By Nils Peterson
August brings on the hot, muggy dog days of summer, even here in the High Country of Western North Carolina. As fly anglers, we need to change our fishing time and our strategy in order to have more success on our rivers and streams.
Fishing Time…
That old saying about the early bird…Well, its true for summertime fishing for trout on our small mountain streams. I always recommend that folks leave for the creek as early as possible, and leave from the creek around mid-morning, allowing for about 4 to 5 hours of good fishing.
Getting out early in the morning lets you fish cooler water that has had ample time to stabilize over the evening hours. If it has rained the afternoon or evening before your trip, even better. The extra amount of flow in the stream will create more oxygen and move more food downstream for the fish.
Early morning fishing also means that you cast less of a shadow on the water, which means you spook less fish. In many small mountain streams, the sun may not show up until later in the morning due to the topography. Situations like these offer the advantage of little to no shadow on the water.
Fishing Strategy…
During the summer months, I tend to fish bigger pools that have plenty of shade. This habitat provides colder water, plenty of cover, and in August, a terrestrial food source (the inchworm). If I find myself fishing a riffle or run that is in full sun, I try and concentrate first on the extreme sides and then the deepest part of the riffle or run.
I am a big fan of the dry/dropper rig. I have a couple of different versions of this rig. For runs and riffles, I like a size 10 or 12 dry with a dropper tied off the bend of the hook that is about 12 to 16 inches long. The dropper fly is a size 16 or 18. I also adjust the length of the dropper to fit the depth of the water – I may fish a dropper that is two feet or longer in some situations.
Summertime Dry Fly Patterns…
A few of my favorites for dry/dropper rigs are… Tennessee Wulff (sizes 10-14), Royal Coachman (sizes 10-14), Yellow Sally (sizes 10-14), and The Chernobyl Ant (sizes 8,and 10).
Fish early, fish shady, make adjustments to your rigs, and by all means have a great time out there! Be kind to the fish and please practice safe catch and release techniques!
Nils Peterson is a Fly fishing guide and woodworker from Linville North Carolina. He is the owner of West Fork Anglers Guide Service and guides in Western North Carolina and East Tennessee.