Jim Edmondson wrote:

Hello Halfordian,

"Jim Edmondson" wrote in message
global.net...

I am planning a trip to the Lower Mountain Fork next week. Any
recent reports or pointers based on past fall fly fishing
experiences there?

Jim

On Oct 27, 5:33 am, "Guy" guytee2 at comcast dot net wrote:

Jim,
Fish the spillway creek which runs from the dam to Zone 1. There is a
little
hiking involved and there are a series of pools all the way to the
top. Stop
by the Beavers Bend Fly Shop and talk to Sid the proprietor. He is
very
helpful.
My best luck has been on spillway creek and Zone 1 just above the
generation
plant.
Good Luck,
Guy


On Nov 7, 10:26 am, "Halfordian Golfer" wrote"
Jim, post a trip report!


Well, here goes. This was my first trip to the Lower Mountain Fork
River in Beaver's Bend State Park in Oklahoma and my fourth "real" fly
fishing trip ever (other trips have been to RMNP, Fryingpan, Smokies,
and Pecos River). Beaver's Bend is known as a "resort" park and is
geared to the summer family getaway with a minature train, stables,
paddle boats - you get the idea. I went during the week to avoid the
weekend crowds. In the winter (Dec - Feb) the crowds are significantly
reduced and the trout fishing is still supposed to be very good. The
park has cabins, RV, and tent sites. Up on the lake is Hochatown State
Park with a decent looking lodge. It is within 10 miles of the upper
river fishing areas.

This is obviously not a wilderness solitude adventure for wild trout -
so you purists out there, please don't flame me! However, it is a great
place for a Texas trout fishing junkie to get a quick fix (6 hour drive
from Houston and 3 hours from Dallas).

The state of Oklahoma and local fly fishing groups have done a
significant amount of re-engineering of the stream channel in an attempt
to create better holding habitat for the stocked rainbows (and a few
browns). This includes "Lost Creek", a diversion creek from one deep
hole to another with a cobble bottom and various habitat structures.
This 1200' "creek" is fly fishing only. (My wife asked "if this was
like a golf course for fly fishermen".) Further plans include the
installation of diffusers in the lake to increase the amount of deep
coldwater drawn into the spillway intakes and ease summer distress on
the fish. All in all, I think that they have done an excellent job
given the conditions they have to work with. The park waters are
stocked every two weeks with fish ranging to over 20" long.

I fished mostly in the Spillway Crrek going upstream from the Lost Creek
parking area. This is fairly rapid water with plunge pools, runs and
some pools. The terrain is limestone and there are a lot of clefts in
the rock where the fish like to hang out. There are relatively few
riffled sections, which I have most success fishing elsewhere.

At this time of year, the trout are mainly caught on nymphs. I saw some
surface action, but could not entice any to strike. Most of the fish
that I caught were dead drifting a tandem nymph rig using BH red fox
squirrel tail or BH breadcrust (#16's) as the point fly with an
unweighted red San Juan worm trailer. Most of the fish were caught on
the worm and a few on each of the nymphs. I also fished with an olive
Wooly Bugger (#8) that was the first fly I tied myself and did quite
well with it fished down and across above the tails of the pools. All
of my catch were rainbows ranging from 6" - 18" and all were released.

That's all that I can think of for now, besides that I plan to try to go
back a couple of more times this winter.



well...that'll do. thanks for sharing. okie trout fishing isn't
exactly a normal concept for me...so i appreciate the descriptions.

jeff (of course, i have trouble concepting a variety of things.)