Posted on June 01 2019
Those who read my ramblings regularly know that occasionally I come up with a suggestion that helps them be a better fisherman. Sometimes I point them to a part of the river system that I think will be hot and it actually is. But sadly, most of you who read this blog start your car at your house knowing where you are going to park and where you are going to fish. You remind me of a broken clock that is right but twice a day. I'm sure you've had good days where you go but if you follow the hatches and try new places you are far more likely to find success on a regular basis.
Back, it must be twenty years ago, when I knew the survey takers on the river, we played a game of hide and seek. They said they knew where everyone parked their car and where they were fishing - except me. They made it a point of finding me and most days they were successful. Why? They wanted to find out what I caught and where.
The reason for fishing different places is quite simple. Hatches generally move up river on each of the streams. Because of the temperature differences hatches start and end at different times on each of the rivers. I've spent a lot of years studying the wheres and whens and every so often I get it right. Last week (which was the best dry fly fishing I've ever had in over 30 years on the system), I fished in over a dozen pools and was seen catching fish in only one pool (you guessed it- on the WB). This despite giving hints galore as to where it was happening.
Being where it's happening, without being told GPS coordinates, takes lots of looking with more than a few disappointments. If, however, you are adventuresome and want to explore, here are some hints that will, with a little bit of luck, help you be in the right place at the right time.
1- The farther away from reservoir releases, the sooner the hatch starts (BK, EB and BR have the earliest hatches).
2- The hatches move upstream on each river in the system.
3- You need to learn the order in which bugs hatch and the approximate gaps between hatches.
4- If you follow a hatch upstream to it conclusion near the dams, often times the next hatch is well up the warmer rivers.
5- It's cheating but looking for where the guides are floating will help you identify where the best bugs are.
6- Before you buy a boat, know that drift boats are often into bugs and fish for only a short portion of the day/trip. If they float out of the hatch - game over. Waders can often get in their car and find another place where they can fish to rising fish. All for less than the price of a shuttle.
Back, it must be twenty years ago, when I knew the survey takers on the river, we played a game of hide and seek. They said they knew where everyone parked their car and where they were fishing - except me. They made it a point of finding me and most days they were successful. Why? They wanted to find out what I caught and where.
The reason for fishing different places is quite simple. Hatches generally move up river on each of the streams. Because of the temperature differences hatches start and end at different times on each of the rivers. I've spent a lot of years studying the wheres and whens and every so often I get it right. Last week (which was the best dry fly fishing I've ever had in over 30 years on the system), I fished in over a dozen pools and was seen catching fish in only one pool (you guessed it- on the WB). This despite giving hints galore as to where it was happening.
Being where it's happening, without being told GPS coordinates, takes lots of looking with more than a few disappointments. If, however, you are adventuresome and want to explore, here are some hints that will, with a little bit of luck, help you be in the right place at the right time.
1- The farther away from reservoir releases, the sooner the hatch starts (BK, EB and BR have the earliest hatches).
2- The hatches move upstream on each river in the system.
3- You need to learn the order in which bugs hatch and the approximate gaps between hatches.
4- If you follow a hatch upstream to it conclusion near the dams, often times the next hatch is well up the warmer rivers.
5- It's cheating but looking for where the guides are floating will help you identify where the best bugs are.
6- Before you buy a boat, know that drift boats are often into bugs and fish for only a short portion of the day/trip. If they float out of the hatch - game over. Waders can often get in their car and find another place where they can fish to rising fish. All for less than the price of a shuttle.
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