Fly fishing strategy: Seasons, Weather, Etc.
As a general rule the trout fisher can go a-fishing earlier with his flies than the angler who fishes for bass in northern North America. A great many of our good bass streams are in civilized territory and the Spring rains, plus the drainage of farm lands, usually roils the water. If one must have bass then most success will be had if he will dangle an angle, baited with worm, helgramite or craw, in the deep holes.
As the season advances fly fishing improves but June usually finds the bass busy with family affairs and they should not be bothered even if the law permits. July is usually a good month on all streams and on the larger ones this month and August often produce best of all - and just when the lakes are yielding least. Very low water, however, often drives the fish into the holes on small streams during the "dog days."
September, the month Eastern and Midwest trout fishermen close up shop, is usually excellent except the week of the equinoctial storm. October - brown October - also yields well, and the seasons we have "a late Fall" fishing continues good even well into November. Local conditions also must be considered.
The ideal fly fishing day is a dark, overcast one, just before a rain, or better still, when it merely suggests or threatens to rain and doesn't with enough breeze to ruffle the surface of the water. Next best is what the average person would call a "nice day"- when the sun shines, the sky is blue and friendly and streamside posies and tree tops nod to fitful breezelets that put a slight ripple on the stream.
The best time of the day is undoubtedly the early morning hours, from dawn until eight or nine o'clock and from four in the afternoon until sundown or even until after dark. During cloudy days the noon hours often produce well. However, most of us fish the day through and perhaps it doesn't add much to the heft of our creels but it adds lightness to our hearts and uplift to our spirits and there is always the anticipation of the luck the evening fishing is going to bring us - unless, perchance, it is the last day and we must quit untimely to catch the 5:15 for home. Then we are out of luck as the fish invariably begin to rise well as the quitting hour approaches -'twas ever thus as the poets say! But never mind: other days are coming and for that matter if the fish become too challenging one can always " miss " a train and send a telegram of explanation later. Such things have happened! In fact, I know bald-headed men who have, choosing love before duty, thus played truant from home and business under these circumstances.
Thunder and lightning storms are unpropitious for good fishing but a gentle shower often turns the tide in our favor and sets the fish to rising.
The direction of the wind has little to do with the success of a day on a stream as the wind comes from all directions if the river is at all winding. The proverbial east wind may have local influences, in England or on our east coast, but otherwise is not objectionable and the phases of the moon have little to do with fishermen's luck or the whimsical mood of Micropterus, except that the bass may do their feeding on moonlight nights and be indifferent during the day. In this case the angler, well prepared for mosquitoes and with heavy tackle, can do his fishing after sundown.
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