Late summer fishing can get technical, especially when it comes to the small dry fly game on slow to moderate flat water pools. Most of the hatches (with a few exceptions fortunately, like Isonychia) are of tiny bugs (#22-26 & smaller), which require you to be on your "A" game. Wading needs to be slow & stealthy so you don't spook your quarry by sending shock waves through the water. Casts need to be dead accurate, as trout generally won't move more than an inch or two to either side to eat a #24 dry. Fly size can be more important than the exact pattern, with smaller usually being better: trying to force a #20-22 on a trout that is focusing on #24-26 flies is a recipe for catching no fish. Leaders should be long & light (at least 12', and I like to add tippet to that) to separate your fly from the splashdown of your fly line, and to help get a natural, drag-free float. I like longer tippets 3-5' feet for this game, they tend to land in "S" curves, which buys you some drag-free float time. The thin tippets (6x-8x) are not to make your small dries invisible, but rather to help you get a natural, drag-free drift (thinner tippets are both limper/more flexible, as well as tending to land with a little slack in them). I often hear customers say they like a particular leader because "it straightens right out on the water"- well guess what, if your leader lands poker-straight, you have instant drag, you need a little slack in your tippet. Subtle drag is often impossible for you to see from 30-40' away, which is another reason to get as close as is reasonable/possible to rising fish. Learn how to make a Reach Cast, which will show the trout your fly before anything else, as well as giving you both a longer & better float. Trout will often get into a rhythm where they rise at precise intervals- if it's 10 seconds between rises, make sure your fly drifts over them in an accurate drag-free float at the precise moment the fish is ready to make its' next rise. Pat yourself on the back for every fish you catch on a small dry here in the late summer.
Flows remains excellent & normal at a total of 241cfs in permanent Catch & Release/C&R (226cfs from dam in Riverton, 15cfs from Still River) and the water temps are great (upper 50s/low 60s lately). Weather has been just the way I like it, with long range highs averaging in the 70s, and lows in the 50s (even mid 40s some nights!). Tricos are currently the morning glamour hatch, with the spinners falling when air temps are in the mid/upper 60s.
FYI we currently have a big selection of used rods/reels, many are listed on the website, but some purposely are not, so stop by the store and take a peek. Please no phone inquiries for unlisted used rods/reels, they are for walk-in customers only, plus we are so busy we don't have time to run through all the used equipment in the store over the phone.
Recently arrived, the brand new Scott G rod (this replaces the G2). This is not the original G rod, but rather the new incarnation in this series using the latest graphite & high-tech construction. Louis that work here has been fishing a prototype of the new G in the 9' #4 version, and he feels it is one of the finest 9' #4's he has ever fished. FYI we also have the new Sage Spectrum series of reels here now, and they are impressive. We've also received tons of new fly tying materials in recent weeks, and a book order came in this week (plus we got in 2 BIG collections of used books, and most are up on the shelves now).
The Trico hatch (#22-26 ) is getting stronger, and are typically on the water in early to mid mornings. The spinners tend to fall at an air temp of about 68 degrees. They are at least as far up as Pipeline Pool/Lyman's Rock, and quite likely above that up into Riverton by now. Other morning hatches you might see are Needhami #24-26 (getting near the end though), and the Summer/Winter Caddis #18-24. Afternoons are more about terrestrials, and look for Flying Ants (#18-24) if we get a warm & humid day. Later in the day, look for Isonychia #10-14 (usually about 5pm 'till dark), small Blue Wing Olives (BWO's) #22-26, and Cahills/Summer Stenos #12-14- stay until dark for the best evening dry fly action. There are still a few Sulfurs averaging #18 in Riverton ONLY (from about Hitchcock/Rt 20 bridge up to the dam), but that hatch is almost done
Remember that Isonychia are a fast water bug, so look for hatching activity there. Nymphing is still mostly smaller flies in the #18-22 range, exceptions being Stoneflies #6-12 (brown, golden/yellow), Isonychia #10-14, and Caddis Pupa & Larva #14-16.
Summertime bugs are smaller on average, so when nymphing make sure to downsize your flies. #18-22 nymphs are often the key to success, with fly size more important then the exact pattern (although I prefer either a little flash or a fluorescent hot spot in my small nymphs). I like 5x-6x flurocarbon tippet for fishing small nymphs (5x is usually light enough, but they will sink quicker on a long 6x tippet due to decreased water drag from thinner tippet). If you like to go light on your nymphing tippet, I HIGHLY recommend the new Cortland Ultra Premium Fluorocarbon, it is stronger and more durable than any other fluoro on the market and will save you both flies & fish. 6x in this stuff will break less than 5x in other brands. Some days small flies are the difference between struggling to hook trout versus catching a bunch. The two main exceptions would be Isonychia nymphs #10-14, and big Stonefly nymphs #6-12. Isos are typically active later in the day, say late afternoon through dusk. The evening Cahills are also bigger at #12-14, and can be nicely imitated with either a Fox Squirrel or Hare's Ear nymphs. The big Stonefly nymphs emerge by crawling out onto rocks overnight and in the early mornings, making early/mid mornings prime to fish their large imitations for larger trout. If you do have a big fly on, make sure you also have another pattern in your rig no bigger than a #18, it's more in line with what they are seeing this time of year. Or pair it up with a #16 Caddis pupa.
Top Dry Flies: Tricos #22-26 (AM- spinners fall at 68 degrees air temp), Blue Wing Olives #22-26 (afternoons/eves), Needhami #22-26 (mornings, sometimes well into afternoons), Summer/Winter Caddis #18-24 (mornings in permanent C&R/TMA), Sulfurs #18 (Riverton only, hatch almost over), Cream Cahills/Light Cahills #12-14 (eves), Isonychia #10-14 (fast water, late afternoon thru eves), Beetles & Ants #14-18, Summer Dark Caddis #16-22, Tan Wing/Olive body Caddis #16-18, and an all Tan Caddis #16-18 . The best dry fly activity has generally been in the riffles and the upper end of pools including Pipeline, Roberts, Whittemore, People's Forest, Church Pool, Greenwoods and the Boneyard. Try also blind-fishing with attractors such as Mini Chernobyls #12-16, Monster Beetles #10, Stimulators #10-16 & Hippy Stompers #16-18.
Nymphing has typically been the most productive method from late morning through early evening (when the insect activity is sparsest) and is accounting for the lion's share of truly big fish, using patterns like Caddis Pupa #14-18 (tan, olive-green- Caddis pupa are especially active in the mornings), Antoine's Perdigons #16 (various colors), Attractor nymphs #14-18 (Frenchies #14-18, Egan's Red Dart #14-16, Rainbow Warrior #16-18, etc.), big Stoneflies #6-12 & Pat's Rubber Legs #8-10 (especially in the mornings), Quasimodo Pheasant Tails #12-22, BWO nymphs #16-20, Isonychia #10-14 (mid afternoon thru eves), Fox Squirrel Nymphs #12-16, and Zebra Midges #16-22.