Boone Area Fishing Report: Dodging Rain and Finding Pockets

Headed up to Boone after an invite from my buddy Ben to explore some new water. When we arrived, we found water temperatures right on the edge, hovering between 62 and 64 degrees. A sudden downpour during the day quickly turned the stream off-color, forcing us to adapt on the fly.

The stream featured classic, fast pocket water, so I turned to high-sticking a Stimulator with a dropper rig. The high-visibility dry fly up top paired with a subsurface nymph was the perfect combination for the murky conditions. By keeping the line tight and off the swirling currents, we were able to track drifts perfectly through the fast water.

Despite the tough weather and borderline temps, the fish were looking to eat. We managed to put around 30 wonderful little brown and rainbow trout in the net while dodging rain showers throughout the day. If you head up that way soon, pack your rain gear, focus on the highly oxygenated pockets, and keep a close eye on those thermometer readings.

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