South Fork 7-30-16

The river is about as stable as it can get with flows out of Palisades Dam at 12500 cfs for over a week. Riffle fishing has been good. Try pink albert life cycle patterns with thorax dun, cripples, and emergers being the best candidates. Switch from one to the other  to see which suits fish best in any riffle. Nocturnal golden stones have yet to make a significant appearance.  Ant and beetle patterns work well along well vegetated banks and hoppers are coming on. Try any big floating pattern with an ant dropper and watch cutts take that ant. Also two-nymph rigs presented over drop-offs will produce.

The US Highway 26 seal coating project is not as big a delay as first thought for those folks heading to Conant and Swan Valleys and above. Sections of the highway have reduced speed limits and waits required by flagger orders are usually around 15-20 minutes if at all.