Wow! What a start the 2008 season. The first trips that I was able to run this year was this past week of June. Usually, my first trips are in March or April at the latest. With all the rains this Spring, the North Branch has been running high and off color until a 2 weeks ago. With the river back to fishing levels, we have been on the water everyday for the past week.
We floated the Buffet section of the North Branch about a week ago and had few numbers of Smallmouth bass caught. The water temperatures were still in the 60's and the fish were still in spawn mode. For now, the lower North Branch needs to heat up a little more before it becomes productive. Flies that were able to produce were, clawdads, the 6th man and rattling sliders.
As far as the middle trout section words can't describe, but I will try. Clients have been amazed and this is probably the best trout fishing we have seen in 5 years on this section of the river. Trout are ranging in size from 12-23", so far. Clients are hooking up mostly rainbows with a brown or two per trip. Clients are complaining of arms cramping at times and needing to take breaks when we are anchored up in our "go to" spots. Catching too many trout is a good thing. Rainbows 16" and up are testing clients skill at fighting fish. Larger fish have been taking flies hard and we have had numerous fish snap clients off on the strike while using 1x tippet. Clients describe this years rainbows as footballs and that they can't even find fishing like this out west.
Flies that have been working are clawdads, squidwords, the 6th man and flash fly clousers. Fish are taking flies in the riffles, behind rocks and up on the bank. We are sticking with no less than 2x tippet and clients are using 6-7 wt rods. Keep an eye on the website for updates and also pictures on both the guide page and the trophy page. For the clients that have floated with me before........."Hit Em, Hit Em"
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