Every week we think that it might be the last good week of the fishing season, but Mother Nature keeps surprising us with yet another beautiful fall week. After some rain last week, we've had a cooler but lovely week and the forecast is for next week to be back in the 60s. It looks like fall fishing is going to extend well into November.
People love to be outdoors at this time of year and we've had several corporate groups in the last week. Our groups are usually 6-10 people, some brand new to fly fishing and others experienced. It's a fun day with all hands on deck. (A big thanks to our guides; Jim, Tom, Brad & Len). Smokehouse BBQ & Catering in Benton catered our last corporate group. Thank you Sean & Tracy for a great dinner and thank you to our corporate clients for bringing your teams to us!
Jim's Fall Fishing Report
Fall trout Fishing Tips
The month of October came and went very quickly. The autumn foliage has peaked in our neck of the woods, and the rain we're having will soon bring down the remaining leaves.
I always refer to the first few weeks of October has a transition time. Hot one day, cooler the next, and the fluctuation seems to effect the behavior of the trout. That held true to form this year, as it was a game of changing flies and setups often.
Trout can be very selective at times and thinking outside the box with your fly section can catch fish when all else fails. It was very interesting when talking to the other guides and hearing the different flies that caught fish on any given day. Flies that you wouldn't necessarily use in the fall season — like a small green inch worm that a big trout took for a very happy client.
Changing techniques and making adjustments to your setup is more important than fly selection. Adjusting the position of your strike indicator or adding additional weight can be a game changer. Lengthening your leader or switching to a lighter tippet will change the way your nymphs move in the water. Experiment with different types of indicators and try using tungsten bead head nymphs to eliminate split shot to get a better drag free drift.
We had very good late October here on Fishing Creek and I expect it to continue into November. Water levels have held nicely and the trout are becoming more active as the spawn is approaching. Trout will usually spawn in small riffles or tails of pools. The female will clean out an oval spawning bed with her tail called a redd. Be on the lookout for oval clean spots in the stream bed and avoid wading and fishing in these areas.
Late fall fishing is the last hurrah of some really good fly fishing before winter sets in. It's certainly one my favorite times to be on the water.
Guide
Jim Kukorlo
Here are a few shots from the last week:
“Silver Trout”
by Bob Romano
“Silver Trout” reminds me of our home stream, Fishing Creek. It could be many places in the northeast and I feel pretty safe in saying that most streams have a lot in common with the one in his fall fishing story. It's nice reading and we hope that it reminds you of a favorite stream of your own – hopefully one that you've fished this fall.
Thank you MidCurrent and Bob.
