South Fork
Looks like we are heading towards the “winter maintenance flow” below Palisades Dam. Reduction now takes flow down to 3800 cfs at Irwin, 3800 cfs at Heise, and 2000 cfs at Lorenzo. These flows are great for walk-in-wade fishing, but a bit tough on hard sided boats.
Unsettled weather, like that predicted for the upcoming weekend, will increase BWO and mahogany dun action for some top water fishing. Enough terrestrial insects are on banks that having some ant, beetle and hopper patterns in that fly box is a good idea.
For this time of the season streamer fishing is the best way to fish the river. Brown trout are beginning to migrate and are particularly aggressive, so presenting streamer patterns around overhead cover, late in the day, or during unsettled weather is the best way to attract them from now on through October.
Flies to fish:
