Stealth fish

There have been days when we've caught more fish. There have also been days when we've had to fight for a space to cast our fishing line. In August fewer fish means fewer people. We're having to work for the fish, but not having to work to find river space.

We are having to look long and hard to see them, but they are there, just under the surface sipping ever so softly. They are barely noticeable and if you didn't know what to look for you'd say "there are no fish rising." It's like they are sipping the bugs through a straw, barely making a dimple on the surface.


BUT = they are stealthily hanging near the top, sometimes showing themselves, most times not making an appearance. If you are patient, I mean really patient, you will be rewarded with a feisty trout on the other end of the line. (I'm not always patient when fishing - something to work on.)

You have to be ready to change flies from what you think the fish are eating to something else. And right now you have to have the full arsenal of flies. I usually start with a PMD adult, switch to an emerging PMD, then try a different silhouette of a PMD adult. If that doesn't work I'll try all the above in a smaller size and color. If that does work I try a midge pattern in all the sizes and colors. If that doesn't work I might try a caddis pattern to imitate caddis or a spruce moth. If my fly box of dry flies doesn't work I will tie on a couple nymphs for a while. And as soon as I see a fish, or see what I think is a fish, I change back to dries and start the process all over again. One combo I haven't had good luck with lately is the dry fly with a trailing nymph. It just hasn't worked and it seems when I do try it, the fish want the dry. I'd much rather prefer casting dry flies. Nothing like catching a trout on a dry fly!