Mid-September, and we are on the cusp of Autumn: that beautiful vibrant season is about a week away, and there are changes in the air. We’ve noticed a subtle shift in temperatures, especially in the late afternoons and evenings; these warm sunny afternoons are a few degrees cooler than they were just a week or so ago and there is a bit of a chill in the mornings. The huge top leaves of the zucchini plants in the garden have struggled and reacted to a few sub-50-degree mornings and are turning brown and papery, and the prolific basil plants will need to be harvested before they succumb to an unexpected light frost.

Occasional showery days and nights have kept our rivers and streams in great shape heading into Autumn; on Sunday afternoon the Willowemoc had risen to 104 cubic feet per second, well above the median average flow of 33 cfs for this date based on 42 years of record-keeping. Water temperatures have remained down in the 50s and 60s again for the past week. 

The Beaverkill at Cooks Falls also has a similar report - with stream flows reaching 412 cubic feet per second, well above the median average for that river of 118 cfs based on 113 years of record-keeping. And water temperatures also remain favorable, ranging from a low of 59 to a high of just below 68 degrees.

Due to the changes in temperatures, the best fishing is now generally in the late afternoons after the sun has warmed the water, from about 4:00 pm until dark, about 8:00 pm. Fly hatches are becoming more sporadic, spotty and small, beginning with the tiny Trichos which may still be hatching in the mornings, along with some equally miniscule Blue-Winged Olives and occasional caddis flies. Some favorite tiny flies that work well on our rivers and streams include the Red Midge and Pheasant Tail Midge, in sizes #20, #22 and smaller. Remember to tippet down (tie on a smaller tippet) to 6X and 7X when fishing these tiny flies. In the late afternoons you may find some Isonychias, sizes #12 and #14, and possibly Light Cahills in sizes #14 and #16 remaining.

After a rain, such as is predicted for a couple of days later this week, don’t forget to try a Terrestrial. Terrestrial flies are important to keep in your fly box during this late-season time of year. Ants, beetles, hoppers and inchworms are common, especially when fishing an area below a log, overhanging bank or low-hanging branches, from which they are often blown or washed onto the surface of the water.  

Nymphs are also productive after a rain, particularly when the water is a bit colored up or turbid. And during this late-season period of favorable flows, Streamers are fun to fish with.

One of our favorite streamers is the Black Leech. It’s a dark fly, and is easy for the trout to see in discolored water as it provides a good contrast to the (brighter) sky above; a black or dark fly stands out from others well under these conditions.

 Leeches are an important part of a trout’s diet.  They are present in freshwater lakes, ponds and streams during the entire fishing season. Especially in the early spring and late fall, when mayfly and other hatches are scarce, they become even more important - and as a result, leech patterns can be used quite effectively. Leeches can grow to be six inches in length or longer; but the smaller ones, from one to four inches, are most important to the trout as food. They are more active in the deeper water, along the stream or lake bottoms during the day, and spend time there eating insects and other aquatic species. Although they are light-sensitive, during the daylight hours they may be drawn up to feed when large fly hatches occur, which explains why they can be effective in catching trout below the surface when fished during a prolific hatch. Leeches have a distinctive pattern of movement - they undulate up and down as they swim – which is why the material used to tie Leech patterns, such as maribou, is so effective, as it provides great movement in the water.

Here is a pattern for one of our favorite streamers, the Black Leech, fished when the water is “just right” or is rising and discolored after a substantial rain: 

Black Leech:

Hook: Mustad 79580 

Tail: Small bunch of black marabou

Body: Weighted, and covered with black chenille, then 3 or 4 pieces of Flashabou tied along sides and extended into the black marabou tail, and palmered with soft black hackle