Spending part of the week in Bozeman this week opened my eyes to the possibility that cooler weather isn't that far off. I woke up to 48 and drizzle a couple days ago and today it is taking its time getting to the predicted mid-80s here in Denver. Does that mean were finally out of this hot weather funk and already seeing signs it could be an early fall? Who knows, but fishing continues to be good all over the Rockies on my favorite flies...big dries.
From cicads to elk hair caddis and attractors to stimulators, this is this writer's favorite time of the year to be throwing bigger dries in hopes of a big rise. Whether you bash the banks with hoppers on big water or flip pinpoint casts with royal Wulffs on a smaller creek, its the time of the season when opportunistic feeders hit the larger topwater flies.
After years of fly fishing the Rockies and the Sierra, I've come to believe in about five flies that will be sure to produce for you in August and September. I've included a link to each of these patterns, but most should be pretty well known.
These patterns have worked for me on all waters from the San Juan in the south, the Jefferson in the north, Hot Creek in the West and along the South Platte here in Denver. Try a little sampling and cover lots of water. These flies are perfect searching patterns and require lots of casting, getting plenty of coverage until you get it in front of the right fish. Let me know what you think of my choices for summer and early fall dries and post a comment below.
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