Gray Reef to Town
With our flows at 500cfs, it’s making for some exciting shallow-water hookups. These fish are on fire right now and even the little 16 inchers are peeling out line and bending our clients’ rods double. A lot of our guides are running fairly shallow all day, with a BB or even a #1 and about five feet from indicator to weight. This rig allows lots of flexibility for types of water you can fish, so don’t be afraid to look for water you wouldn’t normally spend time in! Things are getting buggy, but worms are always on the menu this time of year, so think about throwing a small San Juan and trailing your two favorite bugs behind it. Caddis, BWO’s, midges, and even a few small pmd’s nymphs are showing up, so stop by the shop and pick up a few of our hot patterns to match the hatch. Rockworms, breadcrust caddis, mayhem midges in black or gray, and splitcase pmd’s are all you need to have a great day up on the reef.
The Miracle Mile
The Mile is at 1500cfs and things are rocking and rolling! If you are willing to brave the detour and the recently muddy roads, those big lake run fish are showing up and they are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. It’s worth the drive, so if you want a change in scenery, hit up your guide. It’s a longer drive, but it can be worth it! Most of our boys are still throwing larger offerings up there, with stoneflies and worms becoming more of a hot ticket as we move towards mid-June. Zirdles, Pat’s Rubber Legs, and big San Juan worms are the ticket. Keep your rig around 5 feet max from indicator to weight. Lots of fish up at the Mile stay suspended, even in the faster runs, and this length will keep it in front of their faces. Scuds seem to be more of a factor in recent years, so bring a few gray, green, or pink colored patterns and sink those a little lower in the water column if the stoneflies and worms aren’t working. When you hook up, let ‘em run! These Miracle Mile fish are beasts and they are going to make a very strong initial charge across the river. Especially if you are fishing smaller patterns, be ready to let them take line before playing them back to the net.
Fremont Canyon
Fremont is continuing to kick out big fish and fun days. Bring your studded wading boots and be ready to hike back into the canyon a bit to find the less pressured fish. The same bugs that are working on the reef right now will also produce at Fremont, but you may want to go extra light, to 4 or 5x, since these fish do see more anglers. Get there early for the best action!
Thermopolis
If you are looking for a major change in the action, think about booking a two day trip to Thermopolis to fish Wyoming’s Bighorn River. It’s currently flowing at 1500 and the moss hasn’t been much of a factor yet due to more overcast conditions this spring. Worms, leeches, and scuds are our current top producers, and the big guys are starting to show up in the pocket water near the banks, so dial in that cast and keep your rigs short!