Last year brought a massive outbreak of gypsy moths, and this year the rainbow trout are even bigger and stronger. After feasting on caterpillars for months, maybe they’re turning to stoneflies for a change of taste—like vegetarians looking for a fresh salad after too much meat! Some trout were even rising eagerly to stoneflies.
Yesterday was my day off, so a few friends and I spent the day exploring and scouting different rivers. It was a great chance to see how the season is shaping up.
The bigger trout are never easy. First, you have to find a rising fish, and then you need to present the fly perfectly with a natural drift before they’ll even consider taking it.
The rivers are still running high, with plenty of large boulders to navigate, so every step is a workout for your core muscles.
That’s part of what makes this season and these rivers so rewarding—they challenge you in every way, and that’s exactly what makes the fishing so enjoyable.
