Peak fishing is occurring on the Middle Fork Feather River, and complete solitude can be found if one ventures off the main path. Fall colors are a little late in the watershed, but overall the autumn glow in the Northern Sierra has been a checkerboard of early and peak colors depending on your location. Last week has been warm in the afternoons, yet a little chilly in the mornings. You're going to want to fish during the warmest part of the day from 11am to 4pm. There is a big difference between a shady section of the river, and one with full sun. Choose wisely. Water temps are starting out near 50 degrees in the morning and the action is slow, yet catch rates pick up as the water warms to the mid 50's
The BWO spinner fall is occurring later due to the colder air temps, look for dimples in back eddies and slack side water next to the main current. Sparse hatches of BWO duns, smaller caddis, and a few October caddis are in the air with some of the caddis ovipositing during the day. Dry/dropper rigs are a fun way to fish and very effective, but Nor Cal Tight Line Nymphing is your best technique if you want fish in the net. Good dry flies include Orange Stimulators, E/C caddis, and Loop Wing BWO's. Top nymphs include flashback PT's, LaFontaine's Deep Sparkle Pupa in brown, and Hogan's S&M and Military May in olive. The trout are in the tail outs of foam lines in both runs and pools in the morning, and creep up into the faster water in the afternoon. Cover water quickly but slow down if you start catching a few as the majority of the fish are stacked up together. 10 to 12" fish are the norm, with a few bigger ones to 16". These fish fight extremely hard for their size and are close in athleticism to a Lower Yuba River wild rainbow.
The Middle Fork Feather River closes November 15th, so if you want some good times on this awesome Wild & Scenic river, the time is now. Remember to click on any highlighted text for links to fly patterns, guides, or articles. See you on the water.
No comments:
Post a Comment