In the summer the water level gets low and the trout become more wily in order to survive and even somewhat slower or even lazy. They often retreat to the slower water and the shade. Well how do we get their attention and coax them into taking a fly? Well, my friend Justin Shroyer at the Trophy Water Guide Service in Boone, NC has some useful tips on the subject. Justin and his associates have been having a very successful summer guiding on the Watauga and the South Holston rivers. Here is a reprint of his tips.
Most of the large brown trout we are catching are stacked in the flats in slow moving water. This type of water often discourages even your most seasoned angler. Yet this is where we thrive and certain tactics must be employed to make it work. With predators like eagles, osprey, king fishers, herons, mink, and otter inhabiting the S. Holston the big browns must be extremely spooky to stay alive.
We are fishing 12-15 ft. 6X leaders on mostly down and across presentations. Slapping fly line on these old fish will send them 50 yards up or downstream in a matter of seconds. The best bet is to get upstream of the fish and feed them the flies on long downs and across drifts. Adding a little movement to your flies a few yards before and after you come across the trout will often trigger a reaction strike. With long drifts you must strike high and hard on the trout, raising your rod directly up while stripping line with your off hand. Fly selection in still water will not vary dramatically from your productive fast water flies. It is often productive to use flies with a little less flash and natural in color. In slow water, the fish have plenty of time to check out your offering, so keep it natural.
These are ideal times to use the most descriptive and realistic flies and we recommend the "Perfect Fly" line of flies soon to be available from the store at Trout University, so keep watching.