For the flyfisher, August often means working at polar extremes. On the one hand, the devoted trout fisherman has limited choices. Extreme heat & often high water temps in the freestoners means seeking out the spring creeks & limestoners that keep cooler during the summer. Usually, hatches & fly selections are limited, as well. Tricos - tricorythodes stygiatus - for you bug nuts, are tiny mayflies that hatch early in the morning & continue their mating flight into mid-to late morning. Here in Southeastern PA, many streams, especially the limestoners, boast heavy Trico hatches beginning at the end of June and extending well into October or November, or whenever the 1st frost arrives. Tricos represent one of August's extremes: they are extremely small, require precise imitation & presentation. This is because by the time the hatch has gotten underway for the 1st few weeks, trout become extremely picky & persnickety about the profile, size, even the color (females have a cream colored abdomen; males-your basic black.). At the start of the hatch, sizes 20 thru 24 are usually the ticket. The larger sizes should be used to imitate the female, the smaller sizes for the male. By the time August rolls around, trout will turn down those 20-24's in favor of 26's, 28's & even smaller! This is because the insects themselves have gotten smaller over the course of the hatch. It can really mean some careful, eye straining threading of your tippet & fly.
That brings us to another extreme: your leader. I know guys who will use nothing less than an 18' leader to fish Tricos. Of course, this is really pushing the envelope, but it does work for them. Usually, though, something like a 12' to 14' leader is the norm for many Trico aficionados. But many trico streams I fish are small. A really long leader may not work so well on smaller streams. My philosphy: use the longest leader you can get away with, given the stream & conditions you're dealing with. Depending on the weather (another often extreme factor), "Trikes" will hatch & begin the mating ritual sooner or later: sooner on warmer or hotter days, later on cooler fall days & when it rains. Expect spinner falls by 8 or 9AM when it's hot, between 9 & 10AM on cooler mornings, and even later as Fall progresses. Most flyfishermen will fish the spinner fall, but nothing else. Getting on the stream early is imperative & often the difference between success & a disappointing day on the stream. Also, experiment: don't just fish the dead spinner imitations. Try using some dun patterns early on & changing over to a spinner that sits upright in the current. Also, try sunken spinners which drift beneath the surface. Sometimes this is all it takes to get those trout interested again.
Tricos are one extreme. If you are strictly a trout only flyfisherman, it may be your only option, besides fishing hoppers & other terrestrials later in the day. However, August can throw some extreme heat & the early morning may be the best time all day (night fishing notwithstanding). But, if you are just itching to get out & fish, don't feel like threading near-invisible tippets into even less visible hook-eyes, maybe yet another extreme is just what the doctor ordered. Moving from the cold water confines of the salmonids & into the warmer waters of bass, panfish, pickeral, et al., the aforementioned info on Tricos goes out the window: we move from the extreme of the miniscule to that of the grandiose. Longer & beefier rods, heavier lines, thicker & stouter leaders, big, heavy bass flies & poppers all become ingredients for fishing in ponds, lakes, & streams where these warm water quarry lurk. Bass & panfish can be a fun & exciting alternative (I did NOT say replacement!) for trout fishing in August (and all the summer months for that matter,). There are many places in Southeastern PA & throughout the state that offer the fly-fisherman the opportunity to seek out these warmwater fish. Largemouth bass, pickerel, & pike often make viscious attacks on a hair popper, zonker, or minnow pattern. And sunnies & crappies can give nice little fights, as well. In upcoming posts, I will include some of the patterns I've found most helpful in trico & warmwater fly-fishing. If you are fishing a pond or lake from the bank, you can cast parallel to the bank and strip the popper or subsurface pattern toward you. Try varying the retrieve & pausing. If you pause, get ready for a violent strike. Often that is what the bass or one of its "colleagues" is waiting for. If you're fishing from a boat, try to fish near structure-fallen logs, drop-offs, weed beds. Many times, you will be aiming your casts toward the bank & strip in the line. Sometimes strikes will occur not far from the boat: the fish will almost always follow your fly to within just a few feet of the boat before attacking it. Also, fishing near docks, whether in or out of a boat, can be very productive, especially very early in the morning or at sundown. Bass & other warmwater species use the shade of the dock for shade & cover. Use the same techniques described above.
Your leader should be only 3 1/2' to 5' in length, depending on the circumstances. This is necessary for turning over big bass flies. Usually 7 or 8 weight lines are good for bass, pickerel & pike. 6 weight is good for panfish. Some like a 9 weight if they are specifically targeting pike or musky. You may need to check with your local fly shop about special leaders designed for these toothy fish.
There are a ton of different types of flies for warmwater flyfishing. Poppers, zonkers, clouser minnows, big pike flies in all sorts of varieties are out there. Smaller poppers designed for panfish are available & popular, as well. One thing to look for in buying or tying your own flies: make sure they have a weedguard. Weedguards, usually made of thick monofilament, will prevent snags. Some flies are tied with the hookpoint in the upright position. This, too, helps reduce snags. So, what extreme will you tend toward: the Trico savvy trout or the larger than life warmwater critters? Either way, whatever the extreme, both forms of fishing will bring you one common denominator: you will enjoy the fishing & will be extremely rewarded for it! And remember, August offers both extremes: be sure to try them both.
That brings us to another extreme: your leader. I know guys who will use nothing less than an 18' leader to fish Tricos. Of course, this is really pushing the envelope, but it does work for them. Usually, though, something like a 12' to 14' leader is the norm for many Trico aficionados. But many trico streams I fish are small. A really long leader may not work so well on smaller streams. My philosphy: use the longest leader you can get away with, given the stream & conditions you're dealing with. Depending on the weather (another often extreme factor), "Trikes" will hatch & begin the mating ritual sooner or later: sooner on warmer or hotter days, later on cooler fall days & when it rains. Expect spinner falls by 8 or 9AM when it's hot, between 9 & 10AM on cooler mornings, and even later as Fall progresses. Most flyfishermen will fish the spinner fall, but nothing else. Getting on the stream early is imperative & often the difference between success & a disappointing day on the stream. Also, experiment: don't just fish the dead spinner imitations. Try using some dun patterns early on & changing over to a spinner that sits upright in the current. Also, try sunken spinners which drift beneath the surface. Sometimes this is all it takes to get those trout interested again.
Tricos are one extreme. If you are strictly a trout only flyfisherman, it may be your only option, besides fishing hoppers & other terrestrials later in the day. However, August can throw some extreme heat & the early morning may be the best time all day (night fishing notwithstanding). But, if you are just itching to get out & fish, don't feel like threading near-invisible tippets into even less visible hook-eyes, maybe yet another extreme is just what the doctor ordered. Moving from the cold water confines of the salmonids & into the warmer waters of bass, panfish, pickeral, et al., the aforementioned info on Tricos goes out the window: we move from the extreme of the miniscule to that of the grandiose. Longer & beefier rods, heavier lines, thicker & stouter leaders, big, heavy bass flies & poppers all become ingredients for fishing in ponds, lakes, & streams where these warm water quarry lurk. Bass & panfish can be a fun & exciting alternative (I did NOT say replacement!) for trout fishing in August (and all the summer months for that matter,). There are many places in Southeastern PA & throughout the state that offer the fly-fisherman the opportunity to seek out these warmwater fish. Largemouth bass, pickerel, & pike often make viscious attacks on a hair popper, zonker, or minnow pattern. And sunnies & crappies can give nice little fights, as well. In upcoming posts, I will include some of the patterns I've found most helpful in trico & warmwater fly-fishing. If you are fishing a pond or lake from the bank, you can cast parallel to the bank and strip the popper or subsurface pattern toward you. Try varying the retrieve & pausing. If you pause, get ready for a violent strike. Often that is what the bass or one of its "colleagues" is waiting for. If you're fishing from a boat, try to fish near structure-fallen logs, drop-offs, weed beds. Many times, you will be aiming your casts toward the bank & strip in the line. Sometimes strikes will occur not far from the boat: the fish will almost always follow your fly to within just a few feet of the boat before attacking it. Also, fishing near docks, whether in or out of a boat, can be very productive, especially very early in the morning or at sundown. Bass & other warmwater species use the shade of the dock for shade & cover. Use the same techniques described above.
Your leader should be only 3 1/2' to 5' in length, depending on the circumstances. This is necessary for turning over big bass flies. Usually 7 or 8 weight lines are good for bass, pickerel & pike. 6 weight is good for panfish. Some like a 9 weight if they are specifically targeting pike or musky. You may need to check with your local fly shop about special leaders designed for these toothy fish.
There are a ton of different types of flies for warmwater flyfishing. Poppers, zonkers, clouser minnows, big pike flies in all sorts of varieties are out there. Smaller poppers designed for panfish are available & popular, as well. One thing to look for in buying or tying your own flies: make sure they have a weedguard. Weedguards, usually made of thick monofilament, will prevent snags. Some flies are tied with the hookpoint in the upright position. This, too, helps reduce snags. So, what extreme will you tend toward: the Trico savvy trout or the larger than life warmwater critters? Either way, whatever the extreme, both forms of fishing will bring you one common denominator: you will enjoy the fishing & will be extremely rewarded for it! And remember, August offers both extremes: be sure to try them both.
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