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Post by golferjeff on Apr 26, 2017 21:08:19 GMT -6
Life has thrown a curveball for the month of May. I now have 3 weeks free to fish to my hearts content. Beginning May 11th and going to May 30th. I have options in Colorado, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Beavers Bend, and possibly even Saskatchewan. In the U.S., driving the whole time, non 4wd vehicle. Trout in the U.S. and Pike if I head to Canada.
Give me your opinions on where to go or who to visit. Colorado will be in throes of runoff, but I know that state pretty well and can find good fishing (and maybe even a salmonfly hatch). At least 3-4 days will be spent in Beavers bend, trying a few new tactics and getting to know spillway creek a little better. If any of you have experience during May in any of these areas, please share.
White? Little Red? Taneycomo? Buffalo? South Holston? Watauga? Gunnison? Rio Grande tribs? Let me hear from ya!
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Post by hankinsfly on Apr 26, 2017 22:05:34 GMT -6
Pretty good curveball, brother! I can only speak to the White for the month of May, and you would have ample wadeable water and good fishing on the White and Norfork. Still fishing wet flies at this time and the usual nymphs and scuds. I would also consider the San Juan. Never been there, but being a tailwater, it should be protected from the blow out. And the Chama perhaps. You could do a Northern New Mexico tour and hit the Cimarron (small water, good fish and bugs), up to the Red River/Rio Grande near Questa, then West toward the Chama for big browns, continue West to the San Juan, then back to Colorado maybe at Pagosa. Okay, that's it, that's what you need to do. Tailwaters though is what I would focus on.
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Post by attackone02 on Apr 27, 2017 5:40:26 GMT -6
You can hit a lot of great hatches in Pa
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Post by jonbo on Apr 27, 2017 5:42:24 GMT -6
Jeff: I've been to the Great Smoky NP in eastern TN. Fished little mountain creeks for little bitty brook trout. It was a great experience, actually. I don't know about any of these places in May. I always travel in November. The Beaver Lake tailwater by Eureka Springs is a decent spot. We stayed at Spider Creek Resort. It has really nice cabins right on the fishing. Just upstream is camping, I think. I don't know if it's primitive or modern, or both. The Little Red should be good, like many tailwaters, year around. At the White, if you stay at Cotter, you're central to everything. In Cotter, at His Place cabins and next door at the RV camping facility, there's good fishing at Minimum Flow right out in front. Last year when I went to the San Juan I had kind of a bad time, so I don't know what to say, except to agree with Steve that it's less likely to be blown out than other Rocky Mountain locations (better check the dam release charts, though.
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Post by breeden3 on Apr 27, 2017 16:05:56 GMT -6
I would head to Gunnison, float the Gunni several days, then go see what is happening on the C&R of you know where. Maybe even go down to the Uncompaghre river and fish Paco. Big fish in Paco and may be susceptible during higher flows. Then head south and check out the Rio, it shouldn't be too blown out yet. Especially up in the Box or closer to the dam.
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Post by golferjeff on May 2, 2017 8:06:19 GMT -6
Peter - considering that option, but not if they get another foot of snow between now and then. Caddis on the Ark, Mysis on the C&R, worms and Sofa Pillows on the Gunni, I have friends in Ridgway, so Paco is an option, and I always love the upper rio if you can get to it without killing yourself. Watching stream gauges carefully next week....... I may hit you up for some info or directions.
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Post by golferjeff on May 10, 2017 6:46:13 GMT -6
Week of May 14-19 I will be in Arkansas and possibly Missouri, then down to LMF for a day. Fishing with Nathaneal Ferguson on the White and Norfork, then hitting a park in Southern Missouri, then back toward home and stopping to fish Beavers bend Thursday and Friday morning. I still have room for one in the boat MOnday and Tuesday if anyone interested (white or Norfork).
Looks like some version of Colorado May 21-28. Runoff has begun so it might be a challenge finding some fishable water, especially in bigger rivers. Guess I will have to be flexible.
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Post by kingnothing on May 10, 2017 7:41:46 GMT -6
Week of May 14-19 I will be in Arkansas and possibly Missouri, then down to LMF for a day. Fishing with Nathaneal Ferguson on the White and Norfork, then hitting a park in Southern Missouri, then back toward home and stopping to fish Beavers bend Thursday and Friday morning. I still have room for one in the boat MOnday and Tuesday if anyone interested (white or Norfork). Looks like some version of Colorado May 21-28. Runoff has begun so it might be a challenge finding some fishable water, especially in bigger rivers. Guess I will have to be flexible. I'll be there for the 17th through 19th. Would like to meet up with you on Thursday if you can, I am staying at Buckeye in my trailer (with my family), and will be driving a Brown Nissan Titan XD. Sending my cell number by PM, text me if you think we can get together. |
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Post by jonbo on May 10, 2017 11:50:35 GMT -6
Hey Jeff, if I had the opportunity, just for curiosities sake I'd try the North Fork in Missouri for the wild trout, also the Missouri river that supposedly has the wild McCloud strain of rainbow. Myself, I'd be prepared to be skunked though, just as I am whenever I visit Zone II! I think Dain knows something about those places.
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Post by hankinsfly on May 10, 2017 11:59:20 GMT -6
Bull Shoals Dam at low water, all the way. Golf course side.
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Post by dainw on May 10, 2017 17:22:21 GMT -6
Hey Jeff, if I had the opportunity, just for curiosities sake I'd try the North Fork in Missouri for the wild trout, also the Missouri river that supposedly has the wild McCloud strain of rainbow. Myself, I'd be prepared to be skunked though, just as I am whenever I visit Zone II! I think Dain knows something about those places. That would be crane creek and right now would be a great time to fish that. Always fishes better when it's got some water in it. |
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Post by mirvc17 on Jun 7, 2017 8:06:30 GMT -6
So Jeff did you go to Colorado end of May? How was it?
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Post by golferjeff on Jun 7, 2017 19:05:01 GMT -6
long story short.... got sick after Arkansas trip, then had kidney stones, than had daughter's graduation. Never made it to NM, CO, or UT. CO fishing was pretty good when they had a one week lull in runoff due to a cold snap. A friend of mine got a real nice cuttbow on the dream stream May 22nd.
I hope to make it to CO or NM for a 3 day weekend in early August. I have Calgary July 18-23.
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Post by mirvc17 on Jun 8, 2017 16:57:30 GMT -6
Jeff, Really sorry to hear that man--what a tough break. Kidney stones sounds awful. My dad had that way back and I just remember it being an extremely painful experience for him. Plus a graduation...dang, now your kid is an adult too. I hope we can make it up to CO in the fall again. Come fishing with me, I'll keep you out of trouble.  |
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Post by okieman71 on Jun 8, 2017 18:39:58 GMT -6
Hey JP, where did you guys fish in Colorado in the fall??
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Post by mirvc17 on Jun 8, 2017 18:58:22 GMT -6
Jeff was already in CO when I met up with him. I know he hit the Arkansas and I think another river or two. I met up with him in 11 Mile Canyon and then we hit the Dream Stream section for night fishing. 11 Mile Canyon was insanely windy and dusty... it was very tough and we didn't catch much except right before sundown. Lot of vegetation on the bottom too made it frustrating. If I ever fish the Dream again at night, I want to try blind fishing some top water mice patterns with maybe an egg in tow. We went with Jeff's recommended options of eggs and leeches. Jeff scored pretty big but my nice one broke off. We were sight fishing, but I bet we could have blind fished to some nice pools with some big offerings that maybe could have gotten some bites. I was so tired it was hard to keep motivation to fish well into the night... I just wanted to scram (we had a 1 hr drive back) and get to bed.  |
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Post by okieman71 on Jun 8, 2017 19:03:24 GMT -6
I see. Did y'all fish several days??
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Post by mirvc17 on Jun 8, 2017 19:28:11 GMT -6
Just one afternoon and night.
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Post by golferjeff on Jun 8, 2017 20:37:52 GMT -6
Jeff, Really sorry to hear that man--what a tough break. Kidney stones sounds awful. My dad had that way back and I just remember it being an extremely painful experience for him. Plus a graduation...dang, now your kid is an adult too. I hope we can make it up to CO in the fall again. Come fishing with me, I'll keep you out of trouble. You keep cancelling on me!!!!! I know the weather has not been kind to our adventures. CO fall trip is likely October 19-22 or 21-25. I need to get up to speed at this new job, then worry about vacations. I do need to meet up with you at Beavers Bend and crash up spillway with your heavy flies and euro stuff. Stephen and I did it and caught a few each with limited resources. I am now only about 2.25 hours from Broken Bow, so it is tempting if I get healthy one weekend.
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Post by golferjeff on Jun 8, 2017 20:42:13 GMT -6
Hey JP, where did you guys fish in Colorado in the fall?? I fished the Arkansas River, Grape Creek, Eleven mile canyon, the Dream Stream, and Fourmile creek. I caught a few 20-23" fish at night on the Dream, saw plenty bigger. I think my profile pic is an 'average' lake run Brown. We usually go the third weekend in October plus a day or two. I won't make it there much in the summer this year due to new job, so the fall is a must. I hope JP can make it again with some more time to fish. |
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Post by hankinsfly on Jun 8, 2017 21:13:27 GMT -6
Not this fall, but next, count me in guys. This fall my lady and I are going to Europe.
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