On Nov 7, 8:15 pm, Jim Edmondson wrote:
Hello Halfordian,



"Jim Edmondson" wrote in message
cglobal.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.

Sounds like a good outing. The satisfaction of catching your first on
a fly you tied yourself is quite a thrill -- congratulations.

cheers

oz