Techy Thursday - Fly Fishing's Autumn Shift

Many now are feeling the inevitable season shift to Autumn, with much cooler, crisper mornings and a seemingly permanent chill to the air. The trout, and their food source feel it too. So what can you do to shift your approach to the seasons change?

1_ Focus more on shallower, rocky water. Simply, that’s where the food is. Look along the shallower edges of riffles, the tail outs and flatter edgewaters.

2_ Feed times are generally now during the most pleasant time of day. Look for spinners mid to late morning, and at the same time for fish to become active in the riffles. Never take lunch mid-afternoon as you may miss the peak of the action.

3_ Walk slow. Low water autumn fish are extremely perceptive to movement in the shallows. Wade slow, then slower if at all to avoid pushing water across your prey.

4_ Fish longer and lighter leaders when presenting to fish in often spooky water. Though they may seem locked in feeding on that flat, a heavy drop of a fly line will send them to cover. I generally fish 15 - 18 foot leaders down to 5x. Mudding the tippet also gives you the edge.

5_ Match the hatch. Now is the time when this mantra becomes super important. Spinners, emergers, or duns. Are they on chironomids? Match the size primarily: there are a lot of tiny mayfly nymphs post flood, so if they’re hatching in 18’s, you better have 18’s in your box.

Autumn can showcase some of the finest fly fishing of the season but it’s never easy. Presentation and pattern come together as one and while it’s you who needs to come to the party with the former, luckily for you, we have the latter. Check out tomorrow’s Friday Fly Day to see what we have new for Autumn ’20.