May 17, 2023

Roaring River came up to 83 CFS on Monday, so it is not flooded but it has gotten dirty, so back to mop flies, San Juan worms, egg patterns, stuff like that for the next few days until it clears up. There will still be a little bit of dry fly fishing, and I think beetles and ants will remain good choices for the rest of the summer.

Nymphing is still very effective with small gray or tan scuds, gray sow bugs, pheasant tails, copper Johns and hares ears all good right now. Most nymphs I’m fishing are No. 16s and smaller.

Black, olive, brown, and white woolly buggers are working as usual with still good numbers being caught on small eggs patterns (apricot) and on red, pink, and orange San Juan worms.

Mop flies in yellow, cream, white and orange have all been effective this week.

Using 7X is best for dries, and I’m still using 6X for nymphs; 9’ leaders are still your best bet Right now.

As for line, 2-pound is much better than 4-pound line if you are spin fishing right now. Try to use a moss green line or something clear when the water is low. I stay away from trielene lines and lines like trielene because of the diameter. Spinners in the morning are still good, with black, brown, pink, orange and white all good this week.

Plastic baits are still working great. White eggs and pink eggs seemed to be the best this week. White, yellow, orange/white and the mint green worms seemed to be good all week.

Lots of people are tearing trout up on jigs, which is a great sight fishing right now. Black/yellow, white, black, black/olive, pink and tan have all been good colors on the marabou jigs this week. Smaller sizes are now working well.

The water is great right now, so come down and enjoy Kids’ Fishing Day on May 20. Bring a kid down and have some fun.

Good luck this week!

Roaring River State Park trout-fishing tips are provided by Tim Homesley, owner of Tim’s Fly Shop, located at 23387 Hwy. 112.