Fishing on the Little Red River has been steady, with some great opportunities to hook up with some nice trout. The generation schedule has been fairly consistent for the past month, with SWPA running two generators Monday through Friday, typically starting around 2 PM and going until 7 to 9 PM. However, with cooler weather rolling in, the power demand might drop, so keep an eye out for potential changes to this schedule in the coming weeks. Weekend water releases have been lighter than during the week, giving anglers a bit more time with low water.
The bite has been best in the early mornings when you’re fishing the falling water from the previous night’s generation. Focus on those oxygenated shoals and deeper plunge pools just below them, where trout are taking refuge. The moss beds in these deeper sections are holding plenty of fish, as they offer cooler water and shelter from the sun.
Lately, I’ve been fishing a pheasant tail soft hackle or a Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear fly, rigged at about 4 to 5 feet deep in the shallows and up to 6 feet in the deeper runs. Adding a midge dropper below can be a game changer.
For those looking to chase Brown trout, the streamer bite has been solid during the high water as it falls out from the night’s generation. In the mornings, throwing streamers like Double Deceivers and Peanut Envey flies has been productive, then switching over to a nymph rig as the water drops later in the day.
Get out there and enjoy these cooler fall days—it’s a great time to fish the Little Red!