Insect hatches, I will tell you I don't know to much about them. I can recognize a mayfly from a caddis fly and a stonefly is pretty easy to identify. But I can't tell the difference between a Hendrickson or a brown quill. What I will say is I can pretty much match whatever is out there just by using size and general color of the insect. Now we all know that predators key in on weakness, and trout are predators. They will seize that opportunity when the insect is most vulnerable. As a nymph moves toward the surface and attempts to break its case it is in an awkward state. It's wings may have broken free but they are weak and it is at this point when the trout feast. This is why I have come to the conclusion that fishing soft-hackles may be the only fly you really need to fish.
The four flies in the picture kind of cover most situations on the small streams I fish. The various colors which by the way change when wet and the various hackles used also differ when wet. Some of the hackles are tied in sparse and others are dense. Again this is good for the ones that are dense tend to ride near the surface and the sparse ones tend to sink. This is my opinion and is far from scientific. But this I will say it is based on experience.
The Tiny Ten was in action....
I fished the other day and had a fairly good day. Using the flies pictured I managed many strikes and five solid hookups. The only issue was none came to hand.
It's going to be a good weekend weather wise so I hope those that can do get out.
Thanks for sharing your experience! I am curious about how much reach you have with that short tenkara rod? Are you almost standing on top of the fish? I am rediscovering fishing for brook trout as a new fly fisher and routinely see fish scattering as I approach as carefully as possible.
ReplyDeleteShawn
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Shawn I use a 7' furled leader as my line, to that I tie on about 3' of tippet and that combo gets me the reach I need. Spooking brookies is a common thing, I do it all the time. But the attention span of a brookie is not long and if you remain still-quiet they will soon forget what scared them. They were in the place you spooked them from for a reason be it good feeding, water quality and safety so I'm certain they will return shortly.
Hey Alan,
ReplyDeleteHad a many day yesterday with small spoons and XUL spinning. Had a ton of follows also.
Glad you got out too!
billp
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Bill sounds as if that spinning has gotten a hold on you. Good fun.
We have a few nice days ahead of us here.
I mix up that and Tenkara.
DeleteWhen I first started fly fishing, a fly of some kind landed on my arm. I took a photo of it and posted it. It was identified. At that point I decided, since I didn't know a Caddis from a mosquito, to get a book on Entomology and learn bugs. Did that and now, I still can't tell a Caddis from a mosquito. Happy fishing Alan.
ReplyDeleteMark Kautz
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Mark you sound just like me. I have books identifying the insects but it really doesn't interest me. I'm not a technical fisherman. As long as it's close that's good enough for me.
Hi Alan
ReplyDeleteCripples & emergers (wet or dry) are my go to flies at the start of a fishing outing from spring until autumn. Trout are, for the most part, lazy fish and will almost always prefer to take a fly that they know is struggling to hatch and is an easy target. There are exeptions to this (aren't there always?) and if the prey item represents an energy dense mouthfull (a large fly or baitfish) trout will move great distances and strike hard if they think it is worth expending the energy.
Take care and stay safe
Alistair
Anonymous
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Alistair cripples are a big part of my success. I saw a fly tying demo once and the tyer was saying to always tie with neatness, and then he said that the ugliest flies were the ones that caught the most fish. That energy thing really comes into play in winter waters.
Alan,
DeleteNot many things are as aesthetically pleasing to the eye as a really neat and well proportioned Catskill dry fly, but the real fish catchers are those flies that almost meet with a razor blade!
Alan
ReplyDeleteThe only insects I can recognize on the water are the large hatches that take place on the Sipsey at dfferent times of the day. The rest of the insects has me gussing.
The stream pictured in your post would take some precision casting from the bank to get a take. Thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell
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Bill your just like me. There were actually a few places where a cast could be made. it looks thick in the photo but it was not that tough. in a month or so that will be a different story as things green and thicken up.