Flows have remained the same on the Green for the past couple of weeks. Words of the peaking of flows are starting to make their rounds. It will either happen before Memorial Day Weekend or after it. I will update you posted once I get word. The nighttime flow is 950 CFS, it increases to 2,025 CFS at 8 AM, and then to 2,500 CFS at 5 PM. The Upper Green River Drainage is sitting at 100 percent of average snowpack and the Lower Green River Drainage is sitting at 89 percent of average. River temperatures are around 46 degrees Fahrenheit.
With the constant changing of the weather patterns, fishing can be fantastic or just good. In the mornings and the afternoons the midge hatch has been pretty thick. The Baetis hatch is starting to taper off, but on a rainy day you can still see a fantastic hatch. Fish are still honed in on midges and scuds in the morning. In the afternoon, the fish are feeding on the baetis moving around. The streamer bite has still been pretty good on the Upper River on overcast days with the white Sculpzilla, the Articulated Goldie, and the Olive Peanut Envy. There has been some cicada activity and more and more fish are starting to eat the big bug, but not enough to sound the alarms.
Due to melting snow up in Wyoming, Red Creek is flowing and the lower river is pretty off color. Therefore, the fishing has been consistently inconsistent on the lower river. If the river clarity is good, the streamer bite has been decent and you will see fish feeding on baetis in the afternoons.
For dry dropper fishing, I am always a fan of the Chubby Chernobyl Ant. Mainly because it is ridiculously easy to see, but even during this time of the year a fish will occasionally eat it. I am fishing either a zebra midge or baetis between 2 to 3 feet below the dry.
There is no shortage of flies that will catch a fish during a midge or baetis hatch. Some of my favorite dries are a peacock cluster midge, Matt’s Midge, the Mother Shucker, CDC Baetis Dun, the Film Critic, or a Baetis Cripple.
When I am nymphing on Upper A, I’m fishing a small gray scud and a zebra midge. Once the Baetis hatch gets going on Lower A and Upper B, I am still nymphing a zebra midge because of all the midges still around and a baetis emerger. The Radiation Baetis and a Flashback Pheasant Tail have been my go to emerger patterns lately.