Yes, we're talking about Fly Fishing… much of the Western United States received an exceptional amount of snow this past winter, exceeding 150% of the average in many basins, and the rivers are already starting to swell with what is showing to be a long and intense run-off. With the warmer spring temperatures, the fish are hungry after a long winter, and spring fly fishing in Evergreen can be unforgettable if you are able to adapt to run-off. We wanted to share some tips and tactics with you for Evergreen fly fishing during runoff.

Hug the Edges

The high energy flows of run-off force the trout to look for cover.  Some of the best cover to be found in any river is going to be along the shallow edges as the river grinds along the boulders, roots, and logs that line the streambank.  It's not uncommon during run off to find the majority of trout holding within 3 - 5 feet from the bank of the river, so Hug the Banks with your casts as you fish this Spring.

Go Big or Go Home

Trout need to see your flies if they are going to eat them.  Spring rains and melting snow add fresh dirt and debris to the river while the powerful runoff flows flush last season's silt and algae up into the water column.  The result is chocolate milk like water color in which our little flies disappear in the flowing cloud of silt and debris.  To overcome the visibility hurdle we need to exaggerate the size of our flies, tying on fly patterns as much as 2-3 hook sizes larger than the insects we sample on and around the water.

Embrace the Dark Side

The final piece to making your flies visible to feeding trout during runoff is going dark.  In the mud-stained flows of run-off black flies, dark brown, dark green, and purple fly patterns maintain a sharp crisp profile that makes them pop out to feeding trout.  Embrace the Dark Side and tie on the darkest flies in your box this Spring!

Don't let runoff keep you away from the river this Spring!  The trout are hungry, the fair-weather fly fishers are still at home, and when you see one of our favorite fly fishing partners in their Ascent Fly Fishing truck next to the river, join them!

Wambolt & Associates

Greg Wambolt and the entire Wambolt team employ a multi-advisor approach to provide clients with a high level of tax, estate and investment advisory services. By coordinating these disciplines, we can boost your ability to accumulate and preserve wealth. Every financial decision you make often has tax and legal implications. By having our financial planners, CPAs and attorneys working together to meet your goals, we aim to ensure our clients are making the best decisions for the short- and long-term. We operate as a fiduciary which means that every decision and recommendation is in our client's best interest. We focus on families, small business owners and individuals with complicated fiscal dynamics.

Greg was raised in Summit County and is an avid outdoorsman. Fly fishing in Evergreen is his passion and he welcomes the opportunity to work and fish alongside you!

The following content is part of our Fly of the Month Club. If you are interested in joining our Fly of the Month Club? Click here for more information. Visit our website at www.wamboltwealth.com.