Quote:
Originally Posted by graybeard
What are you guys using when autumn fly fishing in the smaller creeks and rivers: Little Red Deer and the Dog Pound Creek?
I was out yesterday and tried to match what was flying and in the water and there was not a lot of insect activity.
Thanks,
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For both the LRDR and DP, fish pretty much need to be actively rising to catch anything on top. The only 4 dries I carry with me from October until May are sz20 trico spinner, sz20 griffiths gnats, and (most importantly) sz16 and sz18 blue wing olives. Tricos do not really hatch in all river systems or later than September, but a 'little black bug' will catch fish all year round. Depending on the weather, the last dry is an ant pattern, but with the cold weather, I think terrestrial season will come to an abrupt end this year.
For nymphs, the seasonal selections is small pheasant tails and copper johns (sz16-20). Evil olives and Higa's SOS are 2 of my favourites, but they work 365 days per year too. Of course, the humble zebra midge in sz16-22 should be part of your fly box as well.
The seasonal pantry is rather limited, but the standard pantry becomes more important. San juan worms and leech patterns dominate for catch the most fish in later season.
Dries and nymphs become smaller, but the streamers can get big and meaty! Buggers, muddlers, clousers. On the RDR in the evenings, tossing something ridiculously big like sex dungeon can really produce, but for the smaller streams, muddlers and bow river buggers would probably be a better choice.