TIME: 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM

WEATHER: Low 60s to mid-70s, sunny, windy

WATER CONDITIONS: 1 unit increasing to 2 units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, Riffle above Island below McClellan’s

FLIES USED: #14 olive Norfork River scud, #20 red/silver zebra midge

ROD USED: 7’ 9” 2-wt Winston WT

HATCHES: Midges, Crane flies

OTHER: I fished with Ed, Bill, and John. We walked in at Mill Dam Eddy to what we thought was falling water. Bill and John remained downstream while Ed and I waded upstream. We crossed from the island to the left descending side of the river, and fished our way upstream towards the riffle, but I only took one fish on the scud/zebra midge combination.  The water did not recede as projected, but remained at what appeared to be around 1/4 unit.  I waded upstream to the left descending side of the plunge pool and noted rising water.  Ed and I waded to the bank, and realized that water was rising too fast for our return to our walk-in—WE WERE STRANDED.  SWPA had projected 0 generation after 6:00 AM, but instead ramped up to 2 generators at 8 AM, with a swift rise in water levels.  Why they could not or did not project this is beyond me.  This is the only region of the country in which we have NO RELIABLE GENERATION PROJECTIONS.  Please write your US Senators and Congressmen and complain about this; we don’t have to tolerate this kind of arrogance.  If this happens with minimum flow, it will only be a matter of time until someone is seriously injured or dies from unexpected high water conditions.

Meanwhile, Ed and I waited on the bank for any passing boat, but none were seen.  We walked through the woods to the road near McClellan’s entrance, knowing that Kay would pick us up if she was aware of our situation; sure enough, she came to our rescue.

I am so incensed at SWPA; I sure hope someone gets the political entities involved, with the threat of cutting Federal funding unless they provide accurate, reliable projections similar to that provided by Tennessee Valley Authority, Bonneville Power Administration, and other quasi-governmental power agencies in the rest of the US!

TIME: 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM

WEATHER: Low 60s to mid-70s, sunny, windy

WATER CONDITIONS: 0 Units

LOCATIONS FISHED: Norfork River, Riffle above Island below McClellan’s

FLIES USED: #14 olive Norfork River scud, #20 red/silver zebra midge, #14 Norfork River crane fly

ROD USED: 7’ 9” 2-wt Winston WT

HATCHES: Caddis, Midges, Crane flies

OTHER: I fished with Ed, Bill, and John.  We walked in at Mill Dam Eddy to falling water.  Bill and John remained downstream while Ed and I waded upstream.  Fishing was slow on the scud/zebra midge combination.  Shortly after 9:00 AM, crane flies began surfacing and fish were rising to them. Ed moved to the center of the riffle, between two streams of river, and immediately began catching fish on top; most of the fish were 14-15 inches and pretty hot.  He continued to catch fish on the crane fly imitation for the next 3 1/2 hours.  I fished the right descending side of the riffle and caught quite a few fish. I waded upstream to the plunge pool and again caught fish, about half of which were caught stripping the crane fly imitation. I switched back to the scud/zebra midge combination, moved to the left descending side, and caught several fish in the small riffle.  wading downstream to the tail out above the island, the fish continued taking the zebra midge, with far more misses than catches.  Bill worked his way upstream and caught lots of fish below, along side of, and above the island while John caught a bunch of fish below the island.