Sun Burns and Thunderstorms

I made it out of bed before the sun this morning to get this update written.

But truthfully it wasn't all that hard due to the burning sensation on the tops of my legs and shoulders that had me laying awake before my alarm went off.

My partner pushed me and our children out the door to get us on the river not one but two days this weekend.

For me the logistical challenge of lunches, raft packing, poopy diapers, shuttles, second breakfasts, and crying kids can seem like a mountain not worth summiting.

But it was a great decision to go.

Everyone is happier and the kids fall asleep pretty quickly at the end of the day.

What wasn't a great decision was not putting sunscreen on the tops of my legs! This seems to be a lesson I have to learn every year.

But enough about my sunburn.

For us the rivers fished really well especially the first day when it was overcast to about noon.

Every place you would imagine a trout holding resulted in a strike if you got a good drift through it.

Water/Weather Conditions

The water conditions are gin clear and getting lower by the day.

So clear in fact I would consider downsizing my tippet to be a bit more sneaky.

I am pretty sure we had some fish deny our flies this weekend due to that fact.

Also the late afternoon thunderstorms are continuing to be a thing, so be sure to keep an eye out for them and plan accordingly.

  Bugs Observed

There weren't many adult bugs around when I was on the water but we were putting on and taking off in the middle of the day so we were missing most of the bug activity I am sure.

There were caddis in the bushes, some PMD spinners around in the morning and what I think was a green drake or two.

Throughout the day we found several pods of rising fish but I forgot the seine both days so we weren't able to see what was in the drift.

However, we consistently rose and caught fish all along the river with PMD imitations, elk hair caddis, green drake imitations, and stimulators.

Suggested Gear and Flies

Ideal Rods: For nymphing - 9ft to 10ft, 5wt or 6wt rod.

For dry fly fishing - 8ft to 9ft, 3wt to 5wt.

Line/Leader: Line matched to the rod weight, 9ft/3X leader, 3X or 4X tippet.

Flies: Nymphs- Golden Stone size 6-8, Pheasant Tail 10-14, Hairs Ear 6-14, Prince 8-12, Copper John 10-14

Dries- For Golden Stones: Stimulator yellow/orange 6-10, Madam X yellow 6-10, Fat Albert 6-10, Chubby Chernobyl gold/orange/tan 6-8

For PMDS- Compara Dun yellow 14/16, Parachute PMD 14/16, PMD emerger 14/16

For Yellow Sallys- Yellow Stimulator size 10-14, Yellow/Lime Trude 10-14, Elk Hair Caddis yellow 10-14

Streamers- Sparkle Minnow size 4, Chartreuse/Olive Clouser Minnow Sz 4 and 6

Fishing Tactics

It is summer fishing conditions and dryflies are working.

So take advantage of it!

Fishing with just one dry fly makes for such pleasant fishing.

And it's manageable for the kids to cast too.

Not really much else is needed.

It's still early in the season so the fish aren't too picky yet.

The clear water conditions can make for some leader shyness, so if you're getting fish looking at your fly but not taking, consider going to a lighter tippet size.  

With our current low water situation, hotter days mean river temps can get up to levels that are dangerous to fish health.

Catching a fish at these times leads to increased stress and mortality.

Be sure to bring fish in as quickly as possible.

Use barbless hooks and when removing the hook, keep the fish's gills under water.

Handle the fish as little as is necessary.

           Here is a good reference to brush up on your fish handling knowledge.

Get out and enjoy!

That is all for this week!