Hi Folks, it has been a beautiful September for fishing. I can’t remember such a long streak of nice weather without any rain. Our rivers and streams are a bit low and a some rain would now be welcomed. Just not catastrophic deluges of rain. Fortunately water temperatures have been fine. The cool nights have been great for maintaining stream temperatures. I have found water temperatures from 56 degrees to 64 degrees. I have been mixing it up between trout and smallmouth fishing. Mostly river fishing for both species. I have been fishing late morning to late afternoon recently. With the current water levels, we have been locating trout in big primary pools. We have catching fish with dry fly and nymph rigs. Small patterns have been the ticket. We have fishing a lot of dry dropper rigs and double nymph rigs. A #16 Atomic Ant, #12 Green GFA, and a #14 orange bodied stimulator have been our surface patterns.The most consistent nymphs have been a #18 and #20 peacock soft hackle, #18 olive latex caddis, a #20 Ju Ju Baetis, a #18 cheese canyon emerges, and a #16 slaughter caddis. With the low water, the fish can be spooky. Longer leaders and good presentation is important. Hatching insects have been okay. #18-#20 BWOs, #16 olive caddis, #18 tan caddis, a few #12 Isonychia (the hatch has almost vanished from our waters???) and #8-#12 golden stoneflies. Still plenty of terrestrials with hoppers and ants being a part of a trout’s diet currently. The bass fishing has been very good. Surface water temps. have ranged from 64 to 70 degrees. The afternoon fishing is preferred for bass presently. Lots of surface action. On the river front, the smallmouth have been holding in bigger deeper pools with lots of boulders. In lakes and ponds we have located fish on downed wood that extends into deep water. Surface popping bugs have worked really well. #6 chartreuse and blue Boogle bugs, #8 yellow and black popping bug, a #4 black gurgler, and a #4 blue and white crease fly have all produced. Great time of year to be on the water. The foliage gets better daily. I will continue to guide to the end of October. Remember to clean your gear and keep the non-native species at home. Have Fun, Willy
