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Kayak Fly Fishing Lower Mountain Fork (Fishing Report)
#11039723
08/13/15 05:34 PM
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 507
FishyB
OP
Pro Angler
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OP
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 507 |
My son, a buddy and I are heading up to LMF for a kayak bass fishing trip. We are using WW Trade Post for our shuttle service and will be floating the 10 mile stretch. Put in will be Re-regulation Dam and take out at where the WW Trade Post sign is located.
Trying to get our head around.....do we really try to get any fishing in from the dam to Hwy 70 or do we simply enjoy the ride and hit it once we clear the falls? The chute on river left looks like a lot of fun; fishing looks like it would be minimal at best. Was thinking that there might be places to fish in the rock garden though. Any thoughts on this?
Lastly, thought we would primarily throw clousers and wooley buggers; would appreciate some suggestions for this river!
Thanks, FishyB
Last edited by FishyB; 08/24/15 08:42 PM.
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Re: Kayak Bass Fishing Lower Mountain Fork
[Re: FishyB]
#11039884
08/13/15 06:36 PM
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 4,146
Robert Hunter
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 4,146 |
I have caught some great fish below the rock garden. Only fly I would add are a few crayfish patterns. There are done really good size spots in there as well as small and largemouth, walleye, and gills really pretty long ears with that clear water. It should be a great trip. I know the run is latter in that cool water but I think around may you can stand at the rock garden and slay slob sandies all day. May be some resident fish in the river.
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Re: Kayak Bass Fishing Lower Mountain Fork
[Re: FishyB]
#11040056
08/13/15 08:07 PM
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 507
FishyB
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OP
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Joined: May 2014
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Thank you for the information Robert. This is the first time on this stretch of river, so it will be an exciting trip. Looking forward to a good report next week on the forum!
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Re: Kayak Bass Fishing Lower Mountain Fork
[Re: FishyB]
#11040401
08/13/15 10:58 PM
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 225
YAKnIT
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 225 |
I haven't kayak'd it and did not bring my fly rod, but I have floated it several times in a canoe and fished it. It's definitely worth fishing from the regeneration dam down to chute. We did not do well right below the dam, but just a bit further we did better. It was also good just below the chute, below the falls. We caught largemouth, kentucky bass, a couple of drum, one channel cat, some goggleye perch (that's what the locals call them), and a couple of walleye. I'm sure the smallies are in there but we did not catch them. There might even be a few holdout trout but I would not target them.
Definitely bring some crawfish patterns, the bass eat 'em up on the mountain fork. If you find a rocky bank that has some depth to it, definitely throw a craw right up against the rocks and strip it back immediately, let it fall a bit as it gets out to deep water. Hang on after the first strip or two. We throw small plastic craws on spin tackle and that works very well. Orange is a good color.
The area between the dam and the chute has some areas that are very deep and have some current, so bring some weighted flies. After the falls it widens out and there aren't nearly as many rocks. There will probably be thick weed beds on either side in some areas there. Definitely worth trying the edges of those weeds.
Good luck and keep us posted.
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Re: Kayak Bass Fishing Lower Mountain Fork
[Re: FishyB]
#11041055
08/14/15 03:43 AM
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 5,601
Mckinneycrappiecatcher
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 5,601 |
Smallies, largemouth, spots, walleye, drum, trout, big bluegill, hybrids, striper, and even catfish there is a little bit of everything down there. Usually in June-August lots of medium sized gizzard shad show up at the base of the rereg dam and all through that area and big fish of all types follow. All fish down there like small olive colored crawfish patterns.
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Re: Kayak Bass Fishing Lower Mountain Fork
[Re: FishyB]
#11041288
08/14/15 12:50 PM
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 878
FWBanger
Pro Angler
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Pro Angler
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 878 |
crawfish patterns for sure. my buddy caught a good sized trout when it hit a crawfish crank bait on topwater. i caught some decent lmb in that area and a few little smallmouths. i caught a small walleye on a rapala minnow but it shook off just as i was lifting it out of the water. i didn't use my fly rod very much on the last trip because the water was moving me pretty quickly. that is a beautiful stretch of river!
Last edited by FWBanger; 08/14/15 12:52 PM.
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Re: Kayak Bass Fishing Lower Mountain Fork
[Re: FishyB]
#11041373
08/14/15 01:23 PM
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 507
FishyB
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Thanks guys for the awesome information!!! It wasn't bad enough that I had already mentally checked out for the week due to this trip, but you guys have really made me get fish on the brain. Sounds like LMF is the only cure, lol. Sounds like crawfish are certainly in order, need to get some on the way out of town. Thanks again.
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Re: Kayak Bass Fishing Lower Mountain Fork
[Re: FishyB]
#11046743
08/17/15 02:51 PM
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 507
FishyB
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Pro Angler
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OP
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Fishing report from the weekend and lessons learned. We got to WW Trading Post at 8:00 AM, opening time. Finally made it to the launch point at Re-Regulation Dam and ready to go by 9:30 AM. Immediately went over to river left from the launch point and fished some calm water along the shore line and back into the rapids. Knuckles pulled in the first catch for the day, a nice sized perch using a shad fly. I started out with a chart/white clouser and had zero response, so switched over to a size 8 gold bead head white flash wooley bugger and it was game on, literally stopped counting the bluegill, perch and small bass. Oh yeah, we had the entire North American Plastic Rental Navy there to help too, LOL! These guys caused many pile ups during the first 3 mile stretch in the rocks and chute. Personally, it was great to see so many people just simply enjoying a beautiful day on the river and trying out kayaking and canoeing. Before we got to the chute on river left, I managed to pull my personal best rainbow trout at approximately 18". Great fight and a lot of fun. Would love to have had more of a chance to get into more of these guys! We made it through the chute with no issue, zig zagging around all the other kayaks and canoes. However, I managed to not make such a graceful landing off the waterfall. It was refreshing to say the least and managed to not loose any gear, bonus! Strong pulled a nice bass out between the falls and Highway 70. We got to the Highway 70 bridge at 1:30 PM and still had 7 miles to go and extraction was set for 5:00 PM. We had to get a little selective on spots to fish and yet still make good time. Here is Knuckles stretching his legs, but still making use of the time to fish. Around 5-1/2 miles down river, Knuckles took a bad angle through a narrow chute and got flipped and pinned up by a tree in the water. He did exactly what Strong and I told him to do in case this happened. One, stand up if you can otherwise, two, go down feet first. Strong got Knuckles to the shore while I went back up into the narrow chute to retrieve the kayak. Managed to get it unpinned from the first tree just for it to get hung up on a stump, what luck. The drag chain line was apparently wrapped around the stump, so managed to cut the line and get the kayak free and to the shore. The kayak was stripped clean of everything, but Knuckles was safe. Crazy enough, his fly rod tip started to swirl around in an eddy that was behind the chute, so I managed to paddle over and after several attempts of it surfacing and then submerging, I got it. Total items either MIA or DOA, Apple iPhone, spinning rod and reel, sunglasses, hat, fishing lanyard with all tools, oh yeah, paddle. Safe and sound son is priceless. This situation was a game changer for the remainder of the trip. I towed Knuckles the last 4-1/2 miles. FYI, Murphy's Law applies to kayaking while towing. If there is a tree in the middle of a river and you are towing. You will for sure in every instance, split and wrap yourself around said tree. Happened twice! Lessons Learned....... 1) leashes on paddles, 2) 10 miles is too long of a trip, when limited on time; really thinking that 5 miles is optimal if you want to fish hard, 3) water proof phone cases. Proud dad here with his favorite son..... I can say that, I only have one. Oh yeah, great tip from Knuckles. To avoid sun burned ankles while kayaking; wear your favorite lucky socks! We are ready to go back. Here is the video https://youtu.be/TmEgNILpWug. Thanks for reading. Tight Lines. FishyB
Last edited by FishyB; 08/17/15 04:50 PM.
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Re: Kayak Bass Fishing Lower Mountain Fork
[Re: FishyB]
#11048426
08/18/15 05:32 AM
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 4,146
Robert Hunter
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 4,146 |
Great stuff y'all even found one of those long ears.
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Re: Kayak Bass Fishing Lower Mountain Fork
[Re: FishyB]
#11048443
08/18/15 08:07 AM
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 206
Capt. Brendan
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 206 |
Nice post! What life jackets are you using.
USCG Licensed Captain & Fly Fishing Guide @ Fishing Bear Lodge
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Re: Kayak Bass Fishing Lower Mountain Fork
[Re: FishyB]
#11048527
08/18/15 12:01 PM
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 507
FishyB
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OP
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 507 |
Hey Robert, we found more than one! Just stopped taking pictures so we could keep fishing! Skrittelz, they are MTI jackets from Academy. I think we paid less than $60.00 each for them. Not sure if y'all watched the video, it turned out pretty good for a first time attempt, lol. FishyB
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Re: Kayak Bass Fishing Lower Mountain Fork
[Re: FishyB]
#11059468
08/23/15 11:44 PM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 715
Cowtown Kid
Pro Angler
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Pro Angler
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Posts: 715 |
Glad everyone got out of the river safe and sound. It sounds like that was one of those fishing trips you will remember forever. Thanks for the pictures and the story! If you are like me you are ready for your next big adventure.
Rick Irving "The Cowtown Kid" Kayak Fisherman and Real Estate Broker
Angling may be said to be so like the mathematics that it can never be fully learned. ~Izaak Walton
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Re: Kayak Bass Fishing Lower Mountain Fork
[Re: FishyB]
#11059598
08/24/15 12:38 AM
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,863
formula462
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,863 |
great report and vid..cudos from a fellow lefty fly slinger and great sea legs in the pescador
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Re: Kayak Bass Fishing Lower Mountain Fork
[Re: FishyB]
#11060530
08/24/15 03:24 PM
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 507
FishyB
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OP
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Posts: 507 |
We are more than ready for the next big adventure Cowtown Kid, it's funny since we bought these kayaks, we haven't fished the same body of water twice, lol. Certainly makes for a learning curve each time one goes fishing, but boy is it fun!!
Thanks Formula462! Yeah, Knuckles has better cat like ninja skills than me to even think about standing up on the Pescador, LOL! He really started fly fishing with me in late May, he has come a long way in a short time; in fact I think he casts better than me.
Fall baseball practice starts this week and first games are 09/12, so need to get at least one more trip in before the season ramps up. Too many activities and not enough fishing time!
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Re: Kayak Bass Fishing Lower Mountain Fork
[Re: FishyB]
#11060574
08/24/15 03:47 PM
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 5,601
Mckinneycrappiecatcher
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 5,601 |
That sure looks like fun. From the pictures it appears the water was rolling below the rereg dam which can certainly make for so very dangerous conditions. Glad yall are ok and caught some good fish.
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