The Fall has fished well in recent weeks with good numbers of hatchery fish sticking around through the winter. These fish are no stranger to artificial flies, so you may find yourself cycling through a few bugs before you find one that works. Micro mayflies and copper microstones in sizes 14-18 are good patterns to lead with, and small midge and mayfly nymphs will continue to be good options. Zebra midges, juju baetis, and the tailwater tiny in sizes from 18-22 should find fish. Typically, smaller flies become more productive as fish get more pressure, so don’t be afraid to venture into sizes smaller than 22 if your vision allows it! We recommend using 6x fluorocarbon tippet to maximize your chances while nymphing.
Some of the larger fish from the hatchery will still chase a streamer so using lightly weighted wooly buggers or leech patterns in olive, brown, or black can be a great way to have fun sight casting to fish up to 20”. As always, have some dry flies at the ready when fishing the fall. Various BWOs and general mayfly imitations like the purple haze in sizes 18-22 are good options in low light hours of the day or cloudy afternoons should you see fish coming to the surface.