Figuring out a stillwater's buffet menu
What methods do you stillwaters fly fishers use in determining what is on the buffet menu for the fish?
On a river, I'll turn over a rock or use a fine net that I place behind a feeding lane. Simple. On a lake however, you can't do this. So what are the best methods in determining the food base for the fish (preferably trout)?
Re: Figuring out a stillwater's buffet menu
look for nymphs in the water by turning over a rock or stirring up the mud. and putting a net or hand below the stirred up mud.
also look for the insects in spider webs, and other things and then you know what the nymphs will be like.
sorry for the crappy post I need to get off the computer :lol:
Re: Figuring out a stillwater's buffet menu
Simply assume it's midges! See:
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/feature ... art55.html
and
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/feature ... art54.html
Read Phil Rowley, Brian Chan, and Denny Rickards. Watch their videos.
On the rare occasions that midges don't work, remember to try your midges at different depths.....fish near the surface first, then farther and farther down until you find the fish. My plain old searching pattern for this is a pheasant tail nymph in sizes 12-18, and the standard chironomid patterns (sno cone, brassie, etc.)
If you don't find fish, try scuds of different colors near the bottom.
If none of that works -- check the tulles at shore for damsel and dragon nymphs and try those if you find them.
Try leech patterns of different colors, wooly buggers work for both leeches and damsels.
Watch for callibaetis coming off, and check under rocks for their nymphs. Plain old pheasant tail nymph works here too, if your depth is right.
If none of THAT works, try baitfish imitations. For short periods, they can be hot.
I have a fish throat pump, but rarely use it. Can be worth a try though, if nothing else works. I actually despise using it....seems to 'violate' the fish a bit much for me. And fish barf is NASTY.
But if nothing above works, you are probably just fishing whatever pattern you have at the wrong depth!
I'm a lake fishing addict for trout -- I love stillwaters. In my opinion, in order of importance:
Depth -- Presentation/Action -- Color-- Pattern-- Relaxed attitude toward finding where the fish are.
DANBOB
Re: Figuring out a stillwater's buffet menu
When I go to a cafeteria; I have a 100 choices of what to eat but if you were to make a guess on what I was eating based on seeing those choices; you'd still have 100 guesses to make.
In other words; just 'cause it's there doesn't mean they are eating it. I prefer to sit and watch the water and try and determine HOW the fish are feeding IF I see them feeding at all. I look at rise forms and try and determine whether they are taking on the surface; in the film or below the film...
...or just below.
If I can't figure it out; I put on a beetle and try that first; then a midge pupa or a nymph; then I take a drink and observe some more.
Once I get a fish to take a fly...
...I know what they are feeding on. :)
I haven't turned over a rock or seined a stream; let alone a lake in years. Once I have determined how and where they are feeding; I make a fly choice based on these simplistic observations:- *All nymphs are brown, olive or yellowish and come a few sizes where I fish YET a bead head Prince works 90% of the time when nymph fishing.
*All mayflies come in the same colors ranges as nymphs with white thrown in and two patterns work for me 90% of the time.
*Midges come in the same colors as everything else and work when the fish are midging.
*Beetles work almost 100% of the time and if they don't I try something else.
I just watch the water and make an educated guess. I catch fish all of the time with my uneducated method. I keep the "scientific" portion of my brain reserved for the complicated decisions of what Scotch or cigar I should bring along with me.
I hate to make it sound so simple but I find fly fishing for trout a lot easier than a lot of other types of fishing I do. Trial and error is a GREAT learning tool!
There's nothing wrong with picking up rocks, seining streams and lakes or checking spiderwebs. (I DON'T feel the same way about pumping fish stomachs though); but I have found that knowledge of fish behavior, body of water structure and local hatch cycles pays ME MUCH higher dividends and doesn't require a net or get my hands wet.
;)
Re: Figuring out a stillwater's buffet menu
Good stuff!!! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.....
Re: Figuring out a stillwater's buffet menu
1. Go to the local Fly Shop and ask them!
2. You might not be able to set your calendar as to when the hatch happens every year, but it should be the same general time every year.
Example; I drive to a lake and the mayflies are supposed to be there, but they have had different periods and volumes of hatching.
Plan A is to fish the hatch that is the biggest and what the fish focus on.
Plan B is fish a woolybugger, leech, dragon or minnow pattern.
Doug
Re: Figuring out a stillwater's buffet menu
Great post, Bamboozle (and Dshock too)! I agree on the Prince nymphs, just as good as PTs. Zug Bugs too. Try bead heads and non, since they affect sink rate. All these great classic 'standard' nymphs look like everything -- midges, mayflies, caddis, scuds, etc when fished at the right depth with the right action. Kinda like the Adams for dries.
I've never had much luck with beetles except for waterboatmen, maybe just because of the buffet makeup of the lakes I fish here. Or maybe because I fish them wrong!
Thread Piracy Alert! Boozle, just out of curiosity, and for example: On a high prairie lake at 8,000 feet, late summer, damsel hatch already gone, what would your choice of scotch and cigar be? I'd personally pick Oban and a Don Jose. LOL! :twisted:
DANBOB
Re: Figuring out a stillwater's buffet menu
danbob:
After much thought and contemplation with the scientific portion of my brain; I'd say probably an Ashton #30 Maduro and "Nadurra" from Glenlivet. At 57.2% ABV it helps to keep you warm at those high elevations.
Not to mention numbing your mistakes! [url=http://www.thesmilies.com:d7831]http://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/party0015.gif[/url:d7831]
Re: Figuring out a stillwater's buffet menu
I used the tried and true method of asking the guy, up or downstream from me that is catching fish. what he is using. I have found that FF in SE PA are more than willing to share information and more than once I have had them give me flies to try. I am new to SE PA and the local fly fisherman are alway willing to give advise.
Re: Figuring out a stillwater's buffet menu
While were on the subject of flies,
A Gold Bead Hare's Ear nymph 12-16 is deadly for Brown trout in a Lake with mayflies. It was almost like they were focused on it.
Soft Hackle Hare's Ear same size.
Burnt Orange Copper Bead Head Woolybugger size 12. If you don't catch anything with this fly then there aren't any fish in the lake.
Doug :D