What's with the Elk these days?

[drrxnupe]

I fished the Elk from 8 to 1 today. For the first time in a long time, I was completely skunked! Didn't land a single fish (other than a foul hooked sucker). I didn't see any rises nor did I see any submerged fish. I did see a group of guys with fly rods catching a few small blue gill and a small spotted bass.

I must say that the river looked like absolute CRAP! It was muddy and stagnant. There was string algae all over the river. In certain places, it came all the way up to my knees. There was also huge chunks of silt/dirt/dead algae/whatever else floating down stream in the few places that had current.

Would the mild winter have anything to do with this? Is the Hwy 50 construction to blame? Or did I just go fishing on the wrong day?

[mrl0004]

Where did you fish? It has been that way in certain places for a while. I haven't been since February.

[drrxnupe]

Where did you fish? It has been that way in certain places for a while. I haven't been since February.

Started at Farris creek bridge and went downstream about a mile or so. Later went to the dam and waded all the way to the bend and down another 1/2 mile or so. This is only my 2nd year fishing the Elk. It isn't like it was last year.

[Rusty]

I was on that same stretch Tuesday and didn't see a fish for hours.  I've fished it since the mid 80's and can't recall a trip on that section when I did that bad.  However, I did pick up a few but I was on the water from 6 until 3.

[mrl0004]

Started at Farris creek bridge and went downstream about a mile or so. Later went to the dam and waded all the way to the bend and down another 1/2 mile or so. This is only my 2nd year fishing the Elk. It isn't like it was last year.

I like the Farris creek bridge and downstream area. It's where I usually go (publicly anyways  ) From your pic the water looks clear and I remember the dead algae (whatever it is) from last year a lot. As for the lack of fish, maybe they haven't stocked in a while, maybe the water quality has went to hell, or maybe you didn't have the right fly. I definitely had fishless days my first few trips there. I really have no clue. Thanks for the heads up though. I might check it out sometime in the next few weeks.

[David L. Darnell]

I fished it Thursday, before I settled on Ole Dam Ford, I drove to the dam and Ferris Creek, was was gin clear on Thursday. I had the river to myself, worked my rear off and changed many flies for 2 dinks.

I'm hearing that no fish have been stocked this year, need to float and get away from easy access to catch a few.

DD

[Fly Fisher 90]

Same story with me.  Floating and getting away from access points to find the fish. 

Does anyone know if they will be stocking the river soon?  It could sure use it...

[oldmanelrod]

I fished it Thursday, before I settled on Ole Dam Ford, I drove to the dam and Ferris Creek, was was gin clear on Thursday. I had the river to myself, worked my rear off and changed many flies for 2 dinks.

I'm hearing that no fish have been stocked this year, need to float and get away from easy access to catch a few.

DD

Exactly right.

[drrxnupe]

Whew! Makes me feel better that everyone is struggling.

[czkid]

The word I get is that the river was stocked on the 19th or thereabouts... a significant portion of that stocking was with BROOKIES, which has to top the idiot list given the temps and water conditions of the Elk. 

I'm hopefully heading up that way this PM if I can ever get the wife's car out of the service bay and back home.  I'm fearful of seeing the banks littered with dead fish... but maybe we'll get lucky.

More later.

Ralph

[Fred Mertz]

Hey Ralph...great to meet you on the water this afternoon.
Hope you did well.

I walked a long way today for two brookies, but enjoyed it.
Saw a nice young couple at the first bend and the young lady had just caught her first trout on a fly rod...how special! 
You can imagine the beaming grin she had.

Spooked a snake and bumped what looked like a couple of beavers down the river, then took the road back to the bridge.

[mrl0004]

Guys are the brookies colored up at all? I know they are stockers, but sometimes those will still be colorful.

[Fred Mertz]

The ones I caught had some color to them, but not as bright as I've seen.

[czkid]

Absolutely no evidence of stocking at the bridge/dam area.  Fished over 3 hours and only got one tenuous bump.... picked up my rod and drove to Ferris Creek Bridge.  Place was alive with 5 inch browns, obviously they had stocked there.  Caught one about every other cast.

I searched hard for any evidence that they had stocked at the usual spot by the parking lot... no evidence of fish, talked to the crew on the bridge, nada.  I'm wondering if they dumped somewhere downstream from the bridge area.

Sort of a wasted day, compounded by leaving my Hardy style reel with DT5 Sylk line on the roof of the car... that'll teach me to pack up after dark, when I'm tired.

Ralph

[bd]

It seems like on the majority of my trips to the Elk, I've gotten there just after they've dumped in a load of fingerling browns.  They hit eagerly, but after the first few, there's not much challenge or thrill in catching a pile of baby brown trout. 

bd