Jack's Fork Trip Report And Question

[Jim0861]

Had the opportunity to do three short floats last week on the JF. Couldn't do any long or overnighters due to wife and kids along. I did two floats from Horse Camp to Emminence and one float from Bay Creek to Alley.

Three days, three fish. I fished primarily soft baits (Senkos, Zoom Tubes, and KVD Perfect Plastics). Fished no spinners, topwater or cranks. See attached pictures.

Is the slow fishing a typical June pattern or did I do something wrong? The temp was mid to low 90's, clear skies, and high barometric pressure. I fished 8 lb. fluorocarbon tied to a barrel swivel with Texas rigged plastics.

As a side note, the trip from Bay Creek to Alley required getting out and walking the canoe is at least a half dozen places due to water levels.

Thanks for any replies.

[joeD]

You did nothing wrong. Sometimes fish don't bite. You really don't need a swivel though.

[Al Agnew]

The stretch between Alley and Eminence is usually mediocre fishing at best...too cold to have a really good smallmouth population. Bay Creek to Alley should have been better, but it gets pounded pretty unmercifully.

Fishing the Jacks Fork isn't really much a matter of which lures you use. Lots of stuff should work. But as the water gets lower and clearer, it becomes a matter of stealth and long casts. The fish get skittish in the clear water.

[Al Agnew]

I'd add, though, that I agree with Joe...sometimes the fish just don't bite. And the Jacks Fork can be very moody this time of year for some reason.

[countryred]

They were spooky. We fished up by ebb and flow spring and bluff view. We caught a fair number of little ones, but canoe after canoe going through the best areas had them spooked. A texas riggged 4 " grn pumkin worm was the only thing that worked.

[Jim0861]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm looking to make a longer mid September trip or two and we will see how that works out.