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Need some basic on trout.

2K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  Stone 
#1 ·
As a newbie to flyfishing and for someone who has never flyfished for trout in a stream before I was wondering....

We are in August and it has been very hot and dry and the creeks and streams are low...should I look for the deep pools ? And what fly works best for late summer action in NY waters.

I have heard of flyfisherman who carry a water thermometer to check the water temp ?? Whats this all about ?

Any help and insight would be appriciated.

RTF
 
#2 ·
Yep always carry a water temp gauge. Without it, would be like not taking a compass on a wilderness trail.

In drought late summer conditions need to fish at crack of dawn, deep pools, and or where streams enter the river or you know there are underground spring water entering the river (takes experience to find these). If fishing during the day shaded pools and where cooler water enters the river are where the trout will be. Just before dark can be good and cloudy rainy days also.

As for flies in late summer in NY state, I have been gone for twenty years, grew up fishing the catskills rivers. A grass hopper pattern, ant, caddis, jassids were always useful.)

As you are a beginner here is the golden rule for late summer small stream fishing: use very light leaders 1-2 lb tippets and always fish upstream using the above parameters provided.

Tight lines, let us know your conquests as you progress through the flyfishing journey.

PM
 
#3 · (Edited)
PMFlyfisher gave you good advice on fishing terrestrials (insects that live out of the water. When I started out I was given the following simple advice on presentations and fly selection that helped me out.

Fish a nymph like you would an un-weighted worm. Swim a streamer though a pool like you would a spinner. Cast a wet fly a little downstream and across the stream then let it swing around to directly downstream of you. An Adams, pheasant tail nymph or a wooly bugger will catch trout almost anytime of the year. Observe what is flying around on the stream banks before selecting a fly.
 
#5 ·
Fish, being cold-blooded, are hostage to their surrounding temperatures. At winter water temps, trout are zombies, in a virtual coma. Rainbows and browns are happiest in the low 60's, brook trout about 5 degrees lower. Water in the 70's feels to them like air in the 90's does to us. If hooked then, they may die from the stress.
A thermometer can lead you to a honey-hole. If you can find a place where a tributary or obscure spring outflow is several degrees cooler than the main stream, trout will be there in hot weather.
 
#6 ·
Also, depending on where you are, it just may be too hot right now for any trout fishing and you may want to stick to warm water species if you don't want to get skunked most of the time.

Good trout fishing will pick back up around mid to late September.

Good luck!
 
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