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HATCHES FOR THE SOUTH BRANCH AND LOCAL TROUT STREAMS July 2nd-July 9th 2008 Updated: July 2nd 2008 -JH Water temps have increased over the last few days and stream levels have dropped. It is best to conserve the trout and avoid stressing them. We may get some rain which would significantly improve the fishing so stay tuned. Meanwhile, take a stream thermometer and if it is over 70 degrees, ask us about some great Largemouth or Smallmouth spots. Many areas especially the Gorge are holding good numbers of fish BUT these fish may expire due to stress after being played. Give them a break. Isonychia in the evening along with Light Cahills. Summer Sulphurs (E. varia, E. vitreus, H. hebe) and Potomanthus are hatching. Tricos are a good bet for the morning. Trout are still sipping spinners now every evening at dusk and beyond often into the early morning hours especially with the Tricos on the water. Baetis hatches also continue so it is always wise to have some Parachute Adams or BWO's size 16-18 as well as Baetis Spinners in your fly box. Olives are definitely on for morning fishing. They prefer cool, cloudy days. Remember that a trout will take an insect that is vulnerable and emerging insects are often very good targets. If you don't see a lot of bugs on the water and small caddis kind of hovering in fairly large groups, try a Caddis emerger in the film. Tricos, Caddis and Olives will dominate morning fishing. There may well be spinners on the water from the night before but any nymph/ emerger tandem rig should include either a caddis emerger or BWO emerger. Trout are feeding on Black Ants now too especially during the day. Japanese Beetles are much more common now. To effectively fish the Summer Sulphurs it is better to concentrate in two areas: large deep pools and areas adjacent to and above and below faster water. The flies may be the same as the earlier Sulphur hatch in some cases a little larger. Mayflies generally increase the speed of emergence as the water warms so give your flies a little action. I will often fish emergers by themselves with just a little weight to get them down. Another good way to do this is to fish a dry and dropper rig. Simply tie on a Parachute or Comparadun because they float well or maybe even a Blond Wulf size 12-14 and attach the emerger off of the bend in the hook as a dropper. As we move into July, use an Isonychia Parachute, Elk Hair Caddis, or Golden Drake Comparadun and tie a small nymph underneath. With the lower water levels the weight of the nymph hook should suffice to get the fly down to the desired depth. Check the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife's website: www.NJFishandWildlife.com for all kinds of fishing information.Don't forget we have a great staff of guides who will help you get more fish on your line, whether for trout or bass! Call for details (908) 832-5736.
Check Allan Johnson's website for details on fly casting schools at the Raritan Inn. Check him out at http://www.ajflycasting.com.Hatches, Fly Recommendations and Tips: Trail an emerger behind a nymph about 18-22 inches apart and hold on! A gentle lifting motion can entice a fish to strike the emerger. Try some of our new emerger patterns like the BWO, Isonychia and Light Cahill!
Nymphs and Streamers:
Prince Nymph (Beadhead, Poxy Back, Standard)
Use this nymph now! Scuds and Sowbugs: Grey or Olive size 14-18 March Brown nymph size 14-16 (Good imitation of the Cahill nymph) Caddis Pupa: Variety of styles. Also try Olive soft hackles. Woolly Buggers: Brown is good but is there really any other color but Olive? Conehead Muddler Minnows work too. Note: I use larger nymphs and bead-heads when the water is higher and less weight when water drops. On the South Branch, use the heavier flies when the stream flow exceeds about 175-185 cfs.
Note: There have been some changes to the scientific
names of some insects. I'll keep you posted but this will do
for now.
MORNING (6am-12noon) Confine fishing to 5am-9am) Ephemerella attenuatta Blue Winged Olive BWO 16-18 Note: Use a Rusty or Baetis Spinner at dusk #16-18 Ephemerella/ Drunella walkeri Large Blue Wing Olive BWO #14 Note: This hatch will be similar to the other large Olive D. cornuta and will overlap and replace it from mid June through mid July. Paraleptophlebia mollis American Iron Blue Quill Blue Quill #16-20 Spinner (Late Afternoon): Adams Parachute #16 Ephemerella deficiens Little Dark Hendrickson Pheasant Tail Parachute #18-20 Spinner (Evening): Baetis Spinner #18-20 Drunella cornutella and E. simplex Small Blue Wing Olive BWO #16-18 Ephemerella needhami Chocolate Dun Red Quill #16, Pheasant Tail Parachute #16-18 Note: Duns around midday on cooler days sometime after the traditional morning BWO hatch is dwindling according to Les. Spinner: Baetis Spinner #16-18 Trico tricorythides Trico Spinner #22-24 ALL DAY (Fly Fishing for Trout not recommended at this time.) Tan or Brown Elk Hair Caddis #16-18 Sparkle Pupae are deadly now as trailer in the tandem rig! Parachute Black Ants size 18-20 Rhithrogenia impersonata Dark Red Quill Red Quill #12-14 Note: Fish nymphs, duns, spinners around areas of fast water. Not a major hatch.
AFTERNOON
(Fly Fishing for Trout not recommended at this time.) Siphlonurus quebcencis Eastern Brown Quill Adams, Blue Dun #12 Note: Not a huge hatch but I did very well with them on Spruce Run Creek. Spinner: Brown Drake Spinner after 7pm Note: Hatch was intense but only about ninety minutes in duration. Baetis cingulatis Dark Gray winged Olive BWO #18-20 All Baetis Spinners (Late Afternoon-Dusk): Rusty or Baetis Spinner #18-20 Note: Baetis interclaris is slightly larger BWO #16-18 and Baetis tricaudatus (formerly B. vagans) is more grayish in color. Use an Adams or Blue Quill #16-18 Baetis hatches will dwindle during the summer only to reappear in smaller versions in the Fall. As of 6/17/08 there were still some Baetis coming off.
LATE AFTERNOON-EVENING (Best Fishing after 7:30pm) Isonychia bicolor Dun Variant or Slate Drake Dun Variant, Iso Dun, Iso Parachute, Adams #10-12 Spinner (Dusk): Iso Spinner #10-12 I. sadlieri (Great Mahogany Drake) Iso Dun, Parachute, or Comparadun #10-12 is often mentioned in literature along with I. harperi. Both have been combined under I. bicolor for now although there is some controversy surrounding the new classifications. Note: Hatches are more concentrated in June than May then dwindle during July and reappear in Mid August. Note: They will actually hatch sporadically all day depending on the weather. A very good bet right now. Only during the spinner fall will their relative abundance become apparent. Brief but frenzied action is a good possibility. Don't be without either the #14 Adams or the #12 Iso Parachute! Stenonema fuscum Grey Fox Sulphur Dun, Pale Evening Dun, Grey Fox #12-14 Spinner (Dusk): Sulphur Spinner #12 Gray Fox Variant #12-14 Stenacron/ stenonema interpunctatum/ ithaca/ rubrum Light Cahill Light Cahill #12-14, Light Cahill Parachute #12-14, Light Cahill Emerger #14, March Brown Poxyback Nymph #14, Light Cahill Spinner #14 Note: A clinging nymph, look for good hatches above and below riffles and rapids. Good hatches right now! S. canadense will continue to hatch well into August and sometimes early September. It may also be a little smaller down to a #16. Hexagenia limbata Dark Michigan Mayfly Hex Parachute #6 Note: Not common on South Branch. Other Hexagenia/ Litobrancha species such as atrocaudata and especially Litobrancha recurvata much more common especially in July and August. Pseudocleon dubium BWO #22 , Adams Midge #22 Ephemera varia Yellow Drake #10, Blond Wulf, Light Cahill #10 Epeorus vitreus Greywinged Yellow Quill Blond Wulf #12-14, Sulphur #12-14, Cream Variant #14 Potomanthus distinctus/ ruffous Golden Drake Blond Wulf #10-12, Potomanthus Comparadun #10-12 Expect some of the best mayfly hatches of the season from now through the middle of June. For the last two weeks, Pheasant Tails in a variety of styles including flashback and beadheads have been the most popular nymph. Prince nymphs remain a good bet in size 12-14 as are Hare's Ear nymphs size 12-16. Finally, don't neglect scuds in Olive, Tan or Grey size 14-16. Olive scuds in sizes 14-16 have been hot! See you in the shop. -JH
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