Catskill JAM 2011, August 12-14, 2011

Dave,
I owe you for a bad experience last year. Maybe I'll row for you one morning and see if we can't get you on some good fish.


We could do a pre-dawn launch one day. I'll row, you chuck big uglies looking for some hogs. Out of the river in 3 hrs, nap and back at it for an afternoon / evening of fishing.
 
DaveS - i'm also up for that job as I don't have a toon myself. I'm joining the nymphing contingent friday to the neversink or esopus - other than that i'm open to be a rowing partner Sat or Sunday
 
You guys aren't selling me on this trip with talk about streamers and nymphs. What will be hatching on top?
 
We should be toward the end of the "summer sulphur" hatch. It happens like clockwork every afternoon. There will also be olives mixed in with the sulphurs. We will be expecting cahills and pink cahills, slate drakes and sproadic caddis. There are tricos on some sections.

Sulphurs 16-20
Olives 18-22
ISO 12-14
Trico 20-22
Cahills 14-18

If you are searching for big fish 22+ inchers, streamers and nymphs are the way to go. I'd like to see one of the first timers or younger guys get spooled by a real slob of a fish.

If you compare the fishing to what it is like in the spring, August will be quite slow and light hatches. With that said, light hatches there usually exceed what you see on 90% of PA streams during a 'good' hatch. Covered porch w/ chairs for BS and drinking every evening.
 
Thanks. That's a box-full.
 
Jack, you know these things aren't just about the fishing. I'll likely put 800 miles on for this trip. I hope to at least cast to rising fish, but I'm going for the anciliary reasons.

Of course if I do manage to get a nice one on a dry fly, I'll go on about like it was my first ... I'll be pretty happy. Come on and join us, I have room in the truck if you want to carpool.

Kray, I'll take that offer for a predawn assault.


Dave
 
Nice! If you don't have a 7 or 8 wt, I've got one you can use.
 
I think it would take a miracle or at least a brief insanity for me to make that kind of travel at this time. But things can change. I was just joshing, anyhow, as I can dredge the depths if necessary. It is how I learned to fly fish. The wooly bugger kept me interested during those long stretches of time when dry fly prospecting was about worthless.

And, if I were to make it, are you saying that my 3-weight can be left at home? Even if there is no wind?
 
You can bring a 3 wt. If you are an exceptional caster, you could make it work or you'll need to be a sneaky wader. The fish have been pounded for months and the fishing will be pretty tough.

This thing really should be planned for the spring when the insect activity is heavier. I just don't want to step on any toes with the Penns / Spring Crk JAM happening in late May.
 
Late Summer hatches and Fall hatches can give up incredible dry fly action on the right water. I would like to attend to fish the NY streams, just to say I did. I'd like to run into Art Lee also if possible to ask him what he meant when he said: "Never cross the water with line when your waders will do just fine."
 
I might be able to hook up that meeting. I planted the giant magnolia on the corner of his driveway many moons ago. One year, I lost my job because I fished 3-4 days a week with Art and Galen. Real nice guy, haven't seen him in years but I understand that his health isn't all that good.

As far as the fall fishing, yes it can be good. You are also comparing lower water with fish that have been pressured for months and are a little gun shy to the higer water and hungry fish of spring. With the exception of the October Caddis, you are looking at much smaller bugs in the fall. In the spring, you can use bigger flies and the fish are easier to fool. My eyes aren't what they once were. I can't see a #20 bubble back BWO at 40'. I can see a #10 MB Emerger at 100 yds.
 
I see, BWO-ish things. And the fish rise for them?

As for the fish getting pounded, are there no hike-in locations to get to unmolested trouts? Surely you have a secret or two to share.
 
The entire length of that river gets POUNDED
 
JackM wrote:
I see, BWO-ish things. And the fish rise for them?

As for the fish getting pounded, are there no hike-in locations to get to unmolested trouts? Surely you have a secret or two to share.
Click to expand...

Drift boats, pontoons...think flotillas
 

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If this helps, when I floated with Nickyboy and his dad, we covered about 6 miles of river. We saw over 100 wade fisherman, 6-8 other pontooners and 5-6 drift boats. Not too many places to hide from the pressure.
 
kray, was this a weekday or weekend day? I suspect weekend but you never know. I am sure those fish have seen it all and then some. But they still gotta eat.
 
We just happened to be up fishing and somebody yelled "Green Drakes are hatching" and the chaos insued.
 
FWIW, I was up there last weekend and it was pretty slow, by West Branch standards. There were only maybe 10 or so other anglers all day on the stretch, which is fairly popular, I was fishing. But I'd say at least a dozen floaters drifted by.
 
kray missed his calling for a career in politics. He can respond like a champ.
 
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