It’s the same story as it has been on East, which is fishing fairly well for those fishing deeper water with long leaders and slip indicators. The fish in East have seen a wide assortment of flies this year, and have gotten pretty picky. Fly selection has become an increasingly important factor as a result, and altering some of the popular and productive Callibaetis and Chironomid patterns we typically use on East. Break out the sharpies and scissors, and change a few things up to set your flies apart. For those who tie their own flies, now is the time to get creative and try out the variations that have come from the nights with a few beers at the vise. We also like to use flies without beads this time of year. Brass, copper, and silver beads in particular can look unnatural to educated fish, so skip the bead or go with a painted or dark colored bead. Make sure to use occasional twitches or small, slow strips to cover water and find areas of concentrated fish.
Suggested Nymphs: Black or Grey Zebra Midge #16-18, Olive Juju Chironomid #18, Black or Red Chirono Cone #18, Poxyback Callibaetis #14-16, Bird’s Nest Hare’s Ear #16-18, Bird’s Nest Depth Charge #16-18, Dark Assassin #16-18, Parallel Assassin #16, Black Ice Cream Cone #14, Olive or Black Balanced Leech #10-14, Olive Wooly Bugger #10-12, Thin Mint #10-12
Suggested Dries: Hi-Vis Callibaetis #14-16, Rusty Spinner #14-16, Almost Dun Callibaetis #14-16, Thorax Callibaetis #14-16, Hackle Stacker Callibaetis #14-16, Parachute Callibaetis #14-16, Black Flying Ant #16, CDC Flying Ant #16, High Vis Foam Beetle #16, Peacock Chubby Chernobyl #14-16