Week of December 7th 2025: Sodden Fall Foliage
Fly lines quickly become heavy with icy coats early mornings on our NJ rivers and it seems anglers are, perhaps wisely, waiting for the morning to warm up before hitting local rivers. The morning bite just at dawn provided some takes this weekend as coyote and owl calls added an eerie twilight ambiance on Sunday. We have to wade through some deep leafy layers, since those few weather events we had didn’t really “flush” the system completely, but these leaf packs are really good for trout.
Anglers out during the week found success matching the life in our underwater habitat. The noticeable activity makes fly selection exciting. The significant clumps of submerged leaves cascading down even as the river bed slopes deeper, where even more leaves are sometimes collected, can be annoying. No one enjoys having to haul in a heavy leaf or clump of algae and rid the fly of the slime and gunk that loves to seep into the very fibers of the fly’s being. Remember, though, this detritus is the food source for life in winter. The slime, algae, and deteriorating leaves sustains chronomids, nymphs, and scuds who form the first link in the food chain. Take a moment to see what is squirming or crawling around before returning the clump to the water. That slop is a smorgasbord for trout. Similar to bears, squirrels, chipmunks, the trout and fish are fattening up on what's available while the getting is good.
Macroinvertebrates may be daunting to tie since they are so small and cold hands and weak eyes (I’m projecting) cause hesitation to get them on a line to fish. Take advantage of warmer and sunny days, but otherwise we have to get used to it. Local legend and guide Keith G. noted this week that the fish were behaving similar to spring while taking small nymphs. Another regular customer, accustomed to fishing small streamers, noted the only large brown he saw after a tough morning moved for his favorite jig pattern. My time tying focused on midges and jig streamers this week, but I found luck with a grey mops, both tied on a jig with an orange bead and without a bead fished behind split shot. Frankly, I was hoping they’d take my zebra midge which I had gussied up with a layer of slim pearl tinsel wrapped over the thread, but under the wire, before adding a fluff of grey CDC for a collar. I fish a lot of cranefly larvae, but this week it was there to get the midge in front of the trout’s nose. Saturday and Sunday morning’s fish all went for the mop. I did a little research to see how much temperature influences bug behavior and learned the water does not get too cold for the scuds, stonefly and mayfly nymphs, and caddies or cranefly larvae. Finding the pattern trout are keyed in on a given day makes all the difference.
Tying these patterns is fast and fun with some practice. They require just a few materials and don’t all have to be #20 hooks. The January Fly Tying 101 classes will focus on midges, larvae, and nymphs that work. Perhaps February may look at some jig-streamers. There's a fly-exchange at the shop this week and an open tying night at Sunken Silo later this month. Guide trips are going out until the anchor ice sets in. I know this is not a weather report, but the end of the year could see significant snow and cold when Winter officially starts on the 21st.
See you out there,
Roy B.