May 19, 2024
The water at Roaring River State Park is still murky, but looking better.
It is running 115 CFS, is much clearer and should get a bit better every day. The hatchery put on a very good Kids’ Fishing Day this year. Lots and lots of nice big fish were caught, and there were lots of happy children.
There was quite a bit of fly fishing yesterday. The cicadas are out and about, and we are catching trout on big beatles, cicada, imitations, brown woolly buggers, and other flies that mimic the size and color of a cicada.
We were catching lots of trout Saturday on pheasant tail nymphs, burlap nymphs, sow bugs and scuds. Dry fly fishing was not half bad with the water conditions we have right now. Blue wing olives, elk hair caddis, parachute Adams, and small Griffith gnats were catching trout most of the afternoon.
Mop flies, mega worms and egg patterns were very effective all day, and the water is still moving pretty good, so extra weight is probably needed.
There are places where the water slows down and along the edges were extra weight is not needed.
San Juan worms and the white Chamois worm were very effective in the water we have had the last week or so, and they should remain pretty good most of the summer as usual.
Black and yellow, white, olive, tan, and brown Maribou jigs were very effective the last week or so.
Plastic baits were probably still the best bet for a quick limit with the water we have had for the last week or so. Pink, yellow, white and fluorescent orange plastic do well. Baits have been pretty good.
A pink rooster tail spinner or a yellow rooster tail spinner seem to be very good in the mornings. Nice fish have been caught during the day on spinners.
If you were going to fish a spinner during the day, fish it slow and deep — it will be much more effective that way.
The water is still murky and probably will be so for a while, so at the moment, we are still getting away with 4-pound monofilament fishing line. As the water clears, we will go back to fishing 2-pound most of the time.
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.
