Beat the Heat with Bass

Our buddy Noah showing proper grip'n'grin tactics ;-)

We are in coming off a very hot weather pattern which had our rivers very warm.  This had the big rivers hitting the upper 70’s and the mid-sized creeks also hovering in the upper 60’s low 70’s.  Brook trout and bass have been the focus and the fishing has been decent.  Brook trout fly selection need not be complicated with just about any dry producing.  While bushy dry flies work great try to avoid flies that have a ton of hackle by the hook point or cut it back with your nippers.  Those lil brookies have a hard time getting their mouths around all that fuzz.  Otherwise, bass have been active and responding to top water patterns in low light conditions and crayfish and clousers when the sun is up.  Tyipical mid- summer  stuff.  Speaking of which, terrestrials should be more and more important by the day as most of our solid mayfly hatches are behind us and will slow down through july and august.  The exception being, Hex’s are present on select inland ponds and lake champlain and paraleps will come off mid- month in some rivers.  Light/cream cahills and golden drakes are another mayfly that will appear from time to time but for the most part stimulators and terrestrials will be on the end of my leader.  On cool mornings there is always a chance of some bwo’s  but all these hatches tend to be here and there.  More reliable mayfly hatches will return in late August with white flies and Iso’s  on the menu.  Mid-summer also see’s small caddis in the a.m. so have some # 16-18 elk hair and x-caddis.  Otherwise, #12 princes, #14 pt nymphs, buggers in white,olive,brn, & black are all staples through the end of the season.