Rock Creek has been fishing well, but the water levels are very low right now. Nightly water temps are getting down in the high-fifties and staying in the mid-low sixties in the afternoon highs. Fish are sure to become increasingly active as temperatures get cooler.

Dry fly fishing this time of year is always good. Mayfly hatches will be starting a little later in the afternoon and on mornings with the cooling temps. The BWOs and Mahoganies along with the October Caddis will start to become more prevalent as in the next few weeks.

The best dry fly fishing being early morning and late evening, the middle of the day can be a bit slow. That’s always a good time to alternate to the streamer or the nymph, though the hopper dropper rig can also get some good action with the promise of some opportunistic eats on the dry.

Nymphing is always a reliable option, especially for fishing that mid-day lull. For tight-line nymphing or fishing as a dropper, smaller perdigons and soft hackles do a great job of imitating the BWOs and mahoganies before they hatch. For fishing deeper water with indicator rigs larger bugs like the Double bead stone, rubber legs, and TJ hooker are great options to imitate the larger stoneflies in the river and great options.

The streamer bite has been slow with summer heat, but we’ll see it pick back up with cooling temperatures. Some spots are harder to effectively fish the streamer with current low flows, but fishing unweighted flies in the upper water column or plumbing the deep pools for active fish is sure to bring you success in your day on the water. Small, quick, and flashy patterns like a skiddish smolt, kreelex, sparkle minnow are reliable patterns in late summer, but as the weather cools The Goldie, Dungeons, Peanut Envies, and Lil Kims will all turn heads and get good size fish to the net. Swing into the shop to pick up all of your essentials to getting out on the water!