Not really a report but just currious to see what peoples thoughts and experiences have been. I keep hearing lately about how you shouldnt fish during the middle of the day in the valley this time of the year, about how its too hot, and the fishing is no good unless its early or late, etc........ Although I have had some great dry fly fishing in the evening lately (duh) i have been catching some pigs lately during the hottest part of the day, and some times, most of the fish i catch are durring the middle of the day, between 1:30-4:30. It seems like this has always been my experience on rivers with a healthly caddis population. Just curious if people have the same experience.
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all of a man's addictions end and begin when he learns to fly fish
I think there are a ton of variables that can impact with obvious ones being water temperature, size of river, and dominant insect activity, but generally I do adhere to this belief. This is based primarily growing up fishing the Upper Sac, but I have often (not always) found it true on other rivers as well.
On the Upper Sac, I have found the best fishing mid morning and evening, with the vast majority of dry fly activity in the evening. If I fish the mid-day heat, I either dump down deep with weight or like most, high stick it. This is effective but not my favorite type of fishing.
As Eric said, there are many variables. I tend to fish smaller streams that often are in canyons and heavily shaded. As a result, hatches often don't start until late in the morning and run through midday. I often start the early day running nymphs deep then move up the water column to end up fishing dries and dry/droppers from midday through evening. I like the midday stretch myself as on some of my Western and Eastern Sierra waters I'm the only person out there. (As you can tell, I'm an opportunist...nymphs, dries, streamers, etc.)
Having said all that, during the peak of summer, unless I'm at high altitude (where the temps are lower), I'll avoid the midday when it's too hot and could possilbly stress out the fish too much.
Followed the approach above last week on a small rivulet on the west slope...ended up hooking fish when all the bait chuckers and hardware guys were struggling. Ended up spending an honest ten hours on the water C&Ring some nice rainbows and brookies.
Every situation is different. when fishing the owens, most hatches were late morning to midday, Yes middle of the day is when I actually had the best hatch I have ever witnessed and the best fishing. Not sure if this matters but about 60 degree air temp seems to be when it all got going over there.
Ended up spending an honest ten hours on the water C&Ring some nice rainbows and brookies.
