Fall is here in full swing. For us here that means rain, and generally lots of it. The first atmospheric rivers of the year have brought substantial rains which have bumped river flows. Water levels fluctuate as rain comes and goes. Right now flows are high, but with time will drop back into shape Keep an eye on water flows here or through USGS and your weather apps. As for fishing, it has been productive as long as you are changing your tactics correspondingly as river conditions change.
Hatches
Current insect hatches are sparse and most insects are small. The only outlier that you may see is an October Caddis that was late to the show. The large bulk of insect hatches are Baetis Sp. commonly known as BWO’s or Blue Winged Olives. These hatches will be isolated to the middle of the day when it is warmest. These insects like to emerge in slower, glassier sections of water where it is safer on cloudy days especially. Look for fish sipping emerging duns (emerged adults) and cripples towards the tailouts of runs. You may also see a few lingering Mahogany Duns, but their days are numbered as the nights get colder. We’ve seen a few, but as things cool off even more we will start seeing small winter stones as well.
fish do seem to key in on the nymphs
Dries
For BWO’s we like to fish sizes #16-20. If it is a particularly heavy hatch, fishing a cripple, emerger or tagging a small olive soft hackle behind a dry can help your fly stand out. When fish have tons of naturals to choose from, they become selective eating the easiest meals … cripples and emergers. Here are some of our favorite BWO Duns: Tactical Blue Winged Olive Parachute, Parachute Extended Body Blue Winged Olive, or a Tilt Wing Dun BWO. For emergers and cripples we like: Galloups OG Bent Cripple, Almost Dun Mayfly, or a Morrish’s May Day Blue Winged Olive. Here are a few good options if you catch one of the last Mahogany hatches or spinner falls: Jake’s Hatchback, Mahogany Parachute Extended Body, or a Harrop’s CDC Biot Mahogany Dun. Searching with an October Caddis is still an effective strategy. Tagging a small BWO or Mahogany behind it is one of my fall tricks. For October Caddis here are our choice patterns: Swisher’s Foam PMX, Burkus’ Sedgeback October Caddis, Morrish’s Foam October Caddis Adult, or you cant go wrong with a big orange Simulator.
Nymphing
Nymphing will be your most effective strategy as of late. With water levels that are prone to fluctuating due to fall precipitation, nymping is always your best bet. If you are a new angler fishing through the winter, this is the time of year that you’ll get good at nymphing whether you like it or not. I like to choose my nymphs in the winter loosely based on insect hatches, and more based on utility. When I choose a nymph out of my box, I ask: “what can this fly do for me”. Fish in the winter can be holding very deep, and running a #18 BWO nymph might just not cut it to get down. For winter nymphing as long as the river isn’t totally blown out, I like to fish a larger heavier fly with a smaller one tagged behind. When the water is up I like to choose larger, heavier nymphs with a large profile so that fish can notice them in higher, off-color water. Some larger, heavy nymphs follow: Lex’s Improved Rubberleg Stonefly Nymph, Mega Prince, Stone Fly Double Bead, or a T.J Hooker Nymph. For smaller flies imitating BWO’s Mahoganies, Winter Stones, and other juvenile nymphs these work great: Olsen’s Blowtorch, Roza’s Colored Water Fly Jig, Montana Fly Company Jigged Perdigon, or Yardley’s Low Hole Jig.
Swinging Flies
Swinging streamers can be productive in high water. As the rivers blow out, smaller fish are blown downstream disoriented. Large fish key in on this and place themselves in ambush zones where they can easily intercept these fish. I like to strip a small fly downstream or strip and swing one through a pool. Here are some of my favorites: Tactical Jig Zonker, Tungsten Thin Mint, or a Conehead Slump Buster. Swinging soft hackles is a great way to fish in the winter during a BWO hatch. Pre hatch swinging a small soft hackle through holding water can result in some explosive takes. I like to use weighted flies, or tag a unweighted soft hackle behind a weighted nymph. During the hatch try swinging an unweighted one right under the surface. Searching with an October Caddis pupa can still produce some eats. These are some great fall wet fly swinging patterns: Bird’s Swinging October Caddis, Anderson’s Tungsten Bird of Prey October Caddis, Soft Emerger, Harrop’s Soft Hackle Thorax Bead, or a Spectre Soft Hackle.
When water is high or even blown out there are still fish to be caught. You must exercise caution and be on your toes wading in high water, but fishing can be fantastic. Fish will not want to work hard and hold in fast water all day. You’ll find fish much closer to the bank or holding in backeddies during high water events. This generally means you don’t have to wade as deep in that fast water. Fish pockets of “soft” water where you can find it. If fish aren’t pushed close to the bank, they will be holding on the bottom. Right on the bottom of the river, the water is actually fairly slow. This is perfect holding water for fish to conserve their energy in. Look for rocks and logs that can break the current as well. Make your indicator rigs deep to account for where fish are holding, and the fast water. Fishing heavy flies with large silhouettes help your presentation stand out in quick water.
Swing by the shop if you need anything or more advice. Feel free to call the shop, or shoot our Instagram account a message as well if you need any other tips and can’t stop in. We are more than happy to help however we can.
-Simon
Here a few local nymph patterns that are worth tying up for the next few weeks in case you missed them.
