From time to time, we like to drop some tips on Instagram, but we decided to formalize it! We are calling this series “Your Daily Tip” where a few times a week, we will hit you with a little fly fishing knowledge.
Right now, we are working through “Fall Hints For The Animas” where we are talking ways to catch fish on the Animas. This fall has been a great time to fish the Animas if you know how and were to target fish. The Animas can be an absolute puzzle to figure out at times, but when you get it right, it can really pay off.
- From @zakerylyne: Before fishing normal spots, walk the banks for suspended and feeding trout that can be sight fished.
- From @zakerylyne and @tiedflies: Don’t sleep on the fast moving water! Fish are likely to hide out in faster moving water for warmth, food, cover, and oxygen. This is a great spot for a Euro nymph set up.
- From @tiedflies: …don’t sleep on the slow moving water either. We are talking deep holes at just before the pool tailout that feel like there is almost no flow. Get your nymphs to the proper depth (bottom) and fish light splitshot with a small and sensitive indicator. Set the hook at even the slightest hesitation, but if you are hooking bottom consistently, adjust your rig by 3 to 6 inches.
- From @zakerylyne: Dry fly season isn’t over! Don’t forget that there is a lot of dry fly baetis action. It’s common for a baetis hatch to happen on warmer days or overcast days starting late in the morning through the afternoon.
- From @robschmidt38: Though you might find trout breaking the surface of the water, in the fall, many times they are not actually eating adults. Tying an emerger behind a dry fly to fish in the film will often produce. Try an RS-2, Smokejumper Baetis, or BWO Film Critic for sweet results and if that still does not work, sink that RS-2 where the fish are taking emergers swimming to the surface.
- From @tiedflies: now is the time to fish the Trout Spey rod. While the Animas is low, there are still a good number of holes in town and on the Ute water that can be swung with small streamers and soft hackles. Plus it is super fun.
- From @zakerylyne: Colder H2O & air temps mean smaller bugs. It’s common with falling air and water temps to find smaller insects. Freestone rivers have an abundance of Baetis, midge, and smaller caddis nymphs. Don’t be scared of the #22 Juju Baetis!
- From @zakerylyne and @tiedflies: Sculpin streamers are on the move. With falling temps, trout begin to feed to prepare for winter. It’s always nice to have a steak before a long, cold night. You may want to slow your retreive or even give it a stop and dead drift.
Watch out for tips on our Instagram and let us know in the comments below what topics you want us to cover! We will talk absolutely anything and everything fly fishing related, from gear to fly selection, saltwater travel to conservation ethics. (And look for all tips to be condensed into a blog posts like this here on our website too.)
