July 16, 2011
Flow: 500 CFS
Water Temp: 49 Degrees
Clarity: Gin Clear
Weather: Clear
OUr guide and I made it up to the Dream Stream this week. It was nice to finally have some consistent dry fly activity. You can expect to see a smorgasbord of bug activity throughout the morning. We saw everything from Tricos, Caddis, Hoppers, PMD’s, Golden Stones, HUGE Flying Ants and TONS of Midges. The fish seemed to key the most into the Midges and Caddis. But DONT make the same mistake that we did during the day. Leave your 5 and 6X at home! Even though the water is clear, it is moving and with 5 and 6X you don’t have a chance. The fish in the river are the healthiest I have ever seen them. They are quick frankly, fat as hell! Even a 14 inch fish was breaking through 5X. After we learned our hard lesson, we fished 3 and 4X and had great success on 4X still.
The best activity began early in the morning. I had to drag The guide out of his bed at 4 in the morning, not his usual waking time! After hemade two coffee stops, that put us at the river at about 7 or so. Right when we pulled up, the Tricos were poppin. Then the midges began, followed by caddis and lastly came the PMDs and Stones. The spinner fall happened around 10:30 and was short lived. The bugs were swept away quickly at 500CFS. So be ready to go in a back eddy or soft spot when 10:30 rolls around. The guide was intent on fishing some big dries on a T2H switch rod throughout the day and he had several grabs on an Amy’s Ant. A couple fish blasted it completely out of the water and simply missed. The Puterbaugh caddis was the fly for the day. This produced the most eats and fish. As the day progressed, the dry fly activity ended around 1. After that we tied on some nymph rigs and the guide hooked some big boys on red San Juan Worms. Around 2 or so things really turned off, typical for the Dream Stream in the summer. It has always been more of a morning fishery in July and August.
Check out our to be continued dry fly Video, “All Summer Long” from this trip to the Dream Stream. The videos and dry fly fishing are only going to get better as August approaches so stay tuned for both!
What you need for the Dream:
-9 foot 3X Leader
-3 and 4X Fluorocarbon Tippet
-Dry Shake
-#1 and BB Split Shot
-#14-18 Puterbaugh Caddis
-#10-14 Olive Amy’s Ant
-Red San Juan Worms
-#20-24 Parachute Adams
-#14-18 Graphic Caddis
-#16-18 Breadcrusts
-#14 Pheasant Tails
-#18-22 Black Beauties