It has been an active start to the month of June here at Hill Country. From small stream wild brook trout, to big rainbows out of our new PAC 1300 Drift Raft...there are also big rainbows and browns to be had in the Ellis and Saco. The fishing has been hot and the season is looking to be a good one.
On the smaller streams Elk hair caddis and parachute adams coupled with heavy birds nest nymphs have been the ticket. This techniques has also proven effective on the Ellis, where it resulted in two doubles for our clients today(see picture below).
Streamers have been bread and butter on the Saco with gray drake mayflies becoming important over the past few evenings. This hatch should last through June and provides some of the most exciting dry fly fishing of the season. If you plan to hit the drakes, be sure to fish the river early and late, as sleep and dinner plans can negatively effect your success.
The Andro has provided good action on Streamers, nymphs and dries. The key to success up here is constantly changing tactics for changing conditions. For streamers, kiwi muddlers are always effective as are zoo cougars, and sex dungeons. Nymphs we have been doing well with include prince nymphs, birds nests, and stoneflies. Dry fly action has been of a wide variety. Yesterday I saw the first black caddis hatch of the season. This unique size 20 caddis can provide all day action with fish typically taking the emerger over the adult. To fish this hatch effectively it is imperative to fish the small dark fly behind a more visible dry. Along with the black caddis, there have been sporadic hatches of pale dun mayflies, green caddis, and Isonychia.
If you are looking to book a trip for this summer, please let us know asap. We have only a few half day slots left for June and July and August are booking fast!