The Crooked has stayed very consistent this last couple of weeks. PMD’s are still hatching in good numbers around midday along with caddis early and late. Nymphing has still been the most productive way to catch trout when the bugs are not flying or the fish aren’t keyed into the hatch yet. We love dry fly fishing and have been using a lot of dry dropper rigs this year, the dry can be anything from a #12 hopper to a #16 chubby or even a larger PMD pattern. Weighted euro nymphs are a great option for picking apart skinny water and small pockets when you need your bugs to get down into the right zone quickly and accurately. The river has been crowded but with all this smoke if you where to get out there you would have no problem finding your own water. It is a good idea to wear a mask when you are out there right now the smoke is heavy and can really be a bother to some. Besides the smoke fishing should be decent with plenty of “cloud cover” those fish are feeling less pressured and safer with the flat and indirect light.
Suggested Dries: Parawulf PMD #16-18, Parachute PMD #14-18, Tilt Wing PMD #14-18, Elk hair Caddis black or brown #14-18, Caddis Cutter tan #14-18, Purple Haze #16-20, Chubby Chernobyl #16-12, X-Caddis Tan #16-20
Suggested Nymphs: Juju Baetis black or purple #18-22, Two Bit Hooker red or black #16-20, Lighting Bug #16-20, Zebra midge purple or black #18-20, Jigged Pheasant tail #14-16, Panty Dropper Jig #14-16, Twisted may olive or black #14-16, Bullet quill French nymph #14-16