April 21, 2024

Roaring River is still clear and running 33 CFS, making for some great dry fly fishing.

Blue wing olives, caddis, midges, beetles and ants are all working very well. Crackle backs, black buggers, olive buggers and small caterpillars are catching lots of trout right now.

Nymphing is very good right now, with pheasant tails, caddis larva (burlaps), scuds (gray), copper Johns, black zebra midges and gray zebra midges are working very well right now.

San Juan worms in orange, pink, and yellow are working pretty good. Chamois worms work all the time, as do small egg patterns.

As for leaders, 9’ 6X is best for nymphs, and if you are using mostly dry flies, you’ll do better with a 9’ 7X leader. Jigs are good right now in the black/yellow, white, olive and tan. Lots of people are fishing small jigs under indicators.

Spinners are good for a bit in the morning, but most will stop using them by 8 or 9 a.m. Black, skunk, brown, olive and the pink spinners have been working best the past few weeks.

Lots of people were fishing the little rebel crawfish and doing pretty good early in the morning.

Plastic eggs are still working very well, and the natural fish oil has been very good. The white, orange pink/white and the cheese yellow eggs have all been good.

Plastic worms and grubs are working well. The pink, cheese yellow, white, orange/white and the orange have all been good. The water is clear right now, so 2-pound line is sure going to make it a better fishing day. I bet I took off 10,000 yds of 4- and 6-pound line off reels this week, and it really helped.

Fishing 4-pound is OK for an hour or so, but when the sun is up high, 2-pound will be your best friend.

Good luck on the river 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.