Fall is here. Temperatures are dropping, days are shorter and nights are cooler. Water is lower, slower and clear. This is actually perfect for tenkara fishing and tactics. Here in Northern Colorado, the Poudre River has dropped to 58cfs. That means fish are spooky and stealthiness is critical. Staying hidden and fishing the swing is a great strategy for these conditions or any other slow moving, clear water you’re near. Here’s your fall playbook:
1. The Low-Water Swing:
Specifically for wide bends and undercut banks where the current is gentle and steady.
- Position: Stay upstream and low. Fish are hugging banks for protection in low water. Fish still have to eat in low water. But they are spooked easily so stealth is critical.
- Cast: Cast perpendicular from shore, rod tip high for a drag-free drift.
- Finish: At the end of the drift, don’t just pick up. Slowly guide the fly inward toward the shoreline. That cross-current movement pulses the hackle and pulls it right into where fish are often holding. Pause it against the bank for a second or two before lifting – that’s often when they hit.
This covers 3 strike zones in one cast; out in the current, moving up to feed, and back and tight to the bank.
Poudre River Best Swings and Flies:
- Indian Meadows to Gateway Park – classic wide, steady glides
- Picnic Rock tail-outs and the long runs just below it
- South-facing stretches near The Narrows – they hold heat late and keep that late caddis window alive.
At low flows, skip the fast pocket water. Look for knee-deep tail-outs, inside seams, and any dark undercut.
2. Fall Hatches
- This is BWO and midge season, with a bonus late caddis window:
BWOs / Blue Wing Olives: April-October, but fall is prime – September through November. 11am-3pm, especially on cloudy days. This is your afternoon hatch. - Midges: All year, get stronger as water cools.
- Caddis: May-September normally, but late light caddis can linger into October on the Poudre. Swing soft hackles near edges. October Caddis skitters at dusk.
Dawn patrol is less important in fall – let the water warm a bit before you go hard.
3. Fall Fly Patterns
Keep it light. Use 6x tippet. Short, tight and off the water is best. For longer casts, use a floating line like the Zen Fusion Line paired with a 9ft leader.
Swing Box Fly Patterns:
- Kebari or a Soft Hackle Caddis #14-16 – EC Caddis, Caddis Grey is perfect for the swing finish
- BWO Cripple #18, 2nd Chance #18, Parachute BWO #18-22, Parachute Adams #20
- Midges: Old Town Midge #18, Black Beauty #20-24, Zebra Midge #20-24, 97oh red #20
Fall and Low Water Presentation Tactic:
- Start with a #14 Sakasa Kebari or Soft Hackle Caddis as a searcher fly on the swing.
- If you see noses around 1pm to 3pm on a cloudy day, switch to a BWO Cripple / Emerger dead-drift, then let it swing out at the end.
- If nothing happens on top, drop to a Zebra Midge or BWO Emerger Nymph.
Low and slow wins right now. Pace yourself and enjoy the scenery. Fall fishing can muster up some huge fish gorging themselves in order to chunk up for the coming winter months. The opportunity to land one of these lunkers is definitely there and the autumn backdrop on the river is spectacular.
Tight lines and happy fishing!