Mountain Trout This Week: 6/13/11-6/19/11

Tygart River 6/16/11

We need the rain that we were promised. The upper reaches of our streams barely have enough water to cover a trout up. I stopped at several locations this week and found plenty of trout and smallmouths. In one spot today on the Tygart; I could look upstream from one spot and see 11 browns and one 15 inch smallmouth in prime feeding lanes. There were a few sulphurs flying and 2 of the browns were actively feeding on the surface. I also saw one late green drake spinner land in the water. It didn't last long.
I had my dogs at Shavers Fork this evening and saw quite a few nice smallmouths. They were nosing right up to the shoreline, barely covered with water. Every one was within 6 inches of dry ground and waiting on something to move. This is the time of year that is very enjoyable to fly fish. I for one do not care if I'm catching 12 inch trout or 12 inch bass, either is just fine with me. We have to remember that a lot of our so called "trout streams" are in reality smallmouth bass waters; which receive trout allotments. The hatchery trout are just visitors. We really need some rain to raise the water levels and keep the temperatures down.