Deep Summer fly fishing presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities. When water and air temperatures climb, fish behavior shifts dramatically, and understanding these patterns can make the difference between a productive day on the water and a frustrating one.
A quick note, dear reader: Trout are highly sensitive to temperature. If the water temperature is approaching or at 70 degrees Fahrenheit, please make your way to a fishery that doesn't have temperature stressed trout. Bass, Pike and panfish are less sensitive to the warmer water, and less likely to die after a catch and release and still a blast to catch.
Early Morning Sessions
The first few hours after sunrise are often your best bet during hot summer months. Water temperatures are at their coolest, and fish are most active before the heat of the day sets in. Fish tend to feed more aggressively during this window, making it an ideal time to work the shallows and riffles. The low angle of morning light also helps you approach fish without spooking them.
Late Evening and Into Dusk
As the sun begins to drop in the late afternoon and evening, water temperatures cool slightly, triggering another feeding period, alongside the occasional hatch. Fish that have been inactive or sluggish during midday often return to feeding lanes and shallow areas. This window can extend well into dusk, especially on longer summer days, giving you several hours of solid fishing opportunity.
Pattern Selection for Warm Water
As always, try to 'match the hatch'. Your mission has not changed - you want to get your fly to the depth that fish notice it, whether it's on the surface or sub-surface, then you want to mimic the size and shape of what they are eating, and then finally the color, in that order. Pick up a river rock and look underneath it, or watch what insects and wildlife is around the water.
When temperatures rise, terrestrial patterns become essential. Hoppers and Chernobyl ants are excellent choices - they're visible, they float well, and they imitate insects that are actually present around the water during summer. Fish actively feed on terrestrials (land based insects like grasshopper, beetles, etc.) during warm months, especially after a heavy rainfall that washes terrestrial insects into the water, making these patterns reliable producers.
Pair your terrestrial with a 'dropper' setup (a nymph tied onto the bend of your terrestrials hook) for maximum effectiveness. A Pheasant Tail Nymph works as a versatile standby, imitating a range of aquatic insects. Zebra Midges are particularly effective in summer, as midge hatches often intensify when other insect activity slows. These small flies often produce more fish than you would believe. Frenchies offer a compact, weighted option that gets down quickly in faster water.
Finally, your standby streamers are always fun, especially in deeper runs. Clouser Deep Minnows, Muddler Minnows, Wooly Buggers, are fantastic patterns to search for aggressive bass, especially in slower water.
Don't be afraid to try a popper or gurgler as well - these are consistent patterns for panfish and bass. When the wind dies down and the water turns to glass these patterns are electric.
There are still some mayflies floating around, but the majority of the large mayflies are gone for the season. There will be a blue wing olive hatch here on the Kalamazoo a little later in the season.
Reading the Water
Focus on deeper pools and shaded areas. Fish seek cooler water and relief from bright sunlight. Spring-fed sections, deeper runs, and areas with overhanging vegetation are prime locations. Early and late in the day, fish will move into shallower feeding zones, so adjust your approach accordingly.
Summer fly fishing rewards patience and timing. By targeting the cooler parts of the day and matching your patterns to what fish are actually eating, you'll find plenty of success even when the mercury climbs.
