The river makes no promises. Every day is different. Everything is earned. High bright sun, plenty of boats, and an army wade fisherman create a high level of pressure on these wild fish.
I had Chris and Tom buddies from PA in the boat today. Tom had some experience with a fly rod, but Chris was brand new and eager to learn. The program the last few trips has been the West Branch. We found some open space near the ramp and waited. Not ready yet. So, we moved on nymphing on the run. It did today. Tom took first blood on right with a couple of smaller browns.
Meanwhile, Chris and I worked on his cast, throwing an emerger patter to a nice fish rising middle river. Casting a fly rod for the first or third time can be frustrating especially watching your buddy hook up behind you. Most can work out a nymph water load but when it comes to casting a dry or streamer, a little practice can go long way on the day of your trip.
Overall, Tom and Chris had a sold day with seven eats and four in the net plus plenty of other misses. I hope they come back and use what they learned this trip. This is prime time. Over the last few trips, the hatches have been as varied as plentiful. While nothing is a layup on the West Branch or Main, new fly fishers have a better shot of hooking up when these wilily and wild fish have plenty of bugs to look at.
Ron and Jerry had fished a couple of times out west and eager to check out the famed. Ron and Jerry had fished a couple of times out west and eager to check out the famed West Branch. Under mostly sunny skies, we put in with hopes high. Boat traffic was high, understandably. Most seasons, May into late June offers the best dry fly action and the word was out, and it was crowded.
