luck next time.

[East Tide]

Nope, that wasn't me. I saw a couple other guys fishing but no other couples. 20 fish? Nice. Guess I've got some learning to do...

[Sam Potter]

Dave,

He caught a few more and lost a few, a couple were 20+ inches. He caught his fish on egg patterns, and soft hackles. Dave I don't know how much you fish the Current River, but when the stream is clear and you are in shallow flat water, you need to move very slow and try to keep your distance from the area you are fishing in. One of the things I have noticed about fishermen that fish in the park and then try to fish in the river is that they try to use the same techniques. The brown trout, especially the large ones will spook if they see you. The rainbows that drift down out of the park are not as spooky, but will get that way after they have been in the stream for an extended period. They are easier to catch than the browns. Most of the trout in the Park are accustomed to seeing people, after all they have been hand fed all their life. The fish outside of the park, are pursued by otters, eagles, osprey and humans, if they don't find a place to hide, in a hurry, they become a meal. That is the main reason you hardly ever find a large rainbow, they get eaten eventually. The large browns have learned to survive for a long time, so you won't be able to walk right up to them and expect to catch them.

I am posting a new fishing report on my web site tonight.

www.TightLine.Biz

[East Tide]

Thanks for the reply Sam. I haven't fished in any of the parks because paying to catch fish isn't really my style but I understand what you mean. I usually wear darker earthtones and am fairly quiet. i think my biggest problem is i'm used to fishing for striped bass in Massachusetts where you fish into fast moving water, and use the current to impart action on your lure instead of nymphing here where you fish across the water and attempt to dead drift it...I'm learning slowly..

We are headed down to the North Fork for 4 days this week so hopefully I'll learn a little more.

Dave

[BrianK]

Dave,

have you been on the N. Fork yet? (tailwater or upper river?)

If so, how'd you do?

Was down last Sat and didn't fish too long but had pretty good luck.

Eggs are the ticket there as well.

Haven't fished the upper current much but need to pay a visit.

Brian

[East Tide]

Hey Brian, We went down to the North Fork Rec area for a mountain biking trip. Our float/ fishing day was last Wed- cold rain all day. We still tried to fish but about an hr into the float it was nearly impossible with the gusting winds and frozen hands. After warming up a little at ROLF I fished out on those rifles and hooked up a couple times with a egg sucking leech but it was too cold and I could only handle another hr.

I did went to the current again on Wed and did much better- I ended up with 4 fish and lost one really nice fish that jumped three times and then ran at me.. too much slack, game over.

I ended up with a couple on a tan caddis, olive wooly and grey sow bug...Nice nice day out there!

We fished below tan vat.