fishing the rivers

A little fly fishing in your future? Feel like fishing for lunker rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout, or cutthroat trout — or just want to take in the beautiful views down by the riverside — or how about a lazy river float?! You will be 15 minutes away from the White River and the North Fork River, since Mockingbird Bay Resort just so happens to be the closest lake resort to the rivers…(you’re WELCOME!).

Want an excellent river guide? Not a problem. Call Mike from Osborn Guide Service and tell him Mockingbird sent ya!

What to know

Below the Norfork Lake Dam is the North Fork River.  Aka known as the “Norfork tailwaters”), it stretches a mere 5 miles before joining the White River. Like the White River, the North Fork River is awesome for world-class trout fishing! This five-mile stretch of water has produced literally hundreds of 10-pound-plus brown trout, including a 34-pounder and a 38-pound, 9-ounce former world record that is still the second-largest brown trout ever recorded, worldwide. The current state-record brook trout (5 pounds) also came from the North Fork.  Most fish caught here are rainbows from 11-14" long, but fishing is exceptional for all 4 species of trout—brook, rainbow, cutthroat, and brown. 

The Norfork National Fish Hatchery is an important part of the fishing puzzle – supporting the economic and recreational wellbeing of fishing in these parts.  You’ll definitely want to stop there and take a look around. Dry Run Creek, at the outflow of the Norfork National Fish Hatchery, is a short stretch of nutrient-rich water that has an excellent trout population.  Bank fishing at this location is very popular, but it has been set aside as a special catch-and-release location for properly licensed disabled anglers and for kids under 16. And tackle restrictions do apply:  Only artificial lures with a single barbless hook – and fishing is allowed from sunrise to sunset only.