November 7-8 Fishing Trip

[Ccox1982]

Been itching to get back to the river the last few months. Just started pouring, painting and tying my own marabou jigs and couldn't wait to see how they perform. Got out Friday morning with frigid temps and a frosty boat. While everyone was still asleep, I took the chance for a little alone time. Started out with a 1/16 oz olive and ginger and started catching trout. I was happy to see that my jigs performed well. Started out catching small bows and decided to go hunt for the big boys. Motored up the river and made my cast next to a big log. Right away I got hit and felt nothing but shoulders. Didn't have my drag where it needed to be and I broke off. I knew I had lost a good one. So I re-tied another olive and ginger and made my drift. Got down to a dock with a deep hole behind it. Made my cast and off he went, pulling drag and 2lb line. After two good jumps he started to wear down. So I reached for my net, but it wasn't there. I had left it at the house. So after two attempts by hand, I got him into the boat. He measured 22 1/2 inches. No better feeling than catching that trout on your own handmade jigs. Took a few pics, showed him to the kids and released him. He swam off with no problems. Even with a windy weekend and the trolling motor kicking my tail, we caught lots of trout both days. Couple more browns at 16 inches and even a couple of cuttys. All in all it was a good trip.

[Ham]

• That's a nice fish to be sure.

[LittleRedFisherman]

Nice fish and report.. I"m so ready for winter fishing. Ham, i'll be calling!!

[Ham]

Bring it LRF. I'll be fishing Tuesday.

[Quillback]

That is a nice brown, congrats!

[Ccox1982]

Thanks guys! Fished from White Hole Resort down to Wildcat shoals where we stayed. Seen quite a few browns in the 20-26 inch range hanging to the bottom.

[hoglaw]

I was on the river this weekend as well. Probably saw you out there on Saturday or Sunday. 3 guys in a big boat with a 90 jet.

We hammered them on the Norfork on Friday. Lots of thick fish. Best brown went about 5lbs I'd guess. Didn't get a good measurement or a picture because my legs were stuck in a death-trap of a kayak that I rented from 2 rivers. Just kidding, a little. We wanted to rent a canoe from them on Friday, but they said none of their canoes were fit for the water anymore. So we grabbed two kayaks instead. My buddy got a sit on top and I got a sit in. I felt very uncomfortable with waders on stuck in that thing, but in truth it was extremely stable and I had no close calls. But getting to stuff in my pockets was a challenge.

Our norfork fish were caught on zebra midges below an egg or worm, or on a zig jig. The big one ate a zig jig in the long hole just above McClellan's shoal and came off a lay-down. She skeeted eggs all over me.

Fished the White on Saturday from about Gastons to just below the narrows, then we loaded up and trailered to Rim Shoals for the afternoon. Caught them ok all day, but it was very windy and I"m not that great at fishing jigs in the wind. Nothing big, just lots of stockers.

Sunday we fished White Hole to the Narrows again and caught the stockers pretty good. We saw some absolute monsters swimming around White Hole. Some of the biggest rainbows I've seen in a long time.

[snagged in outlet 3]

I was on the river this weekend as well. Probably saw you out there on Saturday or Sunday. 3 guys in a big boat with a 90 jet.

We hammered them on the Norfork on Friday. Lots of thick fish. Best brown went about 5lbs I'd guess. Didn't get a good measurement or a picture because my legs were stuck in a death-trap of a kayak that I rented from 2 rivers. Just kidding, a little. We wanted to rent a canoe from them on Friday, but they said none of their canoes were fit for the water anymore. So we grabbed two kayaks instead. My buddy got a sit on top and I got a sit in. I felt very uncomfortable with waders on stuck in that thing, but in truth it was extremely stable and I had no close calls. But getting to stuff in my pockets was a challenge.

Our norfork fish were caught on zebra midges below an egg or worm, or on a zig jig. The big one ate a zig jig in the long hole just above McClellan's shoal and came off a lay-down. She skeeted eggs all over me.

Fished the White on Saturday from about Gastons to just below the narrows, then we loaded up and trailered to Rim Shoals for the afternoon. Caught them ok all day, but it was very windy and I"m not that great at fishing jigs in the wind. Nothing big, just lots of stockers.

Sunday we fished White Hole to the Narrows again and caught the stockers pretty good. We saw some absolute monsters swimming around White Hole. Some of the biggest rainbows I've seen in a long time.

I went through this a couple weeks ago and opted out of the kayak deal.

I'm not made to fold in half in one of those things.

I wish an outfitter would start offering canoes down there on the Norfork.

Pete

[hoglaw]

That sit-in one really wasn't bad at all. I'm every bit of 240lbs. I'm strong, but not very nimble. I was nervous that it wouldn't work out, but I was pleasantly surprised after I got over the fear of being trapped in it. One big advantage of it is you're so low in the water, the wind doesn't affect you very much. Not great for seeing fish, but I was able to get around and jig fish from it just fine.

Getting in and out wasn't easy. I pretty much beached it and rolled onto the bank. Very graceful.

[Ham]

Wind > 10 MPH bums me out with the Zig Jig. It's doable, but it bums me out. >15 mph and I don't jig fish.