Posted on August 02 2024
Was behind right from the start again today. Tried to pay catchup with the yard work, made some progress but was soaking wet by the time I quit at eleven. Took a shower and then sat down at the bench and tied more sulfurs. Didn't finish tying until almost noon, made sandwiches, loaded everything into the car and once again headed for Deposit, stopping to pick up a couple bags of ice along the way.
Arrived at about 1:15 and found decent sulfurs at the grass island upstream from the Men's Club. There were enough rising fish to get me into my waders and out into the stream, which if nothing else offered relief from the heat. Spent time casting at the risers without even an acknowledgment that there was a fly on the end of my line. Tried the wonder fly in the same riff where just over a week ago I hooked six fish and had two refusals in twenty minutes of action. Today, fishing just as carefully, I got two refusals on the same fly. I wonder why.
Left the grass island at 3:30 with one rainbow. Drove up above the red barn and found quite a bit of unoccupied water. There were sulfurs hatching and cedar waxwings at work eating them on the fly. Landed another rainbow, a small brown and several yearlings as I worked my way back toward the car. When I got to the Stilesville parking lot I crossed over to the far side where anglers line up every day to fish the channel that runs along the far bank. It was probably around 6:00, when the sulfurs started their evening hatch and the river came alive with big trout. Cast at dozens of fish and would have done just as well if I'd fished without a fly, finally a 13 inch brown took pity on me and ate my sulfur. Never had one of the big fish even bother to come up and refuse it.
Walked across the stream, got into the car and drove down to the red barn where there was but one angler casting in the fog. Joined him in the pool and fished from 7:30 until 8:45. Hooked and landed four fish out of the multitude of trout gulping sulfur duns. Was sure the last fish, (a nice 16 inch brown), was foul hooked as the fly I was watching had continued its merry way downstream after the rise, (was watching the wrong fly).
The trout may enjoy eating the sulfurs, but they clearly do not like being hooked, they are beaten up and tired. Most anglers are frustrated with how hard it has become to get a trout to eat a sulfur. The fish in the rest of the system are well rested and ready to go. All we need are cooler water temps, wouldn't mind having to start a fire in the wood stove each morning if it meant we were having old time, cool August nights.
Dennis – I mean the lonely Troutfittet bench. I hope you catch some fish. Ed
Dennis-Nice catch on Neil Diamond. I totally missed that reference.Good luck in the tournament. Hope you’re not on the bench also. Ed
I will be out of action this weekend because of the member guest golf tournament. I am playing with my son. I will hit the river next week. Some of my friends have quit fishing because it’s to difficult. It’s quite a challenge now but still a lot of fun. I just relay on refusals to keep me going. No worries Ed I’ll be right next to you on the bench!!
Neil Diamond!!!!
Angler119-When hooking fish is tough for you, it’s almost impossible for the rest of us. But it’s the challenge that makes it fun.Supposed to cool off a little next week so maybe that will perk things up. I’ll be up on Thursday and if I end up with a fishless day it won’t be my first. I’ll just take a seat on the bench. Ed
Hit the upper WB around noon. Walking to my favorite spot I passed some fast water with a fish rolling so threw out my Iso and on the third cast landed 14 inch brown. Wasn’t sure if that was a bad or good omen. In my favorite spot was a drift boat dominating the whole area. (BTW it stayed there for the next 4 hours). It made moving up or down the river a major river effort to circumvent it.
Sulphur hatch started on time but was about 10% of what it was two weeks ago. Some misses on my Iso and sulphur combo but no connections. Mid afternoon moved downstream about 400 yards where my buddy was fishing in slower water. More fish more actively rising but still no connections. At some point late afternoon the suphurs disappeared and the trout were sipping something. Still using my Iso/sulphur rig upon lifting it off the water had a big hit and broke my 5X leader (my drag was too tight!). Another fish attempted to hit my flies as they were lifted off the water. Switched to a BWO emerger. No hits and the amount of green gunk in the water made it so you had to check your flies ever 3-5 casts. Thought of putting on a few wets but realized I would be cleaning my flies every cast. Soon the parade of BWOs size 16-18? came down river and the fish keyed on them. A major hatch with fish rising everywhere. Managed to catch 3 browns 12 inch range. Near dark went back up river where the drift boat had been. Just random rises. Funny how 400 yards on the same river there can be a big difference in a hatch. Helped a newbie from Rochester spot and fish to a trout with an Iso that he landed. His only fish for the day! ( BTW no sulphur evening hatch).