Lower Mountain Fork, Oklahoma
Fished the Lower Mountain Fork Zone 1 yesterday. Things started out slow, landing a few very small browns early in the morning, but a black Caddis hatch kicked in about 10 am and it was like someone turned on the "switch". Between 10 AM and 3:30 PM I landed between 35 and 40 browns and bows ranging from 12 to 16 inches, the nicest being a 16 inch brown that knew the currents well and gave me all I wanted on 7x tippet.
I may be mistaken, but if I understood correctly, the regulations on LMF Zone 1 will change as of Jan 1, 2007. It will be single barbless, artificial fly and lure only, limit one rainbow or brown over 20 inches. If anyone knows for sure about the new regulations, please let me know. It doesn't effect me, really, since I C&R, but just curious how long it will be before I don't get ran over by bait casters with marshmallows and salmon eggs! Nothing against baitcasting, as I do a LOT of baitcasting and spin fishing myself, but hearing people say "Yeah, fishing was great, I limited out 3 times today" has worn pretty thin with me.
Won't be fishing this fishery much longer. In June, me and my "bride to be" will be moving to Mountain Home, AR, where she has a job secured and I'll be setting up my new bamboo rod shop... this time next year, expect fishing reports from the Norfork on a regular basis!
Later,
Bob
EDIT: Guess I should have mentioned what flies worked well. When the caddis hatch started, I used a size 16 black tent wing caddis. After the hatch died down a little, I went to a sz 18 prince nymph, high sticking the edges of the current runs. For those of you that know and fish the river, most of the fish I caught were between Cold Hole and the upper Foot Bridge. Although a 16 incher was my best of the day, I did see one caught (next to me by a guy that saw me land a fish and just had to jump up and cast nearly out of my armpit) that went well over 20 inches. Very nice brown.
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