Date: May, 2023
Source: Jim Bailey
Target Species: Rainbow trout
Location: North and South of Trail
Weather: Variable sun to heavy rain
Temperature: 10-25 degrees Celsius
Early May was challenging as the freshet caused the river to rise substantially, creating a fast but muddy current filled with debris from run off, but it soon cleared enough to cast a line and result in some good outings.
May is a month that rewards those who can find the right water, and the right fly. That may seem patently obvious, but I have been on the good and bad end of the river, where one guy is catching everything, while the other struggles in silence, despite using similar patterns and techniques.
As the weather warms, the earth gives birth to an array of different insects and terrestrials from mayflies and caddisflies to cicadas and flying black ants.
The river is high, and the main current is strong and fast, so trout will find refuge in the smaller eddies, and slower runs near shorelines and off rocky outcrops.
It is good to have a boat at this time of year. You can tuck them into eddies barely bigger than the vessel, cast no more than six feet from the boat and land several rainbow. Just make sure you know the water and have at least a 20hp motor or hire a guide or someone with local knowledge of the river.
Reports from other fisherman have been positive, with one friend hitting double digits with a strike indicator and emerging caddis pattern last weekend.
On one evening near the end of the month, I went to Rock Island and landed three and released two. Two were on a dry fly and three nymphing with a size 14 caddis emerger pattern.
The biggest rainbow I hooked was about 20-inches and peeled me like an egg in no time. The silver doe took to the air several times, making run after run. But just as I got her near shore, she jumped again and was gone.
Flies: It’s tough fishing in main current, so stick to back eddies and runs close to shore. Emerging and adult caddis patterns work great, so try patterns like the Klinkhamer caddis, CDC emerger, lightning bug, Elk hair caddis, x-wing, or stimulator. Or try a big buggy dry fly like the Chubby Chernobyl which can be tied to imitate salmon flies, cicadas of flying ants on the surface.
There are lots of variables to consider when fishing challenging water.
Presentation, the fly’s profile, and how your pattern behaves in or on the water can be critical.
Is the fly weighted too much and drops through the water column like a stone? Or not enough and lies suspended and motionless with little appeal? Rather than let it float or run motionless through a run, a twitch of a dry fly, or a couple strips of an emerger pattern will often get a trout’s attention.
June looks to be promising, with decent weather in the forecast, and the river dropping will open up some of the more familiar and favourite spots.
Best of luck, enjoy and be safe.
