Low water? Warm water? You still have options. But you also have responsibilities.
It’s no secret that we’re experiencing some whacky, weird, often unfortunate, and sometimes downright devastating water conditions throughout the country now.
Fly anglers understand that better than anyone. We are the “boots in the water,” the “canaries in the coal mine” as it were, and sadly, many of us are already acutely aware of just how bad it is out there.
I live in the Rocky Mountain West, and the river conditions are worse at this time of year than anything I have seen in my life. Rivers are at record low levels. The buckets are near empty (the reservoirs that feed many of those rivers are at historic lows). It’s going to take something miraculous (El Nino?) to make things right.
So as of now, I’ve decided that my season of fly fishing in rivers for trout is on hold. That breaks my heart because there is no brand of fishing that I love more than standing knee-deep in a Rocky Mountain river casting flies at trout. That’s why I live here. But as much as I love that, I also realize the importance of playing the long game.
Simply said, when the rivers are not cool, it’s just not cool to be fishing for trout. Any river temperature even approaching 70 degrees Fahrenheit should end the game. Period.
Changing your approach
To be clear, that doesn’t mean I’m not going fly fishing for the rest of the summer. Oh… I’ll still go. But I’m going to change my approach. You should also. There are plenty of options still available.
Of course, you can fish the tailwaters, below bottom-release dams that still feed cool-clear trout-loving water downstream. But you should mind the crowds, realize you’re sharing a precious resource and still limit your catch. Monitor those stream flow numbers, and more importantly, water temperatures. Even the tailwaters can warm up faster than you might think.
This might well be a summer for still water. Fish the lakes and ponds, where trout can still find haven below the thermocline. I’ve said many times that if you really want to up your fly-fishing game, a lake is a great place to do that. Get a belly-boat. If you have one already, use it! On lakes and ponds, you learn the subtleties of micro currents, and you pinpoint casts at discreet rise forms. Hone that game on flat water, then take it to the river next year and you’ll be hell on wheels.
Along those same lines, you might consider chasing other species. Summer 2026 will probably turn into my “ABT” campaign… Anything But Trout. Any seasoned angler will tell you that if you learn how to fool the common carp, there isn’t a bonefish, redfish, or yes, even trout that should ever intimidate you when you wind up to make a cast, anywhere.
So, chase Mr. Rubberlips. And also get after those northern pike. Drop a jig fly and catch a walleye (and eat it). Go back to your days of youth and chase some bluegills. I promise that can be just as fun now as it was when panfish first flipped your switch when you were digging through a tackle box with your grandpa.
Go travel where there is good water. Monitor conditions, of course, but I hear places like Michigan and Wisconsin are flush with water. Having grown up in those states, I always ventured West to experience “better” trout fishing. What I’ve learned since is that anyone can hook into big trout out West, and it takes a truly skilled angler to land a trophy trout in the Upper Midwest… or in the Catskills, the Southeast, etc. Maybe a reverse migration is in order. Those of us who sold out to visit or fish in the West might get back to the roots and test ourselves to see how good we really are.
Hike into the high country, where it still sometimes snows in July. Heck, throw flies at a hula hoop in your backyard or at the local park and get really darn good at casting. How will that hurt the cause?
Anything but trout
I feel bad for my friends who own shops and run outfitting businesses in the West, who depend on people to come fish the Rockies in July and August. But the smart ones have already adjusted. They know the deal. They’re no different than farmers who must deal with drought that ruins crops. It isn’t fair. It isn’t right. But it is what is. And you should be skeptical of any outfitter who has no plan B and only wants to paint lipstick on a pig. A great guide or outfitter is going to tell you the truth.
If you truly give a rip about fly fishing for trout, and you want to be sure there will be fish in the rivers in 2027, 2028, and well beyond that, you should think outside the box. You should be an “ABT” angler, perhaps adjust your travel plans, become a lake angler, and so on.
And then pray for rain. And a heckuva lot of snow next winter. Because it’s not going to be easy to climb out of this mess. But one way or another, there will be better days ahead if we all work together.