Blue River (28 Nov)

[flyfishermann1955]

A friend of mine fished the Blue River on 20 Nov and had a 40+ fish day.  He used numerous flies and they all caught fish.  I went on Wednesday (28 Nov).  A friend who just moved back to Midwest City, after 5 years in Yakima, WA, went with me.  The weather was great.  No ice in our guides in the morning; sunny and low 60s by afternoon and the wind wasn't bad until after 1430.  The water is as clear as I have ever seen it.  It does seem a bit higher than normal, as there were places I normally wade out too, but didn't this time.

Fishing was great; however, the catching was very, very slow.  We started at the end of the lake-like area below the low-water crossing.  Didn't have a single strike here!  I missed my 1st strike at the end of the swing in the moving water below the "Chute". 



Hooked up on the next strike using the Greentail soft hackle.



Went back upstream, just above the Chute.  Landed 1  and missed another on the an olive micro leech.



Tried just above the low-water crossing, where a smaller side channel dumps back into the main part of the stream.  Caught another on the leech and 1 on a pink San Juan worm.



After lunch, we walked upstream, past Campground #2.  Couldn't buy a strike here, even in a pool where I have always caught fish.  Fished several areas of nice current with no success.

At 1530 when we were loading up the car, 2 stocking trucks show up.  Today and tomorrow will probably be great days to fish the Blue!

Tight Lines- Ken    

[mirvc17]

Ken,

That first photo is of one of my favorite spots on the Blue. It feels the most like a trout stream with those riffles. Water does look a little high, as I recall the opposite side being pretty shallow most of the times I've been there. The deep area right below the crossing is normally loaded with fish. Fishing slow... fish spreading out? All caught and on stringers? It's too easy to put them right in the cooler and come right back out... seen plenty of that.....I don't know.

[flyfishermann1955]

J-P,

Agree, I have seen many a lawn-chair fisherman take his limit back to the camper and return for another limit. The only times I've seen a game warden at the Blue were up in the Catch & Release section. Most of the fish I've caught at the Blue, going back to 2000, were in the "less trouty-looking water". It's a "put and take" trout fishing location, so there is no desire to really spread the fish out. I've heard this, and my experience makes it seem true; fish near the garbage cans because that is where the stocking trucks stop and unload the fish. I think the "falls" keep the fish from reaching some of the "best water". It is better than no trout fishing and you don't have to contend with water release from the dam!

Tight Lines- Ken

[sulross]

Nov 29, 2018 19:43:10 GMT -6 flyfishermann1955 said:

J-P,

Agree, I have seen many a lawn-chair fisherman take his limit back to the camper and return for another limit. The only times I've seen a game warden at the Blue were up in the Catch & Release section. Most of the fish I've caught at the Blue, going back to 2000, were in the "less trouty-looking water". It's a "put and take" trout fishing location, so there is no desire to really spread the fish out. I've heard this, and my experience makes it seem true; fish near the garbage cans because that is where the stocking trucks stop and unload the fish. I think the "falls" keep the fish from reaching some of the "best water". It is better than no trout fishing and you don't have to contend with water release from the dam!

Tight Lines- Ken

While you can find fish near the cans, I would encourage anyone on here that fishes the Blue to get off the main stocking points. The river will surprise you, as the fish do disburse out into the back channels. Fishing among the rocks away from the crowds will put you into some fantastic fishing, especially on the river from the parking lot at the top of the hill. Walk back and fish the water that no one else is fishing. You'll find places where small currents and stretches of rocks will put a fish in the net every third, or fourth, cast.  I've had the same results off of Hwy. 7 downstream from the C&R back to the Hwy.