Fly Fishing the Chisolm Trail

Lake Nocona largemouth bass caught on fly in April along the shores of Lake Nocona.

The first thing that comes to mind when Texans mention Nocona is boots. I’ve got some, and if you are a boot wearing Texan, chances are you have a pair too. Nocona makes good boots, and Nocona also has an interesting lake by the same name.

HISTORY OF NOCONA TEXAS
Nocona isn’t named after boots. It’s named after Peta Nocona, chief of Noconi band of Comanches, and father of Quannah Parker. Nocona is the last stop on the Chislom Trail before crossing the Red River into Oklahoma.

The other name synonymous with boots is Justin, and in an interesting twist, the origins of Justin boots can be traced and tied to Nocona as well. Regardless of the boot industry, Nocona is another of those towns, where the west begins, that not surprisingly owes its existence to the railroad.

About fifteen miles north of Nocona, near where Salt Creek enters the Red River, is the Red River Station – the actual place where cowboys moved their cattle along the Chisolm and across the river.

The lake is a hybrid itself, combining two segregated areas – one public access, and the other private gated communities.

One thing you will always find is that a more concentrated population also brings much more concentrated wear and tear on those areas deemed public. And Lake Nocona is no exception. The trash and filth along the public areas is phenomenally bad. I make a pretty concerted effort to look past all the trash wherever I go (and pick up as time allows), but we’re talking hypodermic needles, broken glass, monofilament … on, and on. I am guessing that it’s hard to get folks together and clean up their meager public access areas when they look across the lake at the huge lake houses … it’s a place where the public areas are certainly used by the 99-percent while the 1-percent appear to own the best 90-percent of the lake.

Lake Nocona is also extremely low, and that also has a tendency to expose trash that was lurking just under the surface. It also makes walking easier, and kayak fishing a much more attractive proposition.

The topography of the lake is varied, with naturally rocky points, a rip rap dam, coves and emerging points that can make power boat navigation a challenge. Otherwise, there’s plenty of open water on a lake that covers 1,323 acres. The water is pretty clear, and submerged vegetation is already pretty dense. I did locate a few fish in the backs of coves, but most of the flat cove habitat is lacking in bedding that bass desire.

What I did happen onto, was a point where young pound to pound-and-a-half largemouth bass were schooling and shredding baitfish. There haven’t been a lot of times that I have been able to experience large numbers of schooling largemouth bass, but it was an experience I won’t soon forget. These fish were very wild, green and full of fight. They fought pound-for-pound as good as the best largemouth bass I have ever caught.

Although their sizes were virtually identical, these fish were surprising in their ariel displays, long hard runs and sheer determination to win. It took me awhile to get over the typical four to six huge jumps I got from virtually every fish, and settle into a calm battle royale. After catching about fifteen of these mean green bass, I had all I could take, and called it a day.

On subsequent visits to Lake Nocona, between shifts, the crappie were also in full spawn and found quite easily in the back ends, and deepest portions of coves. A slow drag of a Clouser minnow – bright colors like white over white with lots of silver flash – proved deadly to the count of two to three dozen crappie on each outing.

Part 2 of On The Road: Fly Fishing Lake Nocona Texas will highlight the other things to see, Texas history, near Lake Nocona.

What a load of crap-pie! The crappie are plentiful on Lake Nocona, Texas, as are largemouth bass. Check back this coming week for a detailed report for fly fishers and some Texas History for non fly fishers.

FROM PURGATORY
It all started a couple of weeks ago when my significant other thought she heard a water leak. Digging the new water line ourselves, or having it dug by our plumber was a numerical no-brainer – $300. we dig, $1200. he digs.

Along the way my shovel ready significant other, digging oh so shallowly, cut our Verizon FIOS line. Not chewed, not frayed, no it was cut clean just six inches below our organic lawn.

A few days with no TV or super high speed “interwebs” was followed by a temporary top of ground wire running from across the neighborhood street to our side of the street and to the house. We were connected, but it’s pretty embarrassing when the only line in the street leads to our house.

Finally, after multiple calls, independent contractors show up to bury the line. Suddenly, they tell me the line had just been jerked free of its splice and of course that’s not their department. They said they would call the crew out to do that job. Two more days disconnected follow – to and through this day.

Now if you can feel my pain, then you too may be self employed, internet dependent and working from home. Imagine communication grinding to a gear grinding halt during the busiest month so far this year. The horror …

The Fishing

Not only did the disconnect do a number on work, it also did a number on the fish communiques. So what’s been happening this week?

First, let me start with the last, and say if you are texting me looking for tips and / or hotspots, you can give it up. Here’s the word – GO SOUTH where it’s a little warmer and maybe you can find a place to escape this incessant wind as well. Conditions from where I sit (alongside the Chisholm Trail and near the Red River) are windy and remarkably cool and will probably continue to be erratic through the next couple of days.

SATURDAY – I am a bit hesitant to recommend you make a run to Lake Fork for the kayak fishing tournament with the weather conditions changing so drastically in the last two days. Weather looks to be smoothing out, but it will still probably make fishing difficult in a tournament setting on that lake.

Still Working – I have all the pieces of a story on Lake Nocona and a visit to the end of the road – Spanish Fort, Texas. Now that I have some down time from work, I will pull all that together, and (with internet connections willing) get that out in two parts beginning Monday. It’s a heck of an adventure, not one to set any worlds on fire though. Think of Nocona as a place to go on a nice Sunday with a pace like you’re going to church.

LOSS – Levon Helm died this week after a lengthy battle with throat cancer. This loss is hard to measure. He was a vital part of my music scene the last few years, and sparked a deeper interest in The Band and that volume of work. Thank you Mr. Helm.

And lest I forget, I was asked to take a look at a pond last night to do an “inventory” – see what it had. It’s an older pond and my friend who owns it built it, so he knows the contours and what’s gone into it. The question is; what’s still in it? I know, it’s a tough job, but someone had to do it. If I can come up with some photographs after the weather warms to normal, I will detail this expedition for you. Believe me, it looks like an expedition – to Africa – where this pond is located.

NEWS – We have bass starting to make their way into shallow waters in North Texas NOW, and from what I’ve seen the last two outings, we could very well be looking at a bumper crop of large largemouth bass. I am sighting carp as well, but they are very green and spook at their own shadows right now.

For Lake Ray Roberts, all we need is a bit more rain to lead to rising waters on flats and foraging by a fresh crop of carp. Of course there’s a munching period in preparation for the spawn, then the spawn (where almost no carp is thinking about anything but spawning – so mannish are they), and a post spawn bite that reminds me of a cigarette in bed afterwards.

If you want to ply the newly flooded coves, right now early and late will reveal a topwater bite – small fish including crappie learning their way around the coves, and if you try deeper sandy bottoms, you may come across largemouth bass shopping for their annual bassinet – think dull colored Clouser and crustaceans like crayfish patterns — small, very small.

FLY TO TIE NOW – I suggest you tie yourself some shallow Clouser minnows with lightweight eyes, or even beadchain eyes. You already know I am a fan of the jig hooks, and even a #2 or #4 in the Eagle Claw Hook is proportionally small enough and alleviates the worry about the fly running hook-up. Otherwise, look at a standard Mustad 34007. For thread, go with a plain brown, and a contrasting green or gold midge flash – plenty of flash. Eyes can be brass beadchain, and it looks like they prefer the better black lead eyes (ones that actually have hourglass shape).

METHODS – For big bass, it’s a low and slow retrieve, and think fluorocarbon leader to get it down to the bottom quick (bass aren’t visibly shallow right now – they’re at 3-5 feet). If you’re curious about the topwater bite, it’s a mono leader and either weedless Seaducers or poppers – and let me know what happens!

PONDS – With all the fresh water, your local pond, if it’s clearing, should be ON. Throw everything you have into it, and continue to think early and late. I will bring you some pond action and action from Lake Kiowa before month’s end.

End Note – There is some bass video “in the can,” but Momma’s in town, and we southern boys have to entertain our Ma’ when they’re around.