Bear Creek has been fishing great this spring despite the low water! Flows are sitting around 10 cfs, and the fish are quite happy right now. While flows are fluctuating a little bit with the recent rain, now is the prime time to hit Bear! Dry fly fishing has been very productive, with hatches of BWOs and midges coming off in good numbers. Caddis are also starting to show up, so be prepared for some solid dry fly opportunities.
Dry dropper techniques have been hard to beat, with plenty of fish willing to rise and ample bug activity. That being said, we’re still picking up most of our fish on the dropper. A chubby chernobyl, Amy’s Ant, Royal Wulff, Elk Hair Caddis, or Stimulator in sizes #12-16 have been productive on top, with Prince Nymphs, Pheasant Tails, Perdigons, Hares Ears, and B’s Midge fishing well in sizes #16-20 down below. If fish are rising consistently, its hard to go wrong with a Griffith’s Gnat, Parachute Adam, or Vis-a-dun in sizes #16-22. Dropping emergers behind a small dry has also been productive if fish are hesitant to commit to the dry, so consider dropping a Biot BWO, Macgruber, or Foamback Emerger below as dry fly fishing begins to dwindle.
Bear Creek is fishing very well right now, as the fish are very spread out and willing to rise. Lair O’ the Bear is always a safe bet, but consider exploring some other water upstream if it gets crowded or the fishing isn’t great. Streamer fishing is also an overlooked technique on Bear Creek, so try stripping a small leech or bugger pattern if all else fails. Bear Creek is shaping up to fish very well for the next couple months, so try to get out while we still have the water! Come into the Lone Tree shop for current info on flies, flows, and where to fish! See y’all on the water!
–Michael Stickley
Tyler Banker