Week of May 31, 2026: Go when the going is good
If you did a little planning, or just got lucky, timing was everything last week. We began with air temps in the 50's with fog and swung up into the 80's with no cloud cover. The rivers responded in kind and saw water temperatures in the 70's on Wednesday. Friday and the weekend returned to the safe zone. If you follow the socials, we had a nice report from Abraham and Conor who saw both brook trout and Isonychias on the Black River.
Others, myself included, did better before the mid-week heat. Pheasant tail nymphs and wets, #18 - #22, are taking fish. Small mops and midges can be used in tandem with PTs either under an indicator, Euro-style, or free swinging through riffles, runs, or pools. Time of day and weather help fish move out of safe spaces and into feeding zones.
If the fish are not feeding or seem skittish, try stipping a bead head wooly bugger - both brown and green worked for me - through tails of pools or, again, through riffles and runs that have at least two feet of water. I like to cast perpendicularly and the stack-mend to get my bugger down stream and two feet or so off the opposite bank. Then, one big mend creates tension and I begin stripping as the line arcs with the current. Other times, I cast as far as space allows, straight down and across the current at about forty-five degrees. Start the retrieval as soon as the fly lands on the water. Feather streamers or small deer hair streamers can be fished in this manner.
Top water action continues. BWO, Caddis, Sulphur, Yellow Sallies, and now Isonychia dries can be fished pretty much at any time. Look for hatches throughout the day and stay for the evening and be sure to carry Rusty Spinners in #18 through #12. Isos are fairly large flies, but their brown or mahogany color can make them hard to see on the water.
Looking ahead - it is the same story. After Tuesday, it’ll get hot again. Carry a stream thermometer and check. 67 degrees is most people’s threshold and 70 degrees begins to be lethal for trout in certain conditions. Even if they appear to swim, they may not get enough oxygen in their blood and go belly up a few feet away. That being said, the rivers and lakes are brimming with trout and other fish. It’s a delicate dance.
Stop by for the latest gear from Umpqua, Patagonia, Fishpond, and Loon. Peruse our flies and pick up some guide-level glasses from Smith.
June 21st is the first day of summer and I hope the weather stays cool for an extended season for trout on the rivers. It isn’t too early to chase smallies, either, and there are reports of striped bass lurking near the mouths of our rivers where they meet the Delaware.
Find a nice, cool day with some clouds and enjoy the end of spring!
See you out there,
Roy B.