CFS: 665
Water Temperature: 43-51 °F
Dries: March Browns, Gray Drakes, Mother’s Day Caddis, Skwalas
Nymphs: Stoneflies, Hare’s Ears, Pheasant Tales, Perdigons

FISHING REPORT

Hey, fellow anglers! This is Randi—the newest employee at the Merc. I’ve been lucky to fish Rock Creek for the past three seasons, and I’m excited to be here in the shop to deepen my angling knowledge and share some of the tidbits I have. If you come by when I’m in, you’ll probably meet my best friend and Blue Heeler named Mordecai who is a Rock Creek aficionado himself. We are looking forward to camping, wet wading, and dry fly fishing later in the season, but right now, we’re enjoying the last bit of pre-run-off fishing. 

It looks like we’ve got some sunny days on the horizon, perfect for a fishy weekend. The water level and visibility will likely change later in the week. Check out the recommendations below that will get you through the varying conditions:

For dry flies this week, go for March Browns, Gray Drakes, Mother’s Day Caddis, and Skwalas. If dries aren’t working, swap out for a nymphing setup, and tie on a Stonefly, Hare’s Ear, Pheasant Tail, or Perdigon.

Some successful pairings would be a dry fly and a crippled emerger or a black/purple chubby with a nymph. Streamers are also a great option, especially in deeper, calmer waters. Stick with black, olive, or brown colors.

Matt from the shop and I went upstream of the Valley of the Moon Bridge Friday morning and had some success with stonefly nymphs and perdigons. The fish were hanging about in the slightly faster water.

Heads up: while the visibility might be clear and the sun shining this weekend, expect rising water levels later in the week, possibly leading to muddy conditions. So, if you plan to fish, exercise caution when wading in these changing waters.

Come see us at the Merc all week between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. We’ve got everything you need to make your fishing trip a success. Happy fishing!