We are moving into summer fishing! Water levels have dropped and clarity is very good. While the water has dropped, it is still pretty big and you will need to look for slower, deeper spots. Lots of stoneflies and caddis are on the surface to entice the trout. Golden stones are on most area waters, and there are salmonflies on the Gros Ventre. Smaller Yellow Sally Stones are everywhere. These hatches tend to happen beginning midday; in the evenings, you can find some caddis.
For the goldens, I like my Foam Madam X and the Fools Gold Golden. A Hares Ear Convertible is a visible crossover caddis or yellow sally. The classic Schroeder Para Caddis is still a killer caddis pattern and a Snowshoe Sally is a high floating visible small stonefly.
The Snake, Hoback and Gros Ventre are great options for fishing right now. Boulder runs, drop-offs, inside corners and the slower wooded banks fish very well. When wading the rocky, deep stonefly-rich banks, I like to use one of my trout spey rods. It's fun to cast and very useful when backcasts and wading are limited.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
New for this year, Thomas and Thomas has taken the Avantt rod series and make it lighter and snappier in the hand. This is a great rod for fishing our big windy western rivers. It has backbone to deliver foam to that undercut bank when afternoon winds are howling.
These fast-action rods incorporate five different premium fibers bound together by a proprietary aerospace resin system. Aligning these fibers at strategic angles as Avantt II blanks are rolled improves strength while enhancing recovery and dampening, allowing for precise tip control. For a faster rod, they are very manageable at short distances as well.
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