FISHING -- These are busy times with families getting their kids back to school, sports events revving up, hunting seasons cranking up, fruit harvest kicking in gear.... No wonder September is such a great time to go fly fishing!

Sean Visintainer of Silver Bow Fly Shop in Spokane Valley says the fishing on the region's cutthroat trout streams has been good even during the recent smoky conditions, which acted like a cloud cover to stimulate trout response to surface insect activity.

But now the skies are clearing, the waters are cooling, and the fishing is even better.

"September is always a good month around here as kids are back in school, the inner tuber hatch dwindles, nights get a little longer and temps cool off a bit," Visintainer says on his Silver Bow blog.

"My biggest tip for fishing right now is don't be asleep at the wheel. Meaning fish have seen plenty of bugs, real and fake, by this time of season. They will give you one shot, make 'em count!"

Reports from the field indicate surface action is underway. It's September, but trout may be thinking October caddis.

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