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Rory
is a premier North Fork River guide*
who
exclusively guides for the ROLF.
Here is a little background info and tips to let
you get to know Rory a little better
*(Inactive ROLF Guides
Hall of Fame) |
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Background |
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Rory Bridges
I was born in raised in West Plains, MO, just 35 short minutes from the ROLF. As a child I explored the Missouri and Arkansas hills and rivers and developed a special passion for the outdoors. I recently graduated from Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, MO with a B.S. degree in Biology. |
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Frequently on weekends, I would make my way down to the North Fork to clear my mind of the worries of school and work to pursue wild rainbows and hook-jawed browns, after studying of course. I was married to a beautiful woman named Lexi in October of 1999 on the banks of the North Fork approx. 4 miles below the ROLF.
Fishing History
Starting around the age of six I began trout fishing with my father and grandfather on the Spring River in AR. It was at this age I began to develop the needed skills to read water, study food items, and learn how fish feed on these food items. It wasn't until I was
sixteen that I began teaching myself the basics of fly fishing. The more that I learned of this wonderful sport, the more it tightened its grip on me and my appreciation for trout and other fish found in the
Ozarks. I read and read, whatever I could get my hands on, but was especially benefited from the writings and teachings of Dave Whitlock. Time on the water matured me as a fly fisherman faster than anything. I was given the privilege of working an entire summer at Dawt Mill, where I learned every rock, ledge and log of trout water on the North Fork.
Fly Tying
After I began to consistently catch several fish on the North Fork, Spring, and White rivers, I wanted to learn how to tie my own flies. With the help of my brother-in-law, I began the process of dissecting many of the flies that had proven their effectiveness and ability to represent natural food items found in the rivers that I loved to fish. The satisfaction gained from fooling wild rainbows, on the North Fork and wild browns on the White, with flies from your vise can not be replaced, and is the only way a poor college student can afford to fish on weekends.
Present Pursuits and Pleasures of the
Sport
I am now at the 3rd and 4th stages of fly fishing, as Dave Whitlock would say. I am in great pursuit of big, smart fish. I enjoy fishing at night for big
leery browns that give in to the temptation of hunger only at night. I have also began the pursuit of large stripers and walleye in local waters. The beauty of fly fishing is there is always some new twist or a different
species that can be mastered. But my utmost favorite thing about fly fishing is the places it takes you and the beauty of the surroundings I absorb that only our Creator could have made. |
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| Fishing
the North Fork |
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Tactics
If you ever take the time to turn over a few rock, or kick up some moss on the streams bottom to a waiting seine below, you'll find a smorgasbord of food items that trout and bass thrive on.
(more fly fishing tactics from Rory) |
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| The top four invertebrates are stoneflies, mayflies, caddis larvae, and midge larvae. There are also many many bait fishes such as
sculpins, darters, chubs, and crayfish. All of these food items are extremely rich in proteins and are found on or near the bottom of the water column. For these two facts, a large majority of trout in the North Fork are very healthy/fat, and are concentrated on the bottom where all of the grub is. To properly represent these food items with a fly, one must have a perfect or near perfect presentation to persuade these selective fish into taking the imposter.
-Nymphs need to be heavily weighted with a bead or lead wire and properly drifted to bounce directly off the river's bottom. Nymphs are most effective in riffles and runs where the river can provide adequate structure, depth and protection.
-Streamers can either be drifted along the bottom, or swung and stripped back imitating a wounded or fleeing baitfish. This is very effective in all areas of the river, especially runs. Again night fishing with streamers can prove to be very effective to catch those big nocturnal browns.
-Dries are most effective in low light hours such as early morning or late evening. Keep your eyes peeled for surface activity and determine what the fish are rising for.
-Emergers can be deadly during a hatch or right before when fish are keying in on these helpless and vulnerable food items.
-Terrestrials are one of my favorites. During late summer and early fall months these can produce lots of action even with selective trout.
Favorite Flies
-Nymphs: * Kauffman Stonefly (black, brown, and golden), Dave's * red fox
squirrel nymph, gold-ribbed hares ear, prince, pheasant tail, zugbug, scuds.
-Streamers: woolies (olive, brown, black), leaches, near-nuff sculpins,
matuka sculpins, muddlers, near-nuff crawdads.
-Dries: various caddis, stimulators, pmd's, cahills, bwo's, adams,
cracklebacks.
-Emergers: hare's ear, various soft hackles, cracklebacks.
-Terrestrials: Dave's hoppers, parachute hoppers, ants, stimulators.
Season
Half of fishing to me is getting away from the crowds and having a piece of water all to yourself, therefore my favorite times to be on the water are fall all the way through early spring. And I enjoy a lot of night fishing during the summer months. I love to fish during downpours, or right before a storm rolls in. To me, fly fishing is the escape from our busy world that enables us to reflect on life itself as we relish in the midst of creation. |
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If you are
interested in retaining the guiding services of Rory for your
next fishing adventure on the North Fork River, please call or email
Myron for availability and details. Additionally, more
information is available on our
Guides
Page. |
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For
guiding questions,
Please call Myron at 417-261-7777 |
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