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3. Post season dryfly fishing on the Rifle - almost over...

Though Michigan's regular season closed on September 30th, we are lucky to have waters that stay open year-round. Such is the Rifle River below Sage Lake Road, and with a 15" minimum limit (year-round) on browns (and brookies but you never get them in the mainstem). With our nice mild October weather I have been there 4 times this month and got fish on dry flies every time, including yesterday evening. Fish have been running small this year, but I managed three 12-inchers in the last two trips, pretty good for this time of the year when things are really slowing down. The first three trips I saw an assortment of mayflies and caddisflies, and several fish were feeding each time. Tonight I saw one single caddisfly, and a moth back at my car once I was done, and barely a few random rises, but the old secret weapon Royal Wulff brought up three, two nice browns and a little rainbow, and a fourth fish that I lost. This might be my last dry fly trout fishing of the year, tomorrow it's supposed to be down in the 50's F and for the foreseeable future...I'll keep my fingers crossed for a few nicer days in November.

Jonathon

Great looking wild browns. Is that last one 13"? I'm not too sure how yo read those measurement nets.

Funny Matt, I thought I read 12" in the net, but once I saw the picture it seems like it really is 13". OK, I'll go with that! Maybe it grew an inch in the time it took me to fumble with my camera for the pic...but yes, the Rifle River grows some very pretty brown trout, with an occasional nice rainbow in the mix.

Jonathon

Love those blue halos