Beautiful Day

[jah]

Yesterday was gorgeous on the Current. I fished below the cable to the rock garden. I had zero luck however. I have fished that stretch dozens of times and have only been skunked one other time. I'd like to throw out this question:

Given the following conditions on the Current yesterday, what would you have used to catch fish?--i.e. fly, technique, tippet, etc. I really want to learn, so I look forward to the replies.

1. Clear water, lower than average flow

2. Massive, and I mean massive, caddis hatches. They were everywhere

3. Very few fish rising, however, to these caddis

4. 60 degree temps outside with colder weather moving in

5. midday

6. High thin clouds overhead

So, I look forward to hearing how you all would fish these conditions...thanks for your help!

Jim

[Nortrad]

Just my not-that experienced advice. I'm still learning a lot. The Current is a great river, but by no means is a successful day guaranteed. I've been skunked twice and had only 2-4 fish days several times. Weather has a lot to do with it. It seems when a cold front enters the fish shut down. The river gets hit relatively hard once Spring comes. The fish get wise. I know following a heavy feeding day makes it tough to coax them to hit your fly. The fish might have had a great Saturday buffet. I know it was warm here in Springfield. I've only fished on top a few times when I see visible rising fish. My fishing bud has been very successful with caddis pupae and sparkle pupae flies. I usually fish a nymph, and this winter have fished midges, scuds, egg flies and SJW's. We also fish tandem rigs. Smaller streamers also work at times. Hang in there. Spring is a great time to fish this river.

[Nortrad]

Just figured out that you did fish on Saturday, not today. My bad, they might have had a big feed on Friday? Many fishermen have figured out the Current more times than me.

[jah]

Yeah, I fished Saturday with about 136 other people. I did try egg patterns, dry caddis, wooly bugger under an indicator, copper johns. I was thinking that this might have been the perfect day for soft hackles? Alas, I had none.

[Nortrad]

Too many people firing a lot of things at them. I can see how they shut down. Cold weather's coming back. We need a steady period of above-freezing temps at night to really get the fish going. It's coming.

[Paola Cat]

Jah .... right on. I think you were on the right track. In conditions like that .... downsize your presentation. Use a longer and lighter leader. Use smaller flies. Sounded like the perfect time to swing soft hackles. Maybe strip a small crackleback. Also you could try drifting under a small indicator caddis pupa, small scud, and small midge patterns like RS2s, WDs, tiny PTs, JuJus, micro eggs, or dropper combos. PC

[Adamg]

I happened to be down a Tan Vat on Friday..The weather was warmer than it has been. There was a nice caddis hatch going on and the fish were rising all over the place. We tried everything scuds, san juans, elk hairs, egg patterns and nothing. Until we tied on the always trusty olive woolly. We put them under an indicator and fished a dead drift. It was like we rang the dinner bell. The browns could'nt get enough of it. Probably caught about 20-25 before it was all said and done. Couple of nice ones too. Did anyone else this weekend happen to witness one of those huge ice formations on the opposite bluffs break off. I was adjusting my set up and one of those bad boys broke lose right above me. Sounded like a freight train coming down the hill. Keep an eye out for those things they could seriously hurt a person.

[jah]

I happened to be down a Tan Vat on Friday..The weather was warmer than it has been. There was a nice caddis hatch going on and the fish were rising all over the place. We tried everything scuds, san juans, elk hairs, egg patterns and nothing. Until we tied on the always trusty olive woolly. We put them under an indicator and fished a dead drift. It was like we rang the dinner bell. The browns could'nt get enough of it. Probably caught about 20-25 before it was all said and done. Couple of nice ones too. Did anyone else this weekend happen to witness one of those huge ice formations on the opposite bluffs break off. I was adjusting my set up and one of those bad boys broke lose right above me. Sounded like a freight train coming down the hill. Keep an eye out for those things they could seriously hurt a person.

I saw many break off, and it was awesome---probably only because I was across the river out of harms way....

I didn't have any olive wooly buggers, but I will for sure bring some along next time...thanks for the advice.

[XP 590]

I fished the Current around this time last year and there were also swarms of caddis hatching, but I noticed the same thing, not many fish rising to them. I did catch a bunch though on a variety of soft hackles and olive/brown wollybuggers, swinging them in the current and hanging on tight. Alot of my fishing buddies knock soft hackles as a low-tech way to fish, but I love it when they yank that line from your hand.

[Nortrad]

Excellent reports gentlemen. (I use that term loosely.)

Nice to hear the code was cracked. Wish I could get back sooner. Have to just keep tying.