Hams Fork & Kemmerer City Reservoir August 19th, 2018

Date / Time: Sunday, August 19th 2016 3:30-Dark Location: Hams Below Kemmerer City (Lower) The Characters: KK Weather: Sunny 80s. Water Temp: Didn’t measure, guessing mid 50s Water Level: Around 110 cfs Water Clarity/Quality: Moderately clear with the hams fork green tint. Reservoir had a ton of moss, but river was channelled through it and that is where I fished there. Moon Phase: Day after 1st Quarter Hatches: Callibaetis spinners Best Flies: None Fishing:  Had fished Fontenelle for a few hours on way home from Red Canyon which wasn’t great so the lower Ham’s was also in my back pocket and I thought it could be good considering it was hopper season and I’d heard it could be good. Also, I had fished this section last September and done well on streamers so figured I’d find at least a few good fish on the hopper. I parked at the middle access and fished the water right below there and up to the diversion. It was lower, but still decent flow and figured they’d eat the hopper in the deeper slots. Hit that water but got one refusal and ultimately hooked one other right under the diversion that was decent and lost it. Walked further down almost to bottom access and fished all the way back up and only got one decent fish under a bush. Threw the white streamer in one of the deeper killer pools but nada. There were Callibaetis spinners dancing about the whole time so I was thinking the lake would prob. be good as a last resort. I headed out and drove up to the lake and there were driftboat trailers which is a first for me to see here. Everywhere is getting more and more pounded these days…I think one boat was Brandon Bertagnole as I could hear him and the clients from where I parked above the drive in and near another small sign. I noticed the gate was not locked there and no no trespassing signs near the walkover so I drove down which put me right off the point near the inlet for an easy paddleboard launch. I could see a few sipping randomly so went for it. Ended up being killer with fish chowing the callibaetis all over through the channals and up on the moss flats. Stuck a couple on the hopper, but then they got pickier and instead of going specific I went with the renegade and did pretty well. Stuck a bunch on that including some cool power eats all along the edge of the moss and some ripping battles. Didn’t hook any true monsters but saw a few rise that seemed pretty large. Stayed for a couple hours chasing risers around but they actually got less frequent as it got later altough in certain spots tons of fish still late. Earlier though they were going strong all over the place. It was fun and good session to end the day even though it wasn’t the hopper fishing on the river I had hoped for.