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3. Bugs Hatched Out?

About 20-25 fish over the two days, the biggest a 17 inch brown on a size 20 sulphur emerger. 7X was a necessity for dry flies. All the other fish were 12 inches or smaller. Most fish were caught on a Trico parachute, including some midging fish. I also caught about 7 or 8 fish on nymphs tightlining with 5X. The fishing was very challenging, and weather didn't always cooperate. Saturday morning it rained at about 7 and knocked most of the Trico spinners down, simultaneously keeping the fish off them. There weren't many sulphurs, mostly a flush of size 20's just at dark. I also saw some olives and cahills, but never enough to get fish up and eating steadily, except right at dark, in a very few spots. I think there are typically more bugs than this on the West Branch this time of the year. Some have speculated that with the early hatches, perhaps the sulphurs hatched out ahead of time. Any thoughts on this?

Louis, I haven't seem much hatching the last few times I have gone out. I think the early spring got things going early and that they may have finished early. To be honest, I haven't fished much in July due to the heat, drought, deer flies, and tourists. It is most definitely hopper time around here, caught a 13" brookie on [REDACTED] Pond a week ago on a #10 Joe's Hopper (my favorite hopper pattern & size). I have family coming to visit this week but afterward I'll be hitting my favorite spots again, hoping the deer flies will have thinned out by then - that's one hatch I could do without!!!

Jonathon

Dunno.

Was the 17" on 7x?

Yep. I've been catching some larger fish on Tricos on 7X so the practice with them helped. The water was very cold (in the upper 50's) and I put maximum pressure on him, netted him pretty quick, and got him back in without too much ado.

Very nice. Wish I was there.

Me too, if you're over this way sometime, let me know and we'll wet a line.

Congrats on the big fish on small tippet, Louis. Well done.

-Shawn