Week of April 6th 2025: Open Season

Week of April 6th

Here we go!  The rivers are back open; check for weekly closures while stocking continues. The fish are on!  I drove up River Road, from Hoffman’s Crossing Bridge to the shop, and saw two stringers with fish. The shop is ready to get you out there, too.

Anglers in the TCAs and Wild Trout Streams enjoyed the BWO and caddis hatches. Midges and nymphs, scuds, and streamers continue to be winners this week.  RS2, WD40, Rainbow Warriors, Zebra midges #18 and smaller are killer behind small pheasant tails, black copper Johns, J.C.s little black stone fly- all (#16 - #20). La Fontaine sparkle pupa and other emerging caddis are excellent lead flies, as well. Zonkers, Buggers, Mops can move the stockies when nothing else does. 

The big news is - Blue Quills and Hendricksons are expected in better numbers very soon. Guide and fly tyer John Collins attested to their arrival on his favorite spot but that indicates we could see them this week. Stop by for Hendrickson dry flies and especially emerger patterns.  Fish nymphs in the upper sections of pools, below riffles, and later in the day turn to emerger and dry flies once you see bugs on the water or fish moving and breaking the surface int the lower half of the same pool.  Sunday afternoon offered me a few hours and I had some luck on both John Kavanaugh's Hendrickson emerger and an olive RS2.  

Olive dries, Griffith’s gnats, and caddis patterns are worth casting when you see rising fish.  The Blue Quill, Hendrickson, and Caddis can occur all at once and that’s a great time to be out there.

Trout Fest is next weekend, so plan to fish the evening hatch or come at noon after a morning on the rivers.

See you out there, Roy B.