Take most any summer early morning or evening on the Chenango, Otselic or Unadilla rivers, or the larger streams such as the Butternut, Wharton, lower Canasawacta and Genegantslet creeks, and the odds of catching fish are much better than some might think. The better action is primarily the result of the sun not yet boring almost straight down into the normally summer-shrunken waters, a period when fish scurry to find shade and security, and are less interested in feeding.
The species of fish available and caught will vary according to the water being fished, but the best part is that at least some fish will be caught, which is something that becomes much harder to do during the middle hours of the day. Whether it’s a trout, bass, walleye, pike, rock bass or maybe a big fallfish or shiner, the fun is in the catching, regardless of what angling method is used.
My favorite method for this time of the year is fly fishing, especially when angling in one the rivers or largest flow sections of the bigger streams. There’s no need to be a proficient fly caster or experienced matcher of any insect hatches either. The main thing is getting your offering where the fish will be expecting food to appear, and that often means along deeper bank edges where lush vegetation overhangs the water. Insects and caterpillars often drop into the water, and hungry fish of several species will be lying in wait for that to happen. The key is stealth and placing your fly, or whatever small lure you choose, accurately where the real food item might fall into the water.
Often a small popper or bushy full-bodied fly is just the ticket, but I’ve also had very good luck using small spinner-fly combinations. For the former, I use a floating line and 7-foot 4X leader. For the latter, a sink-tip line works best since it allows me to work the spinner-fly a bit deeper and into the heart of the pool away from the bank. If a fish doesn’t hit in the bank area, I often get a strike as the spinner-fly travels into the deeper water. There, it might be a rock bass or smallmouth bass, or even a walleye or pike that nails it. Main thing is, I’m getting strikes and enjoying catching fish. If I get a cut-off, I can reasonably assume a pike has hit. However, I’m amazed at how often that doesn’t happen, and I wind up landing the sharp-toothed fish on my fly rod. Fun stuff when a pike of two-feet or better strikes.
Another few weeks and the grasses and sedges along rivers and streams will be teeming with fat grasshoppers. Offering fish a reasonable imitation of a hopper, whether it be a fly or plastic clone, can be very effective then. Although you probably won’t catch any walleye or pike this way, you’ll have a ball with assorted other species, including sunfish, rock and smallmouth bass, fallfish and, where available, even trout. People who’ve never cast with a fly rod before will discover it’s far easier than one might imagine. The Chenango Chapter of Trout Unlimited often holds seminars and classes for new fly fishers, and those who’ve attended are quite amazed at the ease with which they learn to cast effectively enough to catch fish.
If you don’t care to try the fly fishing approach, you can still enjoy the early and late action. The key is using a lighter outfit than you would, say, in spring and fall. An ultralight spinning outfit and 4-pound-test line will fill the bill. An appropriately small floating plug or spinner, depending on whether you want top-water action close to the shore or something that can also be fished deeper and farther out, should bring some solid strikes
For the more adventurous, fishing at night can be both exciting and productive during the hot summer months. No, I’m not referring to fishing night crawlers for bullheads. Rather, for the type fishing previously discussed, bass, rainbow and brown trout tend to be the best species for this brand of after-dark fishing. Topwater or near-surface offerings are the rule here, whether fly fishing or spin fishing. Small chuggers or other floaters will attract bass, while small minnow-imitating plugs, spinners and spoons will take trout for the spin fisherman. Fly fishing is best done with larger-than-usual full-bodied flies in light shades that are easier to see in the darkness. Leaders can also be a bit larger, with 3X or even 2X being okay as long as they’re not too short. About 6 feet will work since nighttime fly casting is usually done with short cast of not more than 25 feet.
