FLY FISHING REPORT 2019-07-22
Weekof: 07/22/2019
Conditions: Good
Surface Temp: 86f
Clarity: Slightly Tannic 16 inches
Let us know what you are catching-or not catching-Send your pics of fish, beautiful places, or some of the flies that you have tied. We love to post them on our fishing report! Send to Allen@andythornal.com
Billy Williams is catching Bluegills in the heat, last week he was chasing trout in Alaska.
Tips:
After poking several frogs near shore, I have decided that it's frog week. They are busy laying eggs in the shallow weeds and lilies. Push as close to shore from a boat, or fish from shore. Get out a stiff rod, stout leader and you can catch a 'personal best.' Umpqua Diving Frogs, Dahlberg Divers, Stewarts Hula Frog, and Raineys Georgia Bullfrawgs are great patterns for this fishing (make sure you use flies with a weed guard.) Take your time working these jungles. Bright days will congregate fish into shadows. Docks create shade, but so do tree lines. A good angler will follow the shadows across the lake-East side at sunrise, West side at sunset. Topwater for Bluegill in the morning. The fish are shallow early in the day. As the day progresses they head to deeper and cooler water.
Steve Barringer's Double Barrel Frog on a custom Jolly Roger display clip
Many miles from Florida-The River Life
Techniques:
When the sun is high, bream and bass will move deeper. Small streamers along deep weedlines and docks will produce fish. We have been tying Sloppy-Jose jig-flies just for this. Small wooly buggers and bigger clousers will get the flies near the bottom. Next technique is a floater/dropper tandem rig for panfish. Using foam body poppers or hoppers, attach a dropper underneath-using pheasant tails, hare's ear or a prince nymph-these should hang 3 or 4 feet off the floater. The diving style flies are working too-using a long quick strip to make them dive, and waiting till the fly resurfaces-seems to be irresistible to larger bass with a personal best reported. While most fish are hunting cover and shade, Tilapia seem to be the exception. Cruising Tilapia are taking small baitfish patterns in clear areas of water near shore.
Levi Payne doesn't fool around with the little fish. He pulled the biggest rainbow from the Watauga River, seen all season! Gonna need a bigger net!
Hunter Towery, catches a trophy brook trout on the Eagle River in Colorado
Forecast :
We anticipate bluegills to be shallow, surface bite at sunrise and sunset. Tilapia are a possibility with a dropper rig. Grass carp will be cruising the shallows-let us know if you can get them to eat. Big Bass will be found in shaded cover. Small black and small white minnow patterns will be good. Clear mornings with Summer-pattern, afternoon rain this week. Winds will be moderate except when storms are near. Lake levels are near the same as last week, but we expect lake levels and river levels to rise through the week. At the time of this report: the Peace River is above average level. Econ is at average level. Myakka River is above seasonal average. Hillsborough is at e average and the Withlacoochee spillway is flowing heavy when it should be near 0. Changing locations on the Kissimmee to the Frostproof area. All Florida rivers can double, triple, or higher, during our extreme heavy rains. Use caution this week when on any river with paddle craft.
Steve Barringer with his masterful Deer Hair Flies from fly tying club.
LEARN TO TIE YOUR OWN FLIES AT OUR CLUB MEETINGS! NEXT MEETING IS JULY 30th.
Special Event, Fly Tying at Beer Rev, Tuesday 7/30/19 6-7:30 [It is Taco Tuesday-Grab some food and brews from our hosts at Beer Rev.]
Fly Tying is regularly at Andy Thornal Company on the first and third Tuesdays of the month, 6pm-7:30pm. We usually tie two patterns including Bass, Saltwater, and small flies, too! This club atmosphere is friendly for beginners and experts, ages 10-70. Bring your tying tools or borrow some of ours. The class is free, but we ask that everyone make a $10 purchase to offset costs.
LEARN TO TIE YOUR OWN FLIES AT OUR CLUB MEETINGS! NEXT MEETING IS JULY 30th. FLY FISHING REPORT 2019-06-19
Conditions: Excellent
Surface Temp: 78f
Clarity: Slightly Tannic 16 inches
Let us know what you are catching-or not catching-Send your pics of fish, beautiful places, or some of the flies that you have tied. We love to post them on our fishing report! Send to Allen@andythornal.com
Levi Payne and an Idaho Rainbow
Tips:
Topwater for Bluegill in the morning. The fish are shallow early in the day. As the day progresses they head to deeper and cooler water. Big Bass are pursuing frogs. They are pushing shallow where the frogs are laying their eggs. Good indicators of frog activity are patches of black dots floating on the surface(frog eggs.) Umpqua Diving Frogs, Dahlberg Divers, Stewarts Hula Frog, and Raineys Georgia Bullfrawgs can produce a personal best. Get out your 8wt to cast these big flies. Presentation is opposite of tradition. Frog patterns should definitely plop when they hit the water, just like a frog. A successful plop will get the bass to look up. Heavy leaders are needed in the heavy cover-where this style of fly fishing is most effective.
David Brooks has been using tandem rigs on Tilapia, all summer.
Techniques:
Bluegill are taking topwater flies. Lite color bugs with bellies of yellow or chartreuse and yellow sprogs and white rubber spiders. We also had a report of tilapia biting BH pheasant tails. We recommend a floater/dropper tandem rig for panfish. Using foam body poppers or hoppers, attach a dropper underneath-using pheasant tails, hare's ear or a prince nymph. Have you seen all of the dragonflies? It is a good indicator to throw blue poppers and/or green wooly buggers (dragonfly nymph.) Look for wind blown hyacinths, these create instant pockets of shade, and usually harbor tons of bugs. Panfish and Bass will be attracted to them, Tilapia will like eating the roots, and bugs. They create mobile cover for baitfish.
Trevor Brown and one of the huge Bluegill he caught this week.
Forecast :
We anticipate bluegills to be shallow or near shallow water. The topwater bite will continue in the morning. Frogging for bass should continue to be good. Also, small black minoow patterns will become important. End of the week shows a slowing of rain through the weekend. Winds will be moderate or light except near pop up storms. Expect lake levels and river levels to rise through the week. At the time of this report: the Peace River is double the average level, Econ is a double the average level, Myakka River is above seasonal average, Hillsborough is very high and the Withlacoochee spillway is flowing heavy when it should be near 0. Kissimmee River gauge below the Hwy 60 dam is currently not reporting.
Pat Allen tied this beautiful Electric Minnow at the most recent Club Meeting.
LEARN TO TIE YOUR OWN FLIES AT OUR CLUB MEETINGS! NEXT MEETING IS JULY 2ND.
Fly Tying is regularly at Andy Thornal Company on the first and third Tuesdays of the month, 6pm-7:30pm. We usually tie two patterns including Bass, Saltwater, and small flies, too! This club atmosphere is friendly for beginners and experts, ages 10-70. Bring your tying tools or borrow some of ours. The class is free, but we ask that everyone make a $10 purchase to offset costs.