Posted on July 05 2021
Spent the past two days relaxing with Jean. We took in the annual Lordville 4th of July parade, enjoyed a dinner at the new Pheasant Tail Tavern in Deposit, watched fireworks from our back porch, took one of our many drives around the area and actually found a couple of roads we had never been on before. Jean departed this am and I tackled some yard work that had been postponed by the rain and got ready to go fishing.
By 1:30 I was on the road, by 2:00, I was fishing, at 9:30 I was still fishing. Thank God for the nighttime once again, for not only did I get floored by a muskrat (second dunking of the year), I got humiliated by the trout. On the 1st and 2nd I had my way with the fish, two of my best days of the year, was puzzled that DRC fish of the day pics showed water graphs. Not any more! I fished hard, if not well, was knocked on my rear (in the WB) by a muskrat, must have had over thirty fish come up and lift an adipose fin on my fly, and if it wasn't for the last half hour of light (???), the highlights of the day would have been the fact that my wallet didn't get soaked, the car key thing still works and my camera still turns on.
The fishing - Damned if I know, talked with the few fishermen and guides that went by me and the fishing was hard. Some reported a burst of bugs (all at different times) around midday but no one said they caught fish. They all said "It's been good after 7:00", and it was, sorta. The sulfurs came, the fish fed and came up and laughed at my fly. Then with lots of time still on the clock, both the bugs and the fish stopped. Everyone left, I was wading down to the car through the deep spot where I have to hold up my vest when I saw a rise. Had to have been a spinner fall, don't know, it was too dark too see, just tied on a big yellow fly and cast, salvaged the day.
If you are coming this week, have faith, the summer sulfurs are here, they just haven't figured where and when they are supposed to hatch. Your only hope with the fish is to either sort out the dumb ones or fish until it's so dark they'll eat your fly, and by all means, look out for muskrats.
I am not sure what is going on with the mid-day hatch. For years I could set my hatch time to noon to 3 then 630 til dark for the evening hatch. the afternoons have been slow until about 3 pm on most days. If anyone has seen any different let me know.
I had the same results on the upper west!! Spotty bugs and couldn’t figure out what they were eating. About 5 some sulfur Dunn’s were getting ate. I was lucky to land 2 16 in fish. Caught one on a 20emerger and one on 16 Dunn. I left at 6. Makes me feel better I am not alone.
Thank god no muskrats!!!!!!!!