Here's the deal.
With an overcast sky and a promise of rain, I skipped the morning fishing hoping to find afternoon olives or isos. I found neither. The first bugs I saw were isos that showed up in a heavy rain about 8:15.
My first stop was on the big river where it seemed that I wasn't the only one looking for bugs. The fish were more than happy to eat my fly on blind casts. Most of the fish I rose were yearlings (now between 9 and 10 inches long) but I did land a couple of nice ones.
Second (and last) stop was farther up river where the fish have been fished to. They were much harder to fool. Threw at three fish that rose in the afternoon and never got a look. Crossed the river and moved away from the parking area and things improved. Fish came to the fly and ate. My only problem seemed to be landing them once they were hooked. Big, medium, even small, it didn't matter I lost them all (actually 1 for 7 during my slump). Just before dark some isos and caddis came and the fish rose. Did manage to land three during the feeding spell but as I worked back closer to the parking area (where most people fish) the rising fish all refused my fly. Finally in almost pitch dark I got one to take. He made a strong first run and them came rather easily to the net, It was only when I took him out of the net that I discovered he was a fall fish.
The farther downstream you go on the big river, the fewer fish there are. The farther upstream you go the more fish there are but the harder they are to catch. It's almost at that time when a good rise in the water level will send the fish back to their home territory. Until then, check water temps and pick your poison.
My first stop was on the big river where it seemed that I wasn't the only one looking for bugs. The fish were more than happy to eat my fly on blind casts. Most of the fish I rose were yearlings (now between 9 and 10 inches long) but I did land a couple of nice ones.
Second (and last) stop was farther up river where the fish have been fished to. They were much harder to fool. Threw at three fish that rose in the afternoon and never got a look. Crossed the river and moved away from the parking area and things improved. Fish came to the fly and ate. My only problem seemed to be landing them once they were hooked. Big, medium, even small, it didn't matter I lost them all (actually 1 for 7 during my slump). Just before dark some isos and caddis came and the fish rose. Did manage to land three during the feeding spell but as I worked back closer to the parking area (where most people fish) the rising fish all refused my fly. Finally in almost pitch dark I got one to take. He made a strong first run and them came rather easily to the net, It was only when I took him out of the net that I discovered he was a fall fish.
The farther downstream you go on the big river, the fewer fish there are. The farther upstream you go the more fish there are but the harder they are to catch. It's almost at that time when a good rise in the water level will send the fish back to their home territory. Until then, check water temps and pick your poison.
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