July 2006 Almanac
This Month: The Big Question: What to Go Fishing for Next
July begins like more of June and ends like August with hot, humid, hazy weather. During its 31-day span, it produces the hottest temperatures of the year.
On brook-trout ponds in Northern Maine, July begins with caddis and mayfly hatches continuing each evening on a predictable timetable until hot weather slows the action.
A quarter-century ago, fly-fishing for trout pretty much ended in July, but these days, modern fly rodders chase Hex and blue-winged-olive (BWO) hatches all month. Silt-bottomed ponds have Hex hatches and most Maine rivers have BWOs from May through November.
On these same ponds on windy days or during blistering hot spells, bottom-dredging puts a steady bend in rods. Modern fast-sinking lines and weighted flies make this technique easier.