The generation schedule has been fairly consistent for awhile now that the temperatures started to fall. Usually running just an hour or two and starting late in the afternoon. Or they didn’t generate at all for the day. We didn’t get much water running through the turbines last week and had low flows. But this week the forecast has 90′ degree day time temps forecasted throughout the week and no rain. I’d expect to see them running a little bit more water as the day time temperatures rise. Or at least hope they run more water. The fishing is always better when they have a consistent generation schedule and good flows.
The water temperatures around Dripping Springs access and further down river warm up when they don’t run much water the fish start to get stressed out when this happens and the bite goes way down. Be mindful as your fishing as the temperature starts to rise. Starting early in the morning while we have good flows and the water is dropping out has been the best bite.
I’ve been fishing the deeper sections of the river when we have low flows or no generation for the day. When the sun gets at its peak I start concentrating around the deeper water by the moss beds. Or anywhere there is some flow. We’ve been mostly drift fishing a nymph rig usually with a small Pheasant tail soft hackle and a midge dropper.
For beginners I’ve been starting them out by running egg patterns or a San Juan worm or just a single fly underneath an indicator. The best flies for me at the moment have been small buggy patterns, Pheasant tail nymph’s or Hare’s ear nymph’s. Root beer Midge’s, peach eggs and Pink San Juan worms.
There’s been a lot of pressure on certain sections of the river because of the low flows from both Wade fisherman and boat fisherman. Try mixing it up and throwing different fly patterns or adjusting the size of fly or down sizing your tippet if the bite gets tough while we experience the low flows.