Euro nymphing action slowing down

[John Killinger]

Hi,
      Due to my job I've been away much of this last month and I haven't been able to get out much to fish so I've been hitting this local stream that is stocked with trout and it is a delayed harvest. I go there because I can get my fishing fix and I can be on the stream in 15 minutes. Now for my question, when the stream was stocked I did pretty good using euro nymphing tactics, now I barely catch a few fish. The water is lower now and I know some of the fish were taken from the stream, but I know there is still fish in there. Is it typically harder to catch fish as the season progresses? Should I make some adjustments? Normally I use a heavy anchor and a small micronymph and it works (polish, czech, or hoover). The stream I fish also dosent get much hatchs either but I do see fish rising sometimes. One other thing, this stream can be very fickle. However since I started euro nymphing my catch rates on this stream have gone way up.

I'll take any tips for this stream at this point.

[Loren Williams]

John,

I have been fishing a lot lately with just a single light nymph and loving it.  In the water fish will seek out conditions they prefer so you are likely to find them spread around and in weird places.  One nymph allows for more accurate casting and by fishing in the drift as opposed to on the bottom strike detection is supreme.  Look in faster water, and find depressions and structure.  Look for bank side shade.  Also, look for difficult to fish locations as fish can often be found there simply because they are not getting bothered.

[John Killinger]

Your right about that Loren, both the ones I caught yesterday fit that scenario. 

[Loren Williams]

I meant to type "in the low water..."   Less water means less habitat so sometimes the fish really spread out to find their niche.  With healthy flows more individuals can occupy a primary type lie.  Angling pressure itself will act to move fish around and into odd locations.

In general anglers do not pay enough attention to banks..especially in brown trout streams.  I spend a ton of time observing and the number (and size) of browns I see ON the bank-even in very shallow, non structured, water is amazing.

[Frank Muscente]

Good point Loren. I have to pay more attention to banks as well.  This weekend in the Beaverkill with lower than normal conditions I was able to pull a bunch of fish out but all were smaller stockies around 10 inches, and only a few holdover 14-15 in Browns.  As iI made my way across the stream I fished the bank on the other side   and pulled out a nice 14 inch wild Bow.  That taught me not to clumsily walk into the streams without checking along the banks first!