3 Flies for the Week: November 6
This week we’re going to be starting out with warmer conditions and then a big drop in the middle of the week. Fishing is going to be hot today and tomorrow because the trout know with an incoming cold front it’s time to be the feed on. Fishing isn’t necessarily going to slow down during the temperature drop though. Fish are very aware of the ice that’s coming in a few weeks and they’ll be willing to eat more consistently. Keep in mind that the colder temperatures will cause them to move around less, so your drifts need to be spot on! Water conditions should be remaining stable, although we may see a spike in flows from some rain.
#1: Barbless Jig Perdigon - Quill/Fl. Orange sz18 2.8mm
Since the big snow storm we saw last week, flows have spiked and fallen causing bigger food items to be dispersed from the bottom. Due to this, fish have been picking up these bigger items more frequently than they were in weeks prior. Keep in mind though, big is relative. Most bugs this time of year are size 22 and smaller, so throwing a size 18 will look big to the fish even though it doesn’t seem that way to us. The Barbless Jig Perdigon in this variety is going to be perfect for this week’s fishing. Fish are always willing to take a look at it because its heavy tungsten bead allows the fly to plummet through the water column and get into their face. It also has a sleek, natural body that resembles just about everything, yet nothing at all. Don’t let its hot spot deter you, we prefer the hot spot because it’s bright enough to catch the fish’s eye, yet small enough to not look gaudy and spook fish. It’s a fly that we at the shop always have confidence in because fish are caught with them on a daily basis.
Even though the huge snowfall put a damper on the BWO hatch, they are back in full swing this week! Colder air temperatures in the mountains during the second half of the week will provide excellent dry fly fishing. When the air temperatures are colder or if there's a lack of ample sunshine (which will be observed this week), BWO adults have a harder time getting their wings to dry. Therefore, they get stuck on the surface of the water and cannot fly away, making an easy snack for trout. The Comparadun makes the perfect choice for this time when BWO duns are either stuck or resting on the water. The cool thing about this fly is that it also doubles amazingly as a BWO spinner. So this fly can be fished for rising trout regardless of what stage the hatch is at. Go get the risers while they last, we don’t want you to have FOMO this winter!
#3: Chicago Overcoat - Mint sz6
The Chicago Overcoat is the shop’s favorite bugger variation. Number one reason, it’s tied on a jig hook which provides ample action, can reach any depth desired, and doesn’t hang up on snags as often. Number two, this fly has an overall thinner profile which doesn’t push around as much water as the standard bugger, nor does it look as bulky. This is important to consider when fishing streamers in colder water temperatures. We don’t want our profile to be overly big, aggressive, or loud. Instead, we need to be focusing on factors such as size, action, thin profile, and being able to achieve depth where the majority of fish are laying. With all these factors in mind, this fly meets all the criteria to be the perfect cold water streamer for this week. Why are we throwing streamers this week? Well like mentioned with the perdigon, fish got used to seeing and eating big food items from the recent snowmelt. Food items such as crawdads, minnows, and leeches were displaced from the hiding holes and the trout took advantage. Now they have this in the back of their mind and will still be more than willing to chase down these food sources. We chose the Mint variation because it provides a natural contrast that will make the fly look more realistic in comparison to solid colored streamers.
Best of luck on the water this week and we hope these flies catch a fish or two for ya. All 3 of the flies are available on our website and in the shop. 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!
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