Sierra Fly Guide

  Water levels are at optimum levels and fish are eager, with cool mornings and waarm days, fishing is perfect. Bugs have been hatching, mayflies, caddis, and midges everywhere.  Fish are all over and feeding and not too skiddish.  Browns and large rainbows are moving about in search of aquatic and terrestrial bugs.  We have had a late grasshopper hatch that keeps the midday fishing good.

Finding fish is not tough, but  approaching them without spooking them is difficult. STEALTH, is the key.  Patience, moving slow, being wary,and thinking things through are the keys to success.  Try to limit groups to two people, wear drab colors, keep your eyes on the water, and expect fish where you least expect them.  Most will be in the moderate currents and looking to feed on nymphs.  Don't let the fish see anything but your fly.  Up and across/ high stick nymphing is working best, but use the wind to your advantage for the best casting angle.  Stay low, keep your distance from fish, and drift a nymph past them.  Land a fly well upstream, use some weight and be sure to drift it all the way to the end.  Mending is an essential tactic, you will have to keep up with the speed changes between the slow and the fast waters, which won't be easy in some cases.  Be aware of the down stream strike, and let the fish take line as he goes downstream away from you!

Focus your fishing efforts on the morning.  Get on the water by 8am, start nymphing mayflies and midges, then catch the mid-morning midge and mayfly hatches.  Switch to some stonefly and caddis dries by noon, through about 6pm.  Caddis' come out most evenings and should be a good starting point, along with the nymphs again.

Try stimulators, beetles, and small caddis dries, Griffith's gnats and sierra bright dots.  Stonefly nymphs will open some jaws through the afternoon also.  Stoneflies are becoming abundant, not only as nymphs, but as adult dries also.  Prince nymphs and gold ribbed hare's ears are the main producers right now along with the zebra and tiger midges.  You'll find some success if you move slow and take your time.

BE KIND, CATCH AND RELEASE