FISHING REPORT 6/14/06

[John Berry]

Yesterday afternoon my wife, Lori, and I went fishing at Rim Shoals. It was beastly hot and underneath my waist high waders I had on shorts. We fished with nymphs for a couple of hours and caught a few fish. At best, it was slow. The most productive fly was an olive scud size 18. To try and get something going I tried about a dozen flies. I decided to try something a bit differant. Even though there was no surface activity, I tied on a size ten grass hopper (the smallest that I had). I was immediately rewarded with a fat fourteen inch rainbow. I fished the hopper for the rest of the day and I caught way more fish than I had been tagging with the nymphs. If you have never fished hoppers, you need to give it a try. The take can be very agressive! On the way out, I was talking to another angler and he remarked that it was early for hoppers. Luckily the trout didn't know that.

[Phil Lilley]

Where do you fish at Rim? With the hoppers I mean. I've fished there several times and am familiar with the stretch below the access- the series of runs.

[John Berry]

I have a few spots that I prefer. It should be noted that I prefer to fish riffles and very short lines (ten feet or less). I generally start at the big riffle at the top of the island. I avoid the heaviest water (it is difficult to keep the hopper afloat). I do the best on the island side. I position myself where the water drops off and cast upstream and let it drift over the drop off. I work the water carefully and hang on. I do the same thing at the next two riffles down stream. On the railroad side there is some terrific pocket water that is very productive. My biggest problem is beating my wife to the choicest spots.