Howdy Sperry. I just returned from the N Platte wilderness; we fished it last monday and tuesday, then went up to Pinedale to fish some lakes. We went down into Northgate Canyon via Pickaroon gap -- from the WEST side. What a road! My little Ford Ranger has not forgiven me yet....next time we'll enter from the east.

We caught plenty of small browns, but nothing big. Slot limit to throw back is 10-16". Most action was on a small, long skinny white nymph dropper off a BWO -- never even got a hit on the dry. It was so windy none of the hatches did us any good--filled the air with them like confetti. The river is way down and the big fish are wary -- we didn't get anything over 12 inches.

To answer your streamer question -- I fished muddlers from small to big with only a couple moderate-sized fish. Tried pretty much everything else in my streamer box except the big lake flies, not much action. The nymph on the dropper, both bumping the bottom and in the surface film, was the trick for small browns. My normal copper johns and peacocks didn't work, they seemed to like light colored, non-shagy nymphs.

As for big browns -- we'll be back next week to dredge for them with streamers. Maybe we'll see you on the river!
DANBOB




The North Platte in King's Gate Canyon, 9/19/05, looking downstream (north). Where are those big brown hawgs?

[This message has been edited by danbob (edited 25 September 2005).]