Just returned from a solo trip to Roche Lake last weekend. It was busy as there were two derbies fishing. A group from Tree Island Co. and Wooly Buggers flyfishing club. No real chironimid hatch to speak of, no shucks on the water. The trout weren't on chironies. The boats that were trolling were getting fish on pumpkin heads and green flies.
I was getting mediocre success on black / red chironimid. Switched to casting clear and sinking lines and retrieving then started to get fish consistently. The bite came on at 8am and lasted for an hour and a half then tapered off.
Saturday evening conditions were perfect. Fish were rising jumping all over but very few takers. Sunday morning was just like Saturday then it died by 11 am. It got real hot then. I was marking fish on the sounder at 15- 18 ft and deeper.
Those trout that were caught on the retrieve spat out leeches when they neared the surface.
Those that I throat pumped had only zoo plankton,green bloodworms,glass worm that were
pointed with black dots at each end and some size 22 chromies.
I concentrated on shoal drop offs down to 25 ft. and let the lines sink way down to entice fish to follow the fly upwards. My type 4 sinking line with 4 ft 8 lb flourocarbon leader worked with the best success. Lots of damsels and dragons flying about but no real signs of sedges yet.
To those heading up hope for some cooler weather.