Let Me Tell You Where It's At, (reprise).

 Since Jim N. wasn't happy with my last effort trying to explain "where it's at", here's a second attempt.

The Hendrickson hatch was basically over at the end of April on the freestones and they entered the dreaded doldrums. The rivers were all blown out the first week of May and remained unwadeable until late last week. The BR at 20,000 cfs was too high to even float safely and no one went down river. 

As the rivers dropped most guides chose to float either the WB or UEB. They did so because the tailwaters are usually colder and the Hendricksons normally hatch there throughout May. There was also the likelihood of finding alewives that were washed over during the spill. The fact that the spills  made the water in the tailwaters warmer than the freestones added an element of uncertainty into the equation. 

The doldrums last about two weeks and the freestones should soon be seeing hatches of all kinds of bugs, (March Browns, Invaria, gray foxes, green drakes cornuta, and isos). The question is when. I always go looking too soon. This year was no exception as the BK was the only stream I could get into. It was dead last week.

Fished two spots I could wade on the WB Friday and Saturday and found what I would call a sparse hatch of Hendricksons on both occasions. There were a few fish up and I had targets. 

If you are going - The streams are currently dropping and more water can be waded every day, (watch out for the predicted rain on Wednesday). Going to the freestones is a gamble, if the bugs haven't started hatching in numbers there will be very little surface activity, but if the bugs come, it could be great.

 The WB seems to be the safest bet, with the cold weather and lower water temps there should be Hendricksons in their usual 2:00 to 5:00 slot. There should also be spinners on the water when the wind drops, (if it isn't too cold).     

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