We should be fishing dries…
Summer fly fishing is the stuff of dreams. Verdant landscapes and azure skies reflect the cool, crystal-clear waters that trout inhabit. Enjoy the summer sun on your skin as you ditch the waders and revel in the river's cool temperatures.
In Summer, fish are more active and stay in currents with abundant oxygen. To present my flies as best as possible without scaring the fish, I need a longer leader and more delicate, precise casts.
Mid-late summer is the time for DRY FLY FISHING! Once the water flows start to drop and the water warms, anglers can expect more consistent dry fly action.
<aside> <img src="/icons/sun_red.svg" alt="/icons/sun_red.svg" width="40px" /> Caddis | Caddis are a popular food source for summer trout. All stages, sizes, and colors of caddis are available to them due to the continuous hatches. Anglers can expect success with a standard elk hair caddis. To maximize success, pay attention to the stages, sizes, and colors of caddis during the summer.
</aside>
<aside> <img src="/icons/downward_red.svg" alt="/icons/downward_red.svg" width="40px" /> Check out my Top-5 patterns or Use the Tabs / Tab dropdown ▾ below to toggle between types of flies
</aside>
<aside> <img src="/icons/sun_red.svg" alt="/icons/sun_red.svg" width="40px" /> Damsels | Dragonfly nymph patterns should be presented as close to the bottom as possible, so animals can inhabit depths up to 10 meters. To achieve this, fast sinking fly lines are usually needed. Snagging on a retrieve indicates the fly is in the right zone.
Leaders should not exceed 2.5 meters (8') in length. Floating nymph patterns can be fished on leaders as short as 1 meter (3'). Dragonfly nymphs move slowly, so short and slow 3-8 cm (1.5-4') strips or figure-of-eight retrieves work best. To imitate swimming motion, faster strips twice that distance can also be used.
</aside>
How to fish dragonfly adult patterns | You will probably only use it in case you see trout feeding on adults, or as an attractor for seen fish. Adult patterns can be presented with a hard landing on the water. These huge flies will always twist your leader, so try to eliminate false casts as much as possible. On the water surface, the adults twitch and flop, trying to escape off the water trap. Do the same with your fly to imitate the distress.
<aside> <img src="/icons/sun_red.svg" alt="/icons/sun_red.svg" width="40px" /> Eggs | Protein-packed insects are always available on the menu. Use a dry fly and dry/dropper set up for the best results. Pro Tip: Look for periods after rain, or when water has muddied or recently risen. Annelids get flushed out easily during these times, and trout prioritize them. Trout will always eat them, but these periods are especially important.
</aside>