The Trip
The weather was great and the Hendricksons were hatching, and the river was at very nice levels for wading (under 1,000 cfs). But that was before we got up there! The weather really took a turn, and by the time we arrived, the river was flowing at over 1,700 cfs and was at about 45F during the peak of the day. We had wind, rain, and very cold weather during the first part of the week. Conditions did improve toward the end of the week, and we got some decent fishing in the last couple of days. The Quill Gordons and Hendricksons were hatching in large numbers, with the Hendricksons really blanketing the river during the peak of the hatch in the afternoons. And we finally got to fish some spinner falls during the last couple of evenings on the river. The river dropped to under 1,200 cfs by the end of the week, and the fishing was really getting good. But even during the brutally cold/wet weather, we still managed to get into some nice fish. I got my biggest rainbow on the West Branch on the first day, which was actually sunny but very windy and cold. The Hendricksons were really popping but the fish didn't move on them at all on that first day. I hooked the rainbow after 7 PM when the winds died down and the sun went behind the hills. The next couple of days were rough going with really cold/wet weather. One day when we started out in the morning, it was raining, hailing and snowing! But we got some nice fish every day, just not in any great numbers. We got into some very big fish again this year, especially later in the week. Risty got some nice big browns on his new flies, and Jimmer landed his biggest trout on a fly rod (over 19 inches). And I got into several nice fish in the 18 to 20-inch range using my new bamboo rod on the last day. That was truly the highlight of Fish Camp for me this year. Risty went back up to fish the West Branch with his TU buddies the next week. The weather was warm and the river dropped to under 600 cfs and was peaking at around 62F. The Hendricksons were tapering off, but there were olives and caddis hatching, along with some great spinner falls. (Later in the week after they left, the river dropped to under 230 cfs. Sure hope they address this soon!) So despite the challenging conditions, it was another great time on the West Branch.

The Hatch
We headed up to Fish Camp for the first week of May this year, so we could hit the Hendrickson hatch. The weather was brutal, with cold, wet, windy days early in the week. It warmed up toward the end of the week, and so the fishing did improve by then. The Hendricksons were the major hatch, really blanketing the river in the afternoons. We had never seen so many bugs! You couldn't find your fly in the mass of bugs. The Quill Gordons, Blue Quills, and olives (Baetis vagans) were hatching as well, with the Quill Gordons hatching in very large numbers prior to the Hendrickson hatch. I have never seen that many Quill Gordons up there before. Toward the end of the week, we saw our first spinners in the late afternoon/early evening. But the fish seemed more interested in the dead, blown-in Hendrickson duns which were floating on their sides. The browns were very selective during the first couple of spinner falls we fished, and you had to really work to fool them. We saw a lot of frustrated anglers who didn't manage to solve the puzzle. A hackled loop-wing Red Quill pattern (size 16) worked very well during this time, as did other spinner patterns. During the afternoons, the typical comparadun patterns (and cripples and emergers) worked well for the Hendrickons, Quill Gordons, Blue Quills, and Baetis. A size 18 BWO CDC Comparadun (quill bodied) worked well during the main hatches. This has really been a go-to fly in recent years. In summary, I would have to say that we saw the most incredible mayfly hatches ever on this trip, but at the same time not nearly as many actively feeding fish as one might have expected. The fish did get more active when the river warmed up a bit. Even a slight increase in temperature of two degrees made a big difference. The fish were also not nearly as selective when there were fewer bugs on the water later in the week. Once we got into fish that were in a more steady feeding rhythm, the fishing really got fun. I never get tired of watching those big West Branch browns poke their heads up to gulp a mayfly. It really is an awesome sight.

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