Until Next September.

We closed out some September waters this week with mixed results. Scenery was incredible with some areas at their peak of coloration. With September streams put away until next season I already feel the season coming ever so close to the end. Here is a rundown of this weeks tactics.

• Drys: Baetis/BWO good to poor depending on location. Seen everyday in some degree. Slate drakes waning. Still having the occasional spinner evening event. Some fish responding to it. Flying ants size 16-20. Cinnamon.The Big Silly is still getting looks and takes.

• Nymphs: Indicator nymphing can be the most productive technique if conditions warrant it. We had one day earlier this week that was a "bobber" day. Mix it up. Pheasant tail nymphs 18-22 rule.
  

• Wets: Old school style never goes out of style. We fished a small tanic stream using the double wet system with good results. Introduce yourself to some soft hackles.
  

• Streamers: Doubles, singles, bright, dull, big, medium, small. Featherwings to rubber leg,tungsten cone buggers worked to some degree. Get lower than you think you should. Find a taker.

There is a reason we stay later than many in the fall season. One is to witness events like the one pictured below. Stay late, sleep later.

Colors.

There are few images that stay in your mind's eye. One is the spawning dress of a wild brookie. The other is the visual aspect of spending a day on a river in Maine during the fall foliage binge. Take advantage of this fleeting time of the season. I double dog dare you.

It's Offical.

'In September when the leaves, come falling down'

Van Morrison

The Autumnal Equinox was yesterday and we celebrated the week by doing the obvious ie; Floating and wading. Conditions dictate a mix of tricks and magic. Everyone can fish their personal favorite way for a bit or all day depending on the mood and area.

• Drys: Baetis are becoming stronger day by day. As water temps continue to drop they will dominate the scene. Slate Drakes still going on. PEDs in the late afternoon. Midges in the warming a.m. Yellow Sally patterns are a good searching pattern for skinny water. Big, rubber leg, foam, ugly floating things are getting whacked in faster water. Use them to support a couple of tungsten bead nymphs. Drop off longer than you think you should. Caddis egg laying in the morning and evening. Hatching sporadically. Sizes 16 -18. October caddis out and about.
  

• Wets: Yep. Double rigs are working. Two different sizes and colors. Move up a tippet size. Takes are strong and teeth are getting sharp.

• Nymphs: Do not fear the BOBBER. We aren't fishing bottom just above it, in the sweet spot of the current. Get creative in fly selection. Those nymphs that have sat in your box for the last few seasons. You know the ones. The impulse buy at the shop. Get those things tied on.

• Streamers: Oh Yeah. Double rigs+ sink tip+ drift boat= FISH. The same equation for wading. Swung flies are picking up also. Stripping hard is tiring but can be rewarded with some surprising results. We mix up the colors and sizes until we break the code. Sometimes the 'Super Size Me' flies don't cut it. Dropping down in size can be the key.

Everyone should have goals for their season. One goal I've always adhered to is to wear out my gear until it needs to be retired. The photo below is of a pair of Danner wading boots I found at a take out on the Yellowstone some years ago. I've had them resoled twice, replaced some eyelets, restitched the sides, replaced the laces at least three times and went through two foot beds. Obviously I can get one more season out of them. Strive to wear out your gear.

Ready, Set, Go.

Bring out the Capilene, find the softshell and grab the kit. Temps have dropped this week and the fishing has picked up considerably. Below is a quick run down on what's working for us at the moment. It will change daily from now on.

• Dry flies: Big searching patterns are working occasionally. If there is a hatch (FEW and WEAK). Get on it quickly.
• Wet flies did poorly. I'm expecting better results later as things cool.
• Streamers: Swinging was poor. Rip and strip techniques are working. How fast? Faster than you think. The dead drifted streamer technique is working really well. Big meat flies over feather wings.
• Nymphing:The indicator rig rules right now. Fluorocarbon in 5X will help. Dark and bright combos. Both get equal attention and grabs.
  

Fish For Takers.

With conditions as they are now, changing the way you fish could be the key to a successful outing. Imagine your in a fairly fast run that just looks fishy. It's got a riffle feeding into a bucket and both sides of the bucket have an eddy line. As a bonus it's got good structure after the bucket. An ideal piece of river real estate. But with conditions as they are now your better off changing things some. We tend not to pound a run into submission. We do what we call the 'Milk and Move'. It goes like this. You get into casting range of your target area. Make your presentation up stream and across. Make your appropriate mend/s. As the rig comes across from your position make another mend and continue to mend that rig until it is below you. You want to fish downstream as well as above and across. When you have lost all control of the drift, make few quick strips. Pick another area to cover and recast. You can recast your rig with a water load cast as apposed to a series of false casts. Unless you've had a grab or seen a flash, move. That's right move. Standing in the same spot and delivering the same cast that produces nothing wastes daylight. Take a couple of steps or move your cast. Work new water, your looking for an active feeder.

It's a simple rule and it goes like this: Fly or flies on or in water for extended periods of time equal fish.
Fly or flies in the air for extended periods of time equal booger knots, fatigue and a cold stick.
False casts spook fish easily in low, clear water. Keep them at a minimum.

This technique works well with dries, wets (both single and double), nymph set ups, dry/dropper and streamer rigs. Cover the water well and milk that drift as much as you can. Remember if it's possible to work the water BEFORE you enter it. Fish don't like to be stepped on.

We have had a cancellation this week and have openings for later this week and weekend. Give a shout if your interested in doing a trip.

Ready?

'Summer days, summer nights are gone'

Bob Dylan

The prep is done. New lines are rigged. Older lines have been cleaned and re rigged with new leader butt sections. Waders are patched, boots repaired. Fly boxes have been refilled and spares lie waiting in the stock box. Tippet spools from 0x to 5x are full.
The fall season is the hardest on gear and guides. It's a game of 'beat the clock'. With everyday growing shorter the season creeps by. The days are numbered. Don't let them get away.

After this weekends rain, conditions have improved slightly. We are still in need of more rain though. We paddled/fished a pond that sits at 1900'. Even at that elevation the fishing was off. Two moving waters came around better than I would have guessed. Things are changing albeit slowly. Be patient. Be ready.

Muy Caliente.

"If you saw a heat wave, would you wave back?"

Steven Wright

If I wanted to fish/guide in this kind of weather I'd own a skiff somewhere south of the equator and yell at my clients to cast eighty five feet at one o'clock . NOW!!! It will end. When? NOW!!! That would be nice. Maybe after this weekends weather event. Whenever it does you can count on one bug to show. The Baetis mayfly. Hardy little dude. THE hatch come late September to November. Start tying, buying, stealing, trading and conniving patterns now. Parachutes, comparaduns, sparkle duns and thorax patterns all work on any given day. Sizes 18-24. Be ready. Be cool.