A new season has arrived! Fall colors are showing up everywhere -- the aspens, the willows, and most importantly, the brown trout! The weekday crowds have diminished as schools are back in session but we are still seeing busy rivers on the weekends. 

Hatches have been varied so be prepared with patterns to match red quill, trico, baetis, small caddis, and midges. As tends to happen in the fall, bigger fish are feeding more regularly. Look for baetis to become more prevalent in the weeks to come and the hopper fishing to peak as the fish look to pack on the protein while it is still available. That being said, it is time to break out the meat again--the browns are ready to chase! While we are lamenting the draw-down of the Arkansas and the end of the float season there, it is prime time to wade-fish all of your favorite holes that were too high to get into. Browns Canyon is a lovely place to find solitude in the fall, especially with the bulk of the rafting season behind us.  Low clear flows on rivers like the Eagle and Arkansas are requiring anglers to size down their tippet and bug selection. 5x and size 22's might be the ticket to have more success on these stretches. 

As cooler weather becomes more consistent, our stillwater fisheries will start to turn on. The colder water temperatures should trigger more active and consistent feeding patterns. Leeches, chironomids, callibaetis, and damsels will be the staple food sources at most of our lakes. Stripping streamers imitating baitfish, crawdads and leeches will attract some of the bigger fish during periods of overcast weather or in the evenings.

September is our favorite month for fishing. Wish it could last 8 weeks instead of 4!