Green Below & Above Fontenelle Wed. September 23, 2020

Date / Time: Wednesday 9:30-4

Location: Drove up for the day with Brian in his car, he was heading back to DJ

The Characters: KK, BK

Weather: Sunny and mostly clear.

Water Temp: mid to high 59-62 out of dam

Water Level: Around 1,070 cfs. below, 445 above Fontenelle

Water Clarity/Quality: Clear in both sections

Moon Phase: First Quarter

Hatches: Tricos, Caddis

Best Flies: Brown Sculpin, Rainbow Trout Dungeon

Fishing: Brian stayed with us for a couple of nights while we worked on cleaning the storage unit. He was heading back to DJ, so I drove with him up to fish for the day. We started below the dam on the bluff. Fished through the far sidechannel and hooked one that hammered it, went airborne and was instantly gone. Hooked another one on the inside and it was a good one, rolled a bit and short run and gone. Hooked a couple Kokanee as there were a bunch starting to spawn, one ripped like crazy and hammered the fly. Eventually worked down through to the confluence. Pounded the water there for naught. Eventually hooked one working down through the drops river right, but lost it. BK was on other side and he hooked one and got it to his feet. Overall a lot of work for just a few. Water had come down 100cfs, a day or so ago after we had fished Sunday and it was pretty low for streamers with the moss. We cruised down to the big drop near the meadow, and it looked low but we made a lap through for nada. Decided after that to head up and check out the river above the reservoir.

Went above the reservoir and decided to check out the roads on the far side to see if we could drive right to the river as opposed to having to hike way across the field. Ended up being roads all along the river left side accessing a lot of good water we had fished from boat or long hike before, so it was a successful scouting mission. Hooked a 14 or so inch brown in the first pool, Brian hooked one and lost it might have been bigger. Headed to lower holes just up from lake where we had done well before. I hooked 3 fish in the first drop on the double rainbow dungeon, landed one lost the other two. Worked through the next hole and hooked another and lost it. Ultimately hooked 2 or 3 more at the final pool and landed one of those, lost the others. Overall, decent bit for me, while BK only had one or two. I also saw a handful of Kokanee cruise through. Water was low, but crystal with no moss, so it was good conditions but not as good of a bite as I thought it might be. Probably a bit early as it has been so warm, overall fun day though!