South Fork
Fall conditions continue to be excellent with clear water and cool water temps. On bright sunny days the dry fly fishing with big bugs (hoppers and chernobyls) has been slow so we have been using nymphs and small dries in the riffles. We have had very good fishing with chernobyls from daylight until the time the sun hits the water and then its back to nymphs and small dries. The last 1 1/2 hours before dark has been good too.
The flow today is at 7500 cfs but look for it to drop a couple of times sometime this week in increments of 500 to 1000 cfs. We are constantly asked how this will affect the fishing and I have seen both great fishing on a water drop and slow fishing so the best thing to do is go anyway.
The Fall colors are starting to really turn now and the canyon is gorgeous.
Here is a list of Fall fly patterns to use now through October.
Mayflies: Duns, Emergers and Nymphs
Blue Wing Olive Thorax Dun #18 and 20
Blue Wing Olive CDC Emerger #18 and 20
Blue Wing Olive Nymph #18 and 20 ( swing through the riffles or fish as a dropper fly under the Thorax Dun)
Bead Head Bubble back nymph #16
UV2 Nymphulator #14 and #6
Mahogany Thorax Dun #16 and 20
Mahogany CDC Emerger #16 and 18
Remember to fish the heads of riffles with these small dries even though there are no hatches.
Nymphs:
Bennett's Rubber Legs (orange and brown or black) #6 and 8
Black or Red zebra Midge #14 and 16
Olive Crystal Golden Stone nymph #12
Streamers:
Coffee's Sparkle Minnow (sculpin or silver color) #4 and 6
Sculpzilla #4 or 6
Wilson's Articulated Sparkle Minnow #2 and 4
Galloup's Articulated Circus Peanut ( white, tan, black or olive )#2
Galloup's Sex Dungeon (same colors as above) Size 2 Remember to use rope for leader for the articulated streamers. 12 to 15 lb at least.
Big Dries:
Chubby Chernobyls (purple,brown or gold body() #8 and 10
Big Parachute Hoppers #4 and 6 (good below Byington, not very good above Byington))
Other patterns:
Sandy mite #12 and 14
Standard Renegade #12 and 14
Purple or Bright yellow and orange bodied Soft Hackles #14 and 16
Fish the last three patterns after the sun drops below the horizon. Just use a standard wet fly swing. Make a cast, let the fly swing and straighten out below you. Make two or three steps downstream and repeat. You can thank me later.
Fly Patterns to use:
Coffey’s CH Sparkle Minnow - Sculpin
Harrop's D & D Cripple Mahogany
Brook’s Sprout-Baetis
Dornan’s Nocturnal Stone
The flow today is at 7500 cfs but look for it to drop a couple of times sometime this week in increments of 500 to 1000 cfs. We are constantly asked how this will affect the fishing and I have seen both great fishing on a water drop and slow fishing so the best thing to do is go anyway.
The Fall colors are starting to really turn now and the canyon is gorgeous.
Here is a list of Fall fly patterns to use now through October.
Mayflies: Duns, Emergers and Nymphs
Blue Wing Olive Thorax Dun #18 and 20
Blue Wing Olive CDC Emerger #18 and 20
Blue Wing Olive Nymph #18 and 20 ( swing through the riffles or fish as a dropper fly under the Thorax Dun)
Bead Head Bubble back nymph #16
UV2 Nymphulator #14 and #6
Mahogany Thorax Dun #16 and 20
Mahogany CDC Emerger #16 and 18
Remember to fish the heads of riffles with these small dries even though there are no hatches.
Nymphs:
Bennett's Rubber Legs (orange and brown or black) #6 and 8
Black or Red zebra Midge #14 and 16
Olive Crystal Golden Stone nymph #12
Streamers:
Coffee's Sparkle Minnow (sculpin or silver color) #4 and 6
Sculpzilla #4 or 6
Wilson's Articulated Sparkle Minnow #2 and 4
Galloup's Articulated Circus Peanut ( white, tan, black or olive )#2
Galloup's Sex Dungeon (same colors as above) Size 2 Remember to use rope for leader for the articulated streamers. 12 to 15 lb at least.
Big Dries:
Chubby Chernobyls (purple,brown or gold body() #8 and 10
Big Parachute Hoppers #4 and 6 (good below Byington, not very good above Byington))
Other patterns:
Sandy mite #12 and 14
Standard Renegade #12 and 14
Purple or Bright yellow and orange bodied Soft Hackles #14 and 16
Fish the last three patterns after the sun drops below the horizon. Just use a standard wet fly swing. Make a cast, let the fly swing and straighten out below you. Make two or three steps downstream and repeat. You can thank me later.
Fly Patterns to use:
Coffey’s CH Sparkle Minnow - Sculpin
Harrop's D & D Cripple Mahogany
Brook’s Sprout-Baetis
Dornan’s Nocturnal Stone
