Posted on July 28 2021
Said I wasn't going to the Sulfur Zone today, well, I lied. Left the LVE about 2:30, surveyed the river on both sides from Hale Eddy to Stilesville. There were sulfurs hatching and some fish rising most everywhere. There were also multiple drifters and waders in almost every pool. About 3:15 I finally found an empty spot that had both bugs and fish. Decided to set a 15 refusal limit. When the 15th fish refused my sulfur I turned around and headed for the car. Two more fish refused my fly on the way back. If you're curious, I hooked two fish and landed one ten incher. It was 4:30 when I got in the car.
My feelings about the Sulfur Zone are well known. Too many boats and people. Last season with heavy hatches and feeding fish in both the afternoon and evening you just had to be there. This year the hatches just aren't as good, it happens. There are both bugs and fish but I've only seen two or three times when the hatch was heavy enough to get all the fish up and eating.
What to do? I expect that most will continue to throw flies at fish in the SZ. A-119? He probably will, but only if he has to. Water temps are what dictates where you can fish at this time of year. Today, and if the weather prediction is correct, for at least the next week you can fish where ever you want (of course some places are fishless this time of year). The prediction of over an inch of rain tomorrow might also throw a monkey wrench into everyone's fishing plans.
The fishing - You already know the bad part. Fished down low on the WB and up high on the BR. The waxwings told me where to go. There were bugs hatching over the riffs and fish were looking for them. There wasn't much action until the sun went behind the hills but fish that haven't been cast at eight to ten hours a day are much more willing to eat what's put before them and some nice ones did. A pair of 19 inchers, one a brown, the other a rainbow tied for fish of the day.
If you are adventurous and leave the SZ, don't expect miracles. Bugs are scarce and mostly hatch in the last hour of daylight. If you are heading for home at 5:00, stay in the zone. If, however, you are in it 'till the end, look carefully for rising fish. They have not been pressured for the last six weeks and will eat a well cast fly almost every time.
Thanks so much for the great info A-119. Started out my few day trip by picking up a few of the excellent flies at the Troutfitter per Dave’s good advice. Tuesday sis a Stilesville to Dreamcatcher drift. Lots of fish to throw at most of the day (more mid day and at the end of the night after the storm). 6 fish total landed. Second day was Wednesday for a Norbord to Dreamcatcher drift and had a pretty good day- 9 fish landed.
Same as you though in terms of difficulty: it had to be the perfect fly, perfect drift and even then it was still a huge battle in the “sulfur zone”!
The other observation is that the really big fish are really big for a reason: they are INCREDIBLY picky!! Still fun to throw at to increase skill but….. tough!
Thanks for the helpful and interesting info. It is always appreciated. Fished the UWB mid-day for two hours. Fish rose in proportion to when/how the sulfurs hatched. Nothing like last year though. But they kept rising in smaller but still decent numbers even after the hatches waned — but good luck then!! In all, 5 refusals (4 sulfur emergers, 1 Iso emerger), 3 hooks (2 sulfur emergers, 1 BWO emerger), and 2 landed (8” and 13” browns). Threw some really good (for me, but still admittedly novice) drifts to fish near and far that were shunned with seeming disdain. Some fish landed with ISOs by others. Drift boats were all courteous — thank you! No matter what, still a blast to have targets and great to reconnect with some of the UWB “regulars” — a friendly and helpful group!