Fishing at the Metolius has been off and on. Remember that there's about a week left to fish above Allingham bridge, that stretch will be closed on October 31st. When it’s been on it has been incredible, when it's off it can be tricky to fool trout but the whitefish bite is always there to fill in the gaps. The weather this week is looking rainy and cold out there. Definitely have a good supply of blue wing olive, duns, emergers, and cripples, ranging from size 16 down to 20. October caddis are out and about most days, the dries work well as an attractor pattern or as an indicator in a dry dropper setup. Smaller size 16 - 18 tan caddis are hatching as well. Nymphing has been solid. I would almost always have a small egg on your nymph rig, especially in the shallower riffles and runs. Baetis (BWO) nymphs are an excellent choice as are October caddis pupae. Stoneflies are great. Remember that stoneflies aren’t all the big golden variety, lots of the stoneflies in the metolius are smaller and darker, and some are even larger than the golden stones. Variety is key, mix up your nymph rig and find what works best. Some of my favorite nymphs have never caught a fish in certain areas, some nymphs are only found in certain microhabitats. The Metolius is a great place to enjoy the rainy weather and maybe be rewarded with a big bully or a fat ol’ redband.
Suggested Dries: X-Stimulator #8-12, Black, Tan or Olive Elk Hair Caddis #14-20, Black, Tan or Olive Foam Caddis #14-20, Purple Haze #14-18, Hackle Stacker Baetis #18-20, Parachute Baetis #16-20.
Suggested Nymphs: Lex’s Improved Golden Stone #8-10, Poxyback Golden Stone #8-10, Green Drake Nymph #12-14, Deep October Caddis Pupa #10-12, Red or Black Copper John #14-18, Red or Black Lightning Bug #14-18, Red or Black Two Bit Hooker #16-20, Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear #14-18, Slim Shady Olive #18-20, FB Pheasant Tail #14-18, Micro Mayfly #16-20, Pearl or Red Rainbow Warrior #16-20, Copper Microstone #14-18