Fishing Conditions
Fishing Report September 27, 2024
by Troy Youngfleish
Much has changed since our last report in the end of August. While a month ago we were dealing with monsoonal rains and changing water levels we are now experiencing classic fall flows and colder nighttime temps. Smaller bugs and later starts are the name of the game. Here is a quick overview from all of our local drainages.
San Miguel
With the dry conditions we have been experiencing, the San Miguel has leveled out to 83 cfs as measured in Placerville. The fishing has been fantastic and most of the fish can be found in the deeper wave trains with 2-3 ft depth using a dry dropper rig or a light nymph set up. The majority of eats will come subsurface but the occasional fish will take on top, especially in the late afternoon or evening. I would still fish a medium-sized Chubby or PMX as my dry and experiment with my droppers. The trout will still eat a Pat’s Rubber Legs 75% of the time but success with smaller BWO nymphs is more typical of this time of year. Try a Military Mayfly, Two Bit Black, tungsten Pheasant Tail or Mercer’s BWO in sizes 16 to 20 as your dropper or second fly on your nymph rig.
Upper Dolores
The Upper D is very low, with flows at just 22 cfs. The water temps are fine but the holding water is limited. If you find some depth you are bound to find fish. A small Extended Body BWO in the afternoon would be a really great choice. For the prospecting angler, I would throw a size 14 Parachute Adams and drop a small tungsten nymph as a dropper, size 18 or 20.
Lower Dolores
The Lower Dolores below Mcphee reservoir has had great sustained flows and currently is at 40 cfs. There are still terrestrials around, so exploring with ants, beetles and hoppers is a great way to do some surveying. If rising fish are seen, you are most likely looking at BWO and midge eats that will require a long 6x leader and gentle, drag free presentation. For BWO patterns I really like Olive Silhouette Duns and Hackle Duns, size 18 or 20. If they are eating midges, in my opinion, nothing beats a size 20 Eric’s Midge.
Lower Gunnison
The Lower Gunnison is hanging around 500 cfs and very clear. While this is a streamer fisherman’s dream in the fall, we are not quite there. Really warm daytime and nighttime temps are resulting in mid-summer conditions. Early and late in the day there are sporadic hatches of Tricos and BWOs but fishing will be best using an indicator rig in deeper and faster water. A few fish will still fall to a big hopper fished tight against the banks but numbers will come from dedicated nymphing.
Good fishing,
Troy Youngfleish
Guide Service Manager