Dave’s Special Day on the Water – ERO Fishing Guide
Some Eagle River fishing reports are about flows, hatches, flies, and the number of trout brought to the net. Others are about the people you get to share the river with. This fishing report is definitely one of the latter. I had to write this one up because it was a special day on the Eagle River with my longtime client and friend, Theresa.
I’ve been fishing with Theresa since my Sage Outdoors days. Back then, we spent time snowmobiling and fishing together, and she was also one of the first clients who continued fishing with me when I started Eagle River Outfitter. When you’re building a new outfitting business, the people who believe in you and keep coming back mean more than they probably realize. Theresa was one of those people, and her loyalty over the years has meant the world to me.
For the past five years, she’s been bringing her husband along on our fishing trips. This year, we added another generation when her son joined us on the Eagle River. Getting all three of them on the water together made an already familiar annual trip even more memorable.
Now we have a goal for next year: bring the whole crew.
Theresa’s daughter, her husband, and the two grandkids need to join us. After all these years of fishing together, it’s time to turn this annual Eagle River trip into a full family affair.
Finding the Right Water on the Eagle River
Current Eagle River conditions required us to be a little creative.
With lower summer water, we needed to find productive areas where three anglers could comfortably fish without crowding each other. Low water changes the game. Trout become concentrated in particular types of water, and anglers need to think more carefully about where they spend their time.
If you know Theresa, however, you know we’re not interested in running all over the river just to cover miles.
We like to find good water and WORK it. That’s exactly what we did.
We located a stretch with a couple of promising holes, and Theresa settled in. She worked those two holes like her life depended on it—and, sure enough, she caught them.
Good numbers. Quality trout. And plenty of action.
It was the classic Theresa grind: stay patient, make good presentations, adjust when necessary, and don’t leave productive water just because you’ve already caught a few fish.
Sometimes anglers make the mistake of thinking they always need to move. If trout are feeding and you’ve found a productive bucket, seam, or pocket, slowing down and fishing it thoroughly can be much more effective than constantly searching for something better.
Theresa proved that again today.
Different Anglers, Different Strategies
Her husband and son took a different approach.
Instead of concentrating on a couple of holes, they covered more water and searched for fish throughout the stretch. That strategy worked, too.
They found trout scattered throughout the productive areas, reinforcing what we’ve been seeing under current low-water conditions: you may have to go looking for fish.
The trout aren’t necessarily distributed evenly throughout the river.
Deeper buckets, oxygenated pockets, soft edges, and other areas offering both food and security are holding fish. A beautiful-looking piece of water might produce very little, while the next small pocket can suddenly be loaded.
Theresa’s son and I even managed to tease a trout up on a dry fly in the pocket water. Seeing a fish rise to a dry during August low-water conditions was a great bonus and one of those moments that keeps you watching every little seam and soft edge.
Eagle River Fishing Conditions Right Now
The biggest piece of advice right now is simple:
Get out early.
First light gives you two important advantages.
The first is access. Getting on the Eagle River early improves your chances of securing the stretch you want before other anglers arrive.
More importantly, mornings have been providing an opportunity to take advantage of the midge activity before the day heats up.
The fish are eating small.
We’re concentrating heavily on #18–20 midge patterns and small BWO nymphs, with the most consistent action coming when those flies are presented deep and naturally.
Low, clear water can make Eagle River trout considerably more selective. Long, controlled drifts, careful approaches, and attention to depth become increasingly important. If you know fish are present but aren’t getting eats, don’t immediately assume you’ve chosen the wrong fly. Check your depth and presentation first.
Sometimes a small adjustment makes all the difference.
Don’t Overlook the Afternoon Caddis
If you’re willing to stick around into the later afternoon, keep an eye out for caddis.
The afternoon caddis activity has been bringing fish toward the surface, particularly around softer edges and tailouts. These areas can provide excellent opportunities as trout reposition themselves to take advantage of emerging insects.
Pay attention to what’s happening around you.
Watch the banks, seams, and softer water for rising fish. Even when the main river appears quiet, a subtle rise along an edge can reveal exactly where trout have moved to feed.
At the same time, don’t become married to one stretch of unproductive water.
If you’ve thoroughly worked an area and aren’t getting bites, move.
During lower flows, trout frequently concentrate in the deeper buckets and better-oxygenated pockets. Instead of fishing every foot of river equally, concentrate your effort on the places that provide depth, current, cover, oxygen, and a steady supply of food.
You’ll have to go find them—but when you locate the right water, there can be several trout waiting for you.
More Than Another Day of Fly Fishing
Days like this are a reminder that guided fly fishing is about much more than catching trout.
I’ve watched an annual fishing trip with one client gradually become a trip with her husband and now her son. Hopefully, next year we’ll add another generation and get Theresa’s entire family together on the Eagle River.
That’s pretty special.
The trout certainly made us work for them, but Theresa once again showed that persistence pays off. She found her water, settled in, and put together another great day while her husband and son explored and found fish of their own.
Different approaches. Same river. Plenty of smiles.
Theresa, thank you for another great year—and for supporting Eagle River Outfitter and me from the beginning. It’s always one of my favorite trips. See you next year, hopefully with the entire family.
– Dave
Eagle River Outfitter Guide
