Wm Joseph

Wm Joseph

Wm Joseph

Tim's Gear Recommendations

In the November 2007 STREAMSIDE issue, dry fly fishing in the winter was touted as a great way to spend time outdoors.

This past winter was no exception. Midges and winter stoneflies comprised the bulk of the major hatches, with just enough Baetis activity to keep one digging through the fly boxes for the right size and color when the hatch was occurring.

If you had other obligations during winter and couldn't enjoy time on the water in the Cody area, all that was left were day dreams. Your daydreams are about over! Spring is but a few weeks away and North Fork Anglers has some great news for you to read.

Believe it or not, some of the best dry fly action in the Cody/Yellowstone region begins shortly after we celebrate the introduction to another fishing season. This year, the dry fly season began in early February.

Blizzard hatches of tiny blue-winged olives and midges have been occupying our guests and our free time on the lower Shoshone River, when not involved with the day-to-day operations at North Fork Anglers.

To keep in touch with what hatches are occurring, our Web site's Fishing Report page is an easy way to find out why everyone is raving about all those trout noses gulping bwo’s or midges on the surface.

Right now, excellent dry fly fishing is definitely happening in Cody! All of us at North Fork Anglers have been having a certified “hoot” showing anglers willing to take a chance on the weather, that the dry fly fishing can unbelievable in the Banana Belt of Wyoming, prior to spring's arrival.

During the past three weeks, daily surface action has been so incredible that a day disappears too quickly, as the trout gorge themselves on the heavy hatches found only in a quality tailwater. That tailwater is the lower Shoshone River, which begins at Buffalo Bill Dam and extends downstream to the town of Powell. Conveniently, it is also 5 minutes from our back door!

What a great way to work out the kinks in fly lines and waders after a long, cold winter in Cody, and the rest of the Northern hemisphere.

All of us at North Fork Anglers are very excited to see what the rest of 2008 will bring us in regard to bent rods and screaming reels. We hope you are just as excited as us!

Cody Country Fishing Report

Thanks to magazine articles, our web site and fly fishing programs on TV, most of you are familiar with our other more famous freestone rivers, such as the North Fork of the Shoshone or the Wild and Scenic Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone. They provide close to 1500 miles of Blue Ribbon rivers and streams filled with wild, healthy rainbow, native cutthroat, cuttbows, brown trout and brookies.

Historically, the wild trout rivers that drain the East side of Yellowstone and the Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains fish well prior to the advent of spring runoff. This would be the months of March, April and even May in some years.

Pre-runoff is usually nymph or streamer fishing, with some dry fly action as the sun warms the above mentioned watersheds prior to the heavy flush of snowmelt in June. Stoneflies are what the trout see and that is what we recommend in the shop or when guiding on our freestone waters. After runoff (late June), fishing on our larger rivers really "shines" and the trout become eager to take dries and wets with abandon.

Stillwaters, like East Newton Lake, Hogan and Luce Reservoirs also provide great fly fishing March through mid-July, then pick back up again around Labor Day. These lakes are well known, too, for huge bows, cutty's and brown trout.

When runoff ends, usually in late June or early July, the truly fantastic fishing begins in the Cody/Yellowstone area. Stoneflies, caddis, and mayflies provide plenty of dry fly opportunities on the surface. The nymphal stage of these insects also work well, hence the popularity of the North Fork Special.

During the heat of the summer, hoppers, ants and beetles fill in the niches when hatches aren't occurring until later in the day. This continues well into September and early October. After Labor Day, the last hatches of mayflies and caddis begin and will keep the trout occupied until cold weather shuts down the fishing.

Fall fishing begins and goes until mid-December which brings us back to another new year. Twelve months of excellent fly fishing does exist despite the misconception that Cody's in a deep freeze like Jackson Hole.

When the average trout landed is 16 inches and stronger than most trout found elsewhere, why would you not come visit North Fork Anglers and the fishery of which we have been so proud now for almost 25 years?

Whether you decide to hop a plane or get in your personal Trout Mobile and head to Cody for the dry fly fishing happening now, or whether you prefer to fish during the spring, summer and fall seasons, you will find North Fork Anglers ready and willing to guide you or give the right advice when you arrive.

Since North Fork Anglers is one of Wyoming’s oldest fly fishing outfitters, it is time to discuss guided trips and reservations for 2008. Truly, the fly fishing here is so good; many of our guests book for the following year just as soon as their trip is over. We are also an Orvis Endorsed Outfitter and work very hard to insure your trip is the best you've ever had - anywhere!

Because of that, it behooves first timers (or those prone to procrastination!) to call as soon as possible to arrange for guided Float Trips, Walk/Wade Trips, or Backcountry Trips in 2008. Peak guided trip months are July 1- October 30 and the reservation book is filling quickly. Don’t hesitate to email us or pick up the phone and make arrangements for what North Fork Anglers believes to be the best wild trout fly fishing in the lower 48 States!

Guided Trips with North Fork Anglers

When the weather outside hits 40 degrees after it has been hovering below freezing for most of the winter, cabin fever is more than a reality. Time off from work should be spent catching fish, not shoveling snow!

Magazine articles are talking about what flies we need to trick the trout after ice out and TV fly fishing programs are rerunning last summer's "hot" spots. Enough already! Just take me to the river, right?

Fortunately, fly tying can alleviate some of that claustrophic feeling cabin fever brings. Spring is our salvation and we look for any sign that it is on its way as we pass the time tying flies to fill the empty spots in our fly boxes.

As you've already read, BWO's and midges herald the first sign of spring on most Western waters. If we were smart, we have tied up some of these patterns already. If we haven't then we have to get some kind of hide, feather or dubbing on a small hook - and quickly!!

I want to share a pattern that works very well during the first hatch of spring. That pattern is the Sparkle dun. It is easy to tie, even if you are a beginner, and it catches trout like crazy when tiny blue-winged olives (BWO's) are on the water. It is also a pattern that should be in your fly box.

Below is the recipe for this simple, effective fly.

Hook: Any quality dry fly hook (Tiemco, Daiichi, Dai-Riki, Orvis)
Sizes 16-24
Thread: 8/0 or 10/0 Olive (I prefer Uni-Thread or Gudebrod)
Tail: Brown, Copper or Rust Antron/Zelon yarn - your choice
Wing: Elk hair
Abdomen and Thorax: Fine and Dry Blue Winged Olive dubbing
Head: Olive thread

As you can see from the photo and recipe, this fly has 4 steps from start to finish. (Wing, tail, dubbing, head)

1. Attach your thread about 1/3 the length of the hook shank behind the hook's eye.
2. Tie in the wing, tips forward. The wing should equal the length of the shank.
3. Once the elk hair bundle has been tied down tightly, trim the butt ends with a tapered cut. Finish binding down the butt ends.
4. Bring the tying thread to the front of the wing, then use your thumb to flare the wing into a 180 degree 'fan' (see photo). Now, wrap the thread in front of the wing until you have built a 'dam' that stands the wing straight up. You should have a nice tapered look in front of the wing when this step is completed.
5. Tie in the Antron for a tail. Tail length should equal the length of the hook shank. On smaller hooks, divide the Antron strands into thirds, to eliminate bulk on the hook.
6. Dub the Fine and Dry onto your thread (approx. 1 1/2" on a size 16, less on smaller hooks and cover thread wraps as you wind the dubbing up to the head space.
7. Finish by creating a head that tapers back into the dubbing, whip finish, cut thread and glue.

I tied the fly in the photo with lighter colors so you can see the transition between the steps, in case you're wondering why it's a lighter olive than the true color of tiny BWO's.

Once you've tied enough to fill the slots in your fly box, head to Cody and use your creation to catch some trout!

Flies at North Fork Anglers

For the first time ever, North Fork Anglers will hold a photo contest. To enter is easy and simple. Send us your favorite photos of you, a friend, or loved one, wearing an NFA ‘lucky’ hat, T-shirt or any of our other clothing or equipment bearing North Fork Angler’s familiar logo.

A maximum of 3 photographs per person will be allowed. There is no limit as to the number of persons that can send a photo. Tim and Chip will judge these photos and award 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes to the lucky winners. There will also be a “Fan Favorite” photo, judged by all of you via email – 1 vote per fan.

We are holding this contest because many of you have already shared great photos with us that clearly show our North Fork Angler’s logo. These have been posted on our web site or on our Angler’s Bulletin Board, which makes you instantly famous (we hope) amongst friends and family.

We would prefer e-mailed photo submissions in JPEG format; however, we will accept printed photos snail mailed as well. As soon as you receive this newsletter, get busy perusing old and recent photos that you think might win a prize. Remember, North Fork Anglers logo must be clearly seen in order to qualify as a viable contest photo!

What do you receive for all this effort? Besides being seen by millions of other envious anglers on the Internet and gaining instant fame (you know you want it!) you can win some pretty cool stuff.
• First Place: North Fork Anglers Technical long-sleeved fishing shirt and baseball cap. (Your choice of color and style, value $90.)
• Second Place – North Fork Anglers Polo Shirt (Navy or Black, value $50)
• Third place – North Fork Anglers T-shirt (Your choice of art work and color, value $25)
• Fan Favorite: North Fork Angler’s Fly Box, with North Fork Specials (value $20)

Our Photo Contest will end March 30, 2008. Winners will be announced in the May newsletter mailing. Please make sure you have a valid email, or physical mailing address, and phone number accompanying each of your submissions.

(NOTE: Photos submitted may be used by North Fork Anglers in the future on our website, future mailings, or printed material)