Fishing is holding strong and we are still throwing big dries on our guide trips...well most of them. As the hatches have moved upstream, so has our attention, but we are still having great luck on the middle and lower river with smaller dries and droppers. There are still plenty of stonefly nymphs clinging to the rocks, so using them under a larger dry or in a double nymph rig has been paying off.
Also, with the almost daily rains, be sure to have an assortment of tungsten g-strings, two-toned san juans and our hot-spot SJ for when the water turns a little off color, regardless of the section you are fishing!
Lower River:
The action on the lower river has been good, but make sure you are getting an early start. The warm days will also warm the water by mid-afternoon, forcing those fish to the bottom or into the middle of the fast water. You can still catch them in the heat of the day, and nymphing for them is the most productive. We have been getting some much needed moisture throughout the watershed almost each night which is also creating a nice little cool front in the late afternoons and evenings. Even though the wind may be howling as a front rolls in, the fishing picks up dramatically as the cloud cover increases. Swinging your favorite streamers during this time has coaxed some nice fish to eat as well.
Flies:
Also, with the almost daily rains, be sure to have an assortment of tungsten g-strings, two-toned san juans and our hot-spot SJ for when the water turns a little off color, regardless of the section you are fishing!
Lower River:
The action on the lower river has been good, but make sure you are getting an early start. The warm days will also warm the water by mid-afternoon, forcing those fish to the bottom or into the middle of the fast water. You can still catch them in the heat of the day, and nymphing for them is the most productive. We have been getting some much needed moisture throughout the watershed almost each night which is also creating a nice little cool front in the late afternoons and evenings. Even though the wind may be howling as a front rolls in, the fishing picks up dramatically as the cloud cover increases. Swinging your favorite streamers during this time has coaxed some nice fish to eat as well.
Flies:
- Parachute Madam X - Peacock Body
- Various Crystal Stimmy's
- Black Hippy Stompers
- Hoppers
- PMDs - Extended body PMD and Crack Back PMD for a dropper
- Golden Stone nymphs - Tungstone Golden and Tan/Brown Jimmy Legs
- Salvations #12-16 in green and golden brown
- Streamers - Slumpbusters, Sculpzillas (#4-8) and Boufaces (#8) in olive and black and Flashfry in olive #6
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| Marc with a nice football bow on the lower river |
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| Another nice bow on the lower river |
Middle River:
The middle of the river has been fishing well lately, as the water has dropped creating the obvious holding spots for the fish to ambush your dries (and droppers). Always make sure you are fishing a dry dropper set up in the pocket water and riffles as plenty of fish will be taken on the dropper. Work the water from the areas closest to you, out into the current as you pick your way up the river. Make sure you cast to virtually all sections of water until you dial in where they are hanging out. Do this before you take any steps up the river! I have been reminding clients on recent trips to cover ALL water before we move and it pays off! You will be surprised by the locations of some of the fish.
Fies:
- Yeagers Tantrum #12 in both golden and tan
- Parachute Madam X #8 with orange body
- Parawulff Dennis Adams and Royal Wullfs to cover your general mayflies you will encounter
- PMD's and Mahagony dries
- Depth Charge Bird's Nest #12-14 in the olive and natural colors
- Faux-Hawks #16
- Little Green Machine PT #16
- Golden Stone nymphs
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| Hugh putting on a dry-dropper clinic on the middle river |
Upper River:
The upper river has been experiencing some mood swings as of late going from virtually shooting fish in a barrel, to fishing like you were trying to buy a keg in Utah....tough. Every day is a new one, and yesterdays epic fishing may be today's challenging but rewarding day to the most patient anglers. As a general rule up there right now, have a 9' 5X leader and be willing to add sections of 6X to it to settle the nerves of the spooky trout. You may have luck with large green and grey drakes, or you may result to flies that have you feeling like you are fishing the San Juan. Regardless, the fishing has been great if you work at it enough to crack that day's code. Better yet, hire a guide for a day and beat that learning curve. Here are some flies to be stocked on:
- Green and Grey Drakes - Adams Superfly #12-18, Green Paradrake #10, Killer Green Bug #10
- Kern Emergers #12-14
- Yellow Sallies - Mini Hot Yellow and Clown Shoe Sally #16
- Baetis dries and droppers #18-22
- Midge dries and droppers #20-24 in black, cream, red and brown
Tribs:
Great fishing when you put on the hiking boots! The recent rains have helped out and are keeping the high country fish very happy. Pack in your 7'6"-8' three weights and have at it. Using 5X will increase your hook ups as the water drops a little.
Flies:
- Yeagers Tantrum #12 in both golden and tan
- Yeagers Neversink Trude Red #16
- Various Beetles
- Various small-medium hoppers
- Droppers - Green hornet, yellow robbin, micromay electric yellow all #14-18
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| Stimulators on a trib! |
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| Young Dante taking a rest during a taxing day in the shop - tough life getting love from EVERYONE coming through |
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