Fishing Reports

Bubba remains on the loose once again sponsored by GBW Insurance. Weather will cooperate to make for some good fishing. Small nymphs like Caddis, Hare's Ear and Pheasant Tails in sizes 14-18 are taking fish too. I like a Hare's Ear with a scud trailer. Look for egg patterns and sucker spawns to be very effective in the higher flows. There are midges and small olives working in the above average temperatures. Try a RS2 fished as the trailing fly or by itself in a long, slow pool if fish are working. We have some great steelhead patterns tied by John Collins in stock with more on the way!

John Collins will be tying some of his favorite sculpin patterns Sunday January 21st. Classes are free and are at 9:30 and 11:30 am. Materials will be supplied but please bring your vise and tools. Classes are free and are at 9:30 and 11:30 am. Materials will be supplied but please bring your vise and tools.

New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife stocked lots of big 14-17" Trout. We added about 200 more fish including Bubba. Some nice broodstock also. Plenty of holdovers and the wild fish are starting to acquire their fall spawning colors. Egg and sucker spawn patterns are catching fish along with small nymphs.

Bug Activity -

Bugs are pretty much done except for midges. Use those small Pheasant Tail and Hare's Ear nymphs in sizes 16-18. The RS2 is a killer emerger pattern any time of year.

For the new fish look for attractors like eggs and sucker spawn patterns. In high water, fish streamers like Black Nosed Dace, Gray Ghost or Woolly Buggers in sizes 8-12.

New! Details on December Hatches

General Hatches, Fly Recommendations and Tips:

During the morning: Grey or BWO RS2 #18-22, Pheasant Tail #14-20, Tan or Grey Scud #14-18, Olive Flash Back Hare's Ear #16-18 behind a Prince #14-18, Potomanthus ( Golden Drake Nymph #12, Hare's Ear Beadhead #14-18 or Cream Hare's Ear #12-16 about 18-22 inches apart and hold on! A gentle lifting motion can entice a fish to strike the trailing fly (the famous Leisering lift) is especially effective when fishing a Sulphur or Caddis Sparkle Pupa Emerger #14-18 trailing behind a Pheasant Tail or Prince #14. Use enough weight to keep the flies just off the bottom drifting slowly. Streamers: Muddler Minnows, Woolly Buggers, Grey Ghost, Black Nose Dace, and Zonkers if the water is off color.

Hare’s Ear nymph standard and beadhead #14-18. Try the Olive Hare's Ear #16-18 as a Baetis nymph too.
RS2 #18-22 Grey, Brown or BWO
Trico Spinner #20-24 in the morning
Caddis Emergers in tan or olive are a must now in sizes 16-18!
Pheasant Tail nymph (Flashback, Beadhead, standard) size 16-20
Rainbow Warrior #18 Another great midge larva pattern
Prince Nymph/ Zug Bug (Beadhead, Poxy Back, Standard)
Scuds and Sowbugs: Grey or Tan, # 14-18
Caddis Larva: Green or Chartreuse is a must right now #14-18.
Midge Larva: Disco midges in Green, Red, or Black size 18-22
Woolly Buggers: Black, Olive and Brown #10-14 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.

Current Local Hatch Chart

Updated 12/30/2011

Note: Some hatches overlap time periods

MORNING (6am-12 noon)
Fish nymphs like the Prince, Caddis Larva, Rainbow Warriors Copper John, Hare's Ear and Pheasant Tail Flashback.

Water is cooling down. Fishing picks up after 9am.

It is still egg season. Sucker Spawns and egg patterns are very effective right now.

ALL DAY 10am-5pm

RS2 Grey, Brown (Especially on the Pequest) or BWO #16-22 seems to work everywhere as it matches any number of small mayfly emergers (Baetis)

1pm-6pm

Grey, Cream or black midges maybe on the surface size 18-26 Use a Griffith's Gnat or small BWO, Blue Dun or Adams Parachute or Midge.

LATE AFTERNOON-EVENING 6pm-dusk

Look for midges in the late afternoon on quiet pools.

Look for rising fish in the late afternoon on egg laying caddis or mayfly Spinners (Caribou Caddis or Rusty Spinner #12-18).

Water temps are good. Look for peak dry fly activity from 7am-10am & 6pm until 9pm.

Shannon's would like to thank the following companies for sponsoring our events