The dog days of August with the usually hot and humid weather are here. This is the time most anglers leave the water while waiting for cooler weather before casting a fly again.
For many guests, this time of the season offers a great time for learning new waters, tactics and some of the approaches and fly patterns I use to entice and catch a few of the many trophy trout in the Deerfield during these, what can be, difficult times.
Comments like, that’s a bugmeister, how’s a fish able to get it in its mouth, it’s huge!, or what a pretty little fly, is there a bug that really looks like that? But their expressions of confusion are priceless as can be. This is the fun time, time to experiment and try different patterns and approaches and wet wading. For me, I do this on my own while scouting, and then introduce these; some may think quirky tactics, to my clients. Skillfully, with some luck I may add, with good success!
Paying close attention to the water flows on the Deerfield we head out early, hoping to capitalize on the lower flows offered by the reports. Keep on the move; try not to get locked into standing on one rock and casting to the same fish over and again. Change up, move, and give the fish a little different look. There’s more to fly fishing than just catching fish so don’t limit your learning curve. By changing up, you’ll learn new tactics which may enable you to catch even more fish!
The better areas during this time are the upper-fly zone all the way to the Mohawk Camp Grounds, which by the way is a great spot to break for lunch. All sections of the river fish well with knowing what kind of water the rainbows prefer versus the waters holding a trophy brown. Floating and canoeing are great ways to see the lower stretches, which hold many nice and trophy trout. We always try fish as much water as possible and try to keep on the move because the trout seem to only give you one, maybe two shots at them, then it’s lock jaw.
With a few more trips left to do on the Deerfield this month and with a few week days still available for booking into early September it’s just about time to get ready for another Upstate New York Salmon Season which should be in full swing by the end of the month.
Good Luck and see you on the water!
See my Photo Page for recent trip pictures with more to be added shortly.
"World Class Waters"
Carry a camera and a cloth measuring tape then use the formula, which is fairly accurate, if you'd like to have the weight, (length X girth X girth / 800 = lb.) and this should give all the info needed for bragging rights without over stressing the fish. Once you land that trophy fish of a lifetime, it's your choice to kill and have mounted and no one should condemn you for your decision to do so. You can also send a good photo and measurements to a professional taxidermist where they can make a reproduction of the fish that you released.