3 Flies for the Week: August 6
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Time to read 3 min
Water temperatures have risen considerably across the state, so please be aware when you’re fishing and have a thermometer with you at all times. Many of the freestones are hitting unsafe water conditions by midday, but if you check your thermometer regularly once it’s 10:30 am, you’ll be ahead of the curve. Once the water hits 65 degrees, please leave the water and find higher elevation. That said, hatches are still strong throughout the state, with the second wave PMD’s, caddis, and tricos hatching very consistently. Early morning and afternoon will be best for the PMD’s, midmorning for tricos, and late afternoon and into the evening for caddis. Right now the best reports we’ve heard are coming from the Arkansas, lower Colorado, Roaring Fork, South Platte, Williams Fork, and Clear Creek. Not that the other rivers aren’t fishing well, but these areas have seen the best action. Now let’s get to 3 Flies for the Week: August 6
#1: Indicator Spinner - Trico sz22 (In-Store Only)
Trico hatches are beginning to get thicker and thicker each day on the freestones and the fish are more than aware of it. The trico hatch is one of the best times to catch fish on a dry fly. Normally, trico dries are incredibly difficult to see on the water, but the indicator spinner has made seeing these mini mayflies possible. Although still very small, at the very least there’s a visual on water with this fly. In order to pack in the same caloric value as eating other bugs that hatch, trout have to eat a ton of tricos to make their time of rising worth it. So while these bugs are everywhere on the water, these fish will spend a full solid hour or two sipping the dying or dead trico spinners. This can be a tricky hatch since the bugs are so small, but remain determined and don’t lose hope if you blow a few shots. There’s always another fish that’s eating. The indicator spinner is a perfect fly for the trico hatch too; since it has a more visual presence on the water you won’t have to worry about throwing an “indicator fly”. A lot of the trico spinners require a slightly bigger PMD or BWO dry fly in front of it to tell if a fish ate your fly at all, but this can come at a cost. Oftentimes these fish are very tuned in to what’s going on since they’re so close to the surface, so if they see a bug other than what’s actively hatching, they can be spooked from continuing their eating. Again though, the indicator spinner prohibits this from happening.
#2: Jig UV Kryptonite Caddis - Olive sz16 2.8mm
This caddis nymph is as realistic as it gets. Designed on the South Platte and Arkansas Rivers, this fly was made to be fished in Colorado with the incredibly picky fish that we have. With it being as successful as it is here, you know it will work anywhere. Caddis hatches are continuing on and will continue until we start to get some colder days. During the day when caddis are hanging out in the bushes, safe from the birds and trout, fishing the nymph variations will be best whether under an indicator, euro rig, or hopper-dropper. Generally, this time of year we see smaller caddis species hatching so fishing the smaller nymphs works more efficiently.
#3: Master Splinter Mouse - Brown sz2
Yes, we’re putting a mouse on the list. Believe us though when we say that this is not a “throwaway fly” though, big brown trout love eating bigger offerings in low light conditions, but especially at night. Not every fish will eat at night, but there are plenty to go around. Fishing mice are typically best done on rivers where the majority of the biodiversity is brown trout, although they are conducive in rainbow rivers as well. However, as brown trout grow in age they become much more nocturnal, whereas rainbow trout do not. Every once in a while you’ll see a rainbow eating a mouse pattern though. Fishing mice isn’t for the faint of heart though, as it requires many hours in the dark with no headlight constantly casting and swinging your fly through lots of water. If you’re willing to stick it out though, the rewards can be immense. It’s not exactly clear if the fish are eating these flies as mice specifically, or opportunistically eating these flies as something large on the water. Regardless, it’s very cool.
Best of luck on the water this week and we hope these flies catch a fish or two for ya. Two out of the three flies are available on our website and all are available in the shop.
Xavier Puls
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to Xavier on email at xavier@goldenflyshop.com, or call the shop at 303-330-1292. Thank you!