Never Say Never

Just when you think . . .  Several years ago during the last June high water event, I wrote in this journal that I'd never go back to the MO when it was at flood stage.  12,000.  10,000.  Even 8,000.  I don't even like it at 6,500!  But the Fork was getting tougher each day after the opener, bugs were few, the cold was coming in, and I needed a move to some rising fish and lower elevation.  All roads always lead to the MO. Hell, everyone in their right mind knows that.  Figured I'd just drive up, take a look at the river, spend the night, and find something smaller to fish for a few days.  I mean, the fish don't even rise when its above 6,500, right?  Everybody knows that too.

Well, things change I guess.  The first pool I drove  up to at Lone Tree had rising fish all over it late in the afternoon.  Flow:12,000ish.  I can't get in the water, but I can walk next to it in some spots.  Most places the water slows a little has rising fish.  Most can't be reached where I can make a cast.  Cliffs, sheer drop offs, and willows see to that.  But PMD's every morning, and some caddis adding to them in the afternoon are keeping fish up.  It's sort of happening.  If the water was down, or I stood about 9 feet tall, it would be red hot!  She's "down" to 10,000ish now.  Still raging.  PMD's starting right after sunrise.  Hard to get in the water to cast, or for a picture.  Its cool, need a sweatshirt and hoody.  Furnace running in the trailer nightly.  Glad Norman's with me.  I used a lot of different flies in addition to the soft hackles.  They all worked.  Often, it was change a fly, get an eat.  No more eats, then repeat and another eat.  The fly doesn't matter, except when it does, or might.  Never say never.

Campground pool, first night, boiling with fish.  Just shore fishin'.

Caddis and PMD's.

Can't even step off here.  Raging through the bridge.

Still can walk down on the point and in the mucky grass above it.

Can even wade into the water a couple steps here.

The fish are sippin' in the deeper water, hard to reach, especially with a decent drift.

Rising off the point every day though.  No more beaver lodge below the island.

Not a lot going on upriver

Some fish up this trail above CA

Some risers here.

Shore fishing from the rocks

There are still bows!  They outnumber the browns, but not on my flies.

Aside from the jaw damage, he's a looker.  Big one too.

This loop wing was a standout.

Not quite a soft hackle, and not a stiff genetic.  A medium hackle! (Metz #3 neck from the early 80's)  It still has the all important motion.

Missing Link.  No, that's the name of the fly!

Corn Fed is right!