Summertime

Green Drakes here for 6-Weeks!...first BT then LT

Well, still mobile, having pulled a calf-muscle...Nevertheless, been busy enjoying and gratified by mid-June into early July's guiding, clinics, tours and both TTFF's ( www.ttff.net) Cliff Frazier Memorial Youth program and Novice Clinic. While not "working" I made every opportunity for personal angling.

The "Big Bugs Of June" all made an appearance on the BT. The Winged Blacked Carpenter Ant were first during an intense 3-4 day period. The trout were aware, creating a great surface "searching" pattern on all moving waters and lake inlets; beyond the ant's short availability.

Winged Black Carpenter Ant dries also produced in creeks...

...and at stream inflows at lakes...best accessed via boats

Mid-morning to noon emergences of PMD's and March Browns made for happy sight-fishing to rising trout.

Pancho bent during the predictable late-morning PMD hatch

The trout were very selective; so we increased the odds of a grab by tailing soft-hackles or generic bead-head nymphs behind our flush-floating dries. Little Yellow Stonefly adults were and will continue to be a bug to imitate for the next 4 weeks; most especially at dusk. Also, nice adult imitation to use as your indicator fly when dry/dropper fishing while  methodically "prospecting" pocket-water. 

As usual the phantom hatches (...as in sparse numbers) of the other two "Big Bugs"...Golden Stonefly  and western Green Drake followed the black ants. We have been on our ritualistic, sunset "Drake Watch"...even though, personally, I saw them at mid-day. In the Drake's absence there are volumes of Little Yellow StoneFlies, micro-caddis and non-IDed mayfly spinners. 

QUICKY PROGNOSIS:

On the BT; warming waters; hence morning and evening times. Remember that below dam inflows such as Prosser and Boca there will be cooler waters than above and more flow. 

The LT currently has Drakes (started last week of June); so they'll be around for another week. Be aware of a "masking hatch"...PMD's. My hope is releases from Stampede dam do not get any lower. It is crowded...practice amiable stream-etiquette.

Small Creeks are finished locally, seek higher elevations.

Lakes...Locally wait for the big Browns staging at the inlets this fall. Milton is a choice now.