When the warm dog days of summer roll around, many otherwise dedicated fishermen put away their fly gear and wait for the September to bring back the large may fly hatches and the trout's appetite. The wise and more experienced fly fisherman knows that there is still excellent fly fishing during even the hottest of summer days. Both the time of day and the techniques change drastically during this period as do the size and type of hatches that emerge then.

Since the trout's metabolism is based primarily on its temperature and comfort range that also coincides with the emergence of the insects, it becomes evident that the best time to catch fish on hot summer days is when the water temperature is cooler. This is during the early morning hours. Common sense?? Of course, but there are other considerations as well. Things that we might not normally think about when we're all excited about catching that first trout of the morning. The majority of the insects, with the exception of the very large Stoneflies in August, are much smaller than those hatching in May, June, and early July. Many are size 18, 20 and smaller so smaller flies are in order along with terrestrial patterns. Ants, beetles and grasshoppers being among the most abundant of the thousands of terrestrials. Since many of these smaller insects and terrestrials find their way into the water from the land, trees, etc., it is wise to concentrate your casting efforts to the currents beneath the overhanging bushes and along the banks where the fish have cover. If there are spring holes or deeper sections alongside the undercut banks of the streams, that almost assures a place to evoke a strike. Both concentration and accuracy will insure getting the fly to the section of water where the fish will be hiding. Many insects fall from the bushes and the trout will often lie in wait of these insects falling onto their dinner table.

There is one other factor to consider when fishing early morning hours during the hot summer months. The coolest of the stream will nearly always produce better than the side where the sun hits the water first. The more experienced fisherman will concentrate his efforts on the areas that have large trees shading the water. When facing upstream on a body of water that flows North, this will be the East side of the stream. Since rivers don't flow in straight lines, you must judge and pick the sections of stream that are shaded best during the morning hours. Also, look for sections of stream that have faster flowing ripples and boulders to break up current. These sections with the greater aeration will normally produce more trout than do the slower more stagnant sections of water. The boulders also act as breeding areas for the tiny insects as well as traps for insects that drift against them, thus enticing the trout to take their feeding positions alongside the boulders. There they can await the feed as the currents bring it to their table. If you are fishing nymphs or emergers, you should position yourself slightly upstream of currents that carry your fly underneath an undercut bank or under overhanging bushes, mending line to allow a natural drift into where the trout may be hiding. This is a very effective way to fish the edges of a stream and to get the fly down to where the fish may be hiding.

In short, early morning summer fishing can be just as rewarding as fishing any other time of the year. The same amount of common sense and evaluation of existing conditions prevail. One real main difference is the varying sizes and types of insects. For the most part, lighter leaders are called for as well as rods using lighter line weight to make more delicate presentations. Add a little more finesse and a bit more time to position yourself better for the cast and you will find early morning fishing no more difficult or less productive than the rest of the trout season and the satisfaction and confidence derived from these early morning excursions will make you a more knowledgeable and experienced fisherman.

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