by Karl Ekberg
To say that predicting this past month was easy for what Mother Nature had in store for us was an understatement. A week of large amounts of rain, then a Tropical Depression that dumped more than a foot of rain and blew up all the rivers and streams around us. The water levels have subsided since the big rains, and wade fishing is starting to be a little easier now. The outlook is for more rain, but we are avoiding the high heat of early summer, which is great.
Due to all of the rain, the trout fishing is good. We have had the best success getting out on the rivers at daybreak and fishing until the early afternoons, and then again very late afternoons until dark. As the daytime temperatures heat up, finding the shady areas of the rivers along with deeper shady runs is the key to a successful day. Trout like cold water, and as the water temperatures rise, they will seek thermal refuge in the bottoms of the rivers where the waters are their coolest. Some dry fly action can be had with flies in pockets of deeper water around the banks, but dead-drifting tandem nymph rigs has seemed to produce more fish. Streamer fishing cannot be forgotten as well, as there is a tremendous amount of smaller baitfish in pocket waters all over the rivers.
Bass fishing the river has been extremely tough to do with the extremely high waters. Now with the water levels subsiding, accessing the lower points on the rivers will be much easier. Wet wading will be a refreshing way to spend the day catching bass and panfish on the river. We have a full arsenal of what you need for both topwater and subsurface flies to make your day successful. Plenty of fluids to drink to keep hydrated, sunglasses, a hat and some sunscreen will make for an enjoyable day so you’re not sun burnt. Don’t forget about booking your lake fly fishing trip with us, as our experienced certified guide, Zach Hart, will take up to two clients out on a mountain lake boat excursion.
This is a great time of year to take the kids fishing! School is out for the summer break, water temperatures are great, and there are plenty of fish to be caught. We had the pleasure of participating as volunteers with the Kid’s Fishing Rodeo at Burrell’s Ford Campground this past month with the U.S. Forestry Department. Introducing kids to the great outdoors and nature is a wonderful time, and catching a few fish will add to the experience for all. Remember to bring your camera along for your trip and share your photo. You might see your photo in the next edition on the “Brag Board”.
As we are all guests of the forest, let’s remember to “leave no trace” and pack out what we bring in on our trips to the rivers. Keeping the forests clean will add to the enjoyable experience for all. We hope to see everyone out on the rivers!