9/15 Tan Vat

[MattS]

Arrived at Tan Vat about 6:30. Only car there, not to bad for a Sunday. Started with a big streamer trying to get a nice brown but no luck. Then tried nymphs, rubber legs, little streamers and nothing produced. Then noticed a nice brown looking up and the only dries I had on me were leftover hoppers from my trip to the White. First cast, the brown came out and drilled it. Decided to keep the hopper and caught a few more browns and a really nice rainbow. After the sun came out a THICK hatch started (assuming it was tricos?) and not a whole lot of fish were rising, but when one was, it was rising once every 4 or 5 seconds. Went back to the car and looked for some small dries (I didn't have any tricos) and I threw every dry fly I had. Cracklebacks, elk hairs, griffiths gnat, and a few personal patterns. Didn't get a single bite. Couldn't believe it. Decided to throw and big Madam X and finally got a rainbow. Caught a few more on an egg and missed and 18+ inch rainbow. Got crowded and called it a day. Not a bad day but not great by any means.

[moguy1973]

Tricos were out heavy down on the middle Current Friday night too..

[MattS]

Were you fishing a dry? Did they take yours?

[Gavin]

They love terrestrials this time of year...always a good option...Trico's usually mid morning...usually size 24-28. Glad you had a good morning.

[Idylwilde]

There has been a few Mayfly hatches late in the evening coming out of the deeper leaf beds. These are large Mayflies with about 3/4" wing spread and 1" tails. They do their dance and some fall but I did not see one rise for them. I also tried everything I could rake out of my box with no luck. I saw no browns but did see some 16" rainbows. Caught only three fish in 3 hours.

The MDC has invited me on a Brown trout survey the last of the month. From above Tan-Vat to Baptist Camp. Then from below Parker Ford to Baptist. Should be interesting! The bigger browns are still hitting the Lunker Board in the park. But the weights are getting lower and lower. 3.2 lb now. Two years ago they were 7-8 lb Last year they were 5 to 4 lb. all are coming from Blue ribbon cable to below the 119 bridge. It seems that the smaller browns do not move as far as the bigger ones that fast.

[3wt]

About a week and a half ago, my buddy tore 'em up between the park and tan vat on hoppers (green stimulator). I finally switched and got a nice rainbow and missed several on the same fly. Nice size fish with lots of color were coming out of nowhere to grab the thing. Seemed like the wiser fish were accustomed to being opportunistic for grashoppers randomly floating by.

[MattS]

About a week and a half ago, my buddy tore 'em up between the park and tan vat on hoppers (green stimulator). I finally switched and got a nice rainbow and missed several on the same fly. Nice size fish with lots of color were coming out of nowhere to grab the thing. Seemed like the wiser fish were accustomed to being opportunistic for grashoppers randomly floating by.

That's great to hear. I'm planning on fishing the same way next time I go down there in late September

[stlskyline]

I've had good success lately with a olive wooly. Fished both under an indicator and also free. Really been hitting it at the swing.