I’m not sure you could ask for a better day: overcast and rain (my kind of weather for fly fishing).
I fished from 8:00-12:30 on two separate streams south of I90 today. Both watershed were a bit tea colored (ideal for nymphs and streamers). I fished a pink (yes, pink) scud as a trailer to a wire bodied Prince to start, then switched over to an orange scud with a PT trailer until the walk back out when i switched over to a modified Zoo Cougar. The ZC didn’t do much, but this stream doesn’t have a huge forage fish base, so I went with a bugger (presented downstream) and tagged a few.
At the second stop, the rains were just starting, but I tied on a tandem rig of Light Hendrickson nymphs and emergers as the stream I was on has this hatch. I caught a few average sized fish when the skies opened and the rains came. I switched over to a smaller bugger pattern tied with ice dub and black hackle with some plit shot and did very well with many 14-15 inch fish. The last power hole I fished, I caught and landed (and tape measured) a 20 inch brown. It was real silver and washed out, but the other browns from this stream were not, so I have no idea why the change in coloration.
The weeds are getting high and the gnats and black flies will undoubtedly be here in short order. Streams were stable when I left despite some pretty heavy rains at times. Many streams may not be clear enough for dries, but the nymphing should be excellent.
Take care,
D.A.
