We didn't fish this past weekend thanks to the water conditions on our local rivers and streams. It wasn't too much water; it was too much heat and clear, bright skies, and because of this our rivers hit the mid 70's Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We don't fish for trout when the water temps approach 69-70, as they are already unduly stressed from their environment.
I did go down to the South Branch last evening after the rains, but a check of the water temps showed they hadn't cooled enough. So I did some recon, checking a bunch of spots I like to fish to see if there was any activity. I saw fish rising in every spot, and was happy to sit on the bank and watch them feed unhurried and seemingly without a care. I also took plenty of mental notes and set some landmarks in my head for another day i.e. there is a nice brown sitting in a bird bath along the bank just off a large sycamore tree whose roots are surrounding a large boulder on the bank - you are welcome to it if you can find the spot, it's a tricky drift over a myriad of current speeds after a tough back cast....just the way we like it.
I did go down to the South Branch last evening after the rains, but a check of the water temps showed they hadn't cooled enough. So I did some recon, checking a bunch of spots I like to fish to see if there was any activity. I saw fish rising in every spot, and was happy to sit on the bank and watch them feed unhurried and seemingly without a care. I also took plenty of mental notes and set some landmarks in my head for another day i.e. there is a nice brown sitting in a bird bath along the bank just off a large sycamore tree whose roots are surrounding a large boulder on the bank - you are welcome to it if you can find the spot, it's a tricky drift over a myriad of current speeds after a tough back cast....just the way we like it.
I fished again tonight for a while. The river was up from the storms, but cooler, and the color of dark tea. It should clear overnight and cool considerably, so we should be in for a good week of fishing if you can get out. Here's a shot from this evening.
What else? Be prepared when you do go out with a variety of hatch matching flies. If you are a nymph junkie (you know who you are), fish the flies you have confidence in and maybe go down a size or two from where you were a few weeks ago.
Finally, and I know the suspense is killing you, here's what you need to be prepared for hatch-wise:
Sulphurs - sizes 14-20.
Light Cahills - sizes 12-14.
Pink Cahills (Stenacron sp.) - size 12 - this is a large cahill whose body is tinted an orangy-pink color.
Isonychia/Slate Drake - sizes 10-12.
Tan Caddis (Hydropsyche sp.) sizes 14-18 - Prime time for fishing the Iris Caddis.
Gray Caddis - sizes 16-20
Rusty Spinners - sizes 14-20 - Just about any time of they day when you see trout softly sipping something you cannot see off the surface (the trout are leaving a bubble), fish a rusty spinner. Check the water surface and hopefully you will see the naturals and can choose the appropriate size to use. If you don't see anything, err on the smaller side; start with a size 16 and go down from there.
That's it for today.
5 comments:
What no craneflies? Some people who like to stir the pot swear by them . ....pun intended .
Good point, Jay. : ) Some folks are so enamored by mayflies they ignore other trout foods. I know a few that don't take caddis seriously.
You can't forget craneflies! With out them what would my Jig-Walts be imitating?
Were is all this cranefly talk coming from?
Mr Q you are apparently a crane fly diva , your fancy crane fly patterns have humbled us all. It's unfortunate crane fly talk brings out such venom in people.
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