Still seeing a few in the afternoon in TMA/C&R section, BUT... the main hatch is now mostly above the TMA, I'd say from Whittemore Pool right up to the dam is where I'd wanna be for the afternoon hatch. Still medium to heavy spinner falls in the TMA, we've been seeing them at the traditional evening time, as well as mornings too of late. The spinners usually keep going for a good week after the hatch ends. Flow is medium-low & very wadeable at 219cfs total flow in the TMA, with 143cfs from the dam in Riverton, and 76cfs from the Still River. Local guide Pat Torrey picked up a 22" holdover brown Sunday on a Pheasant Tail nymph. A lot of people have a hard time telling recently stocked large Two Year Old browns from true holdovers. These recent intros will range from 14-20" and are unusually fat. They all have a clipped adipose fin, and a orange dye mark (elastomer tag) behind their LEFT eye. Color will vary, but some have bright, holdover-like coloring, some are paler. The true holdovers will not be so unnaturally fat, a year from now they will have normal girth to them. Some of the bigger/fatter ones have been 20" & pushing 4 pounds!
The hot weather of late has most of the green leaves out on the trees now, which means the real Caddis hatches cannot be far behind. I'm catching trout subsurface on Caddis Pupa already, and I saw a few larger specimens in the TMA/C&R section Sunday night, in the #14-16. I love Caddis hatches, I catch some of my biggest trout of the year during Caddis time by nymphing deep with the pupa. Typically they hatch in the mornings, and egg-lay in the evenings, giving you a second "hatch". This is a general rule, we often see them hatching & egg-laying in the afternoons too, especially if it's cloudy- they are a creature of low light. Soon enough will also see the big March Browns/Gray Foxes, nice big bugs in the #10-12 range!
The C&R section was stocked 4/28 & 4/29 with thousands of trout trout, including 1,000 Two Year Old Survivor Strain brown trout which average over 16 inches and some of which are bigger and top out at 3 1/2 to 4 pounds- they put in some hefty trout this year. Many are confusing the recent large Two Year Olds that the state put it with big holdovers. Suffice it to say that if you catch a 16-20" insanely obese brown in the C&R section, chances are it was stocked recently. This years Two Year Olds have a left eye orange dye mark & a clipped adipose fin. Trout are being caught on the surface using a combination of Hendricksons (sz 12-14), Hendrickson Spinnners (sz 12-14), Winter Caddis (sz 18-22), Tan Caddis (sz 16-18), Blue Wing Olives (sz 16-24), and Mahogany Duns/Blue Quill (sz 16-18). Heaviest angling pressure has been in the TMA, but the double-edged sword is that it also holds the most fish and the most holdovers/wild fish. Outside of the TMA sees less pressure, but still plenty of trout. Most anglers focus on the major pools, so if you fish the "In Between Water" you should be able to get more elbow room. Trout are currently being caught via all methods: wets, dries, nymphs & streamers with many big fish have been landed over the past 2 weeks, both holdovers & recently stocked two years.
Subsurface,
Hendrickson nymphs (sz 12-14) Golden Stoneflies (sz 8-12), Pheasant
Tails (sz
12-18), Olive/Green Caddis Larva (sz 14-16), Princes (sz 12-18), and Yellow Sparkle Prince
(sz 12-16) have been working well, Flashy/attractor-type nymphs, have
been working well on the recently stocked
trout and on the occasional holdover.
Streamers such as Rich Strolis's Ice Pick are still landing some of the truly giant trout, but unlike a couple of weeks ago when the waters were cold, they should be more aggressively fished in the shallower quick water between the pools, targeting rocks, cutbanks, downed trees and other river debris that create current breaks for the trophies to hold behind. Smaller streamers, such as the famous Wooly Bugger are catching many trout by letting them sink into the deep pools then retrieving with short (two foot or so) quick strips. As always, the key to fishing streamers is to keep moving.... you are triggering the most aggressive trout into attacking, if nothing happens after a few casts, its time to move a few feet to throw into some virgin water. Also play with colors & sizes, it can make a BIG difference. The low light periods of early & late ate the prime times to target bigger trout with streamers, overcast or rainy days too.
UpCountry Sportfishing is always looking for good used fly fishing gear for cash and trade. This is how we get those great items we list on our website and you see on our racks. We buy fly rods, reels, quality classic bamboo, and fly tying equipment etc. Bring in your old items and we can help turn them into something new. Call ahead for an appointment at 860-379-1952.
Streamers such as Rich Strolis's Ice Pick are still landing some of the truly giant trout, but unlike a couple of weeks ago when the waters were cold, they should be more aggressively fished in the shallower quick water between the pools, targeting rocks, cutbanks, downed trees and other river debris that create current breaks for the trophies to hold behind. Smaller streamers, such as the famous Wooly Bugger are catching many trout by letting them sink into the deep pools then retrieving with short (two foot or so) quick strips. As always, the key to fishing streamers is to keep moving.... you are triggering the most aggressive trout into attacking, if nothing happens after a few casts, its time to move a few feet to throw into some virgin water. Also play with colors & sizes, it can make a BIG difference. The low light periods of early & late ate the prime times to target bigger trout with streamers, overcast or rainy days too.
UpCountry Sportfishing is always looking for good used fly fishing gear for cash and trade. This is how we get those great items we list on our website and you see on our racks. We buy fly rods, reels, quality classic bamboo, and fly tying equipment etc. Bring in your old items and we can help turn them into something new. Call ahead for an appointment at 860-379-1952.
