Night Time Hatches

[GRP]

Last night I was out fishing the sulphur hatch on my local stream. It was an overcast night (nor'easter moving in) and there was no moon. Once the sun was finally set I had a really difficult time following my fly on the stream. Is there some secret formula? Do you tie your flies a certain way so they stand out more? Is it all just feel...when you see a rise near where you "think" your fly is do you set the hook and then just recast if there is no fish on your line?

Thanks in advance for all your help. This website is the best for asking questions (no matter how big or small the problem) and getting great answers.

[Bamboozle]

Do you tie your flies a certain way so they stand out more? Is it all just feel...when you see a rise near where you "think" your fly is do you set the hook and then just recast if there is no fish on your line?

I guess I'm lucky in that I can usually almost always see my light colored Sulphurs in the dark but I do have some I've tied that are all white. I've used them successfully when I had trouble.

But 99% of the time in most low light situations I cast; try and guess where my fly is compensating for drift and current speed and strike if I see or hear something. It works pretty darn well for me; sometimes I even amaze myself.

The good thing about low light levels and not seeing flies is it does get me off the water...

...eventually.

This time of year I'd never go home otherwise.

[FlyPimp]

Use the force I just rely on experience when it comes to drag, and my ears when it comes to detecting strikes. Ya get some and ya miss some, but fishing dries at night is a blast.

[Night Angler]

hey guys.. not that I do alot of night-time fishing..


but heres alittle something...

when night fishing a dry... go up a size or 2...
say your fishing a sulpher hatch and your using a size 16 as the sun goes down..
if you can still see them them taking from the top when it gets dark.. then try a 12 or 14....

next thing to remember... on a sudden change in light(from day to dark) there is about a 30min to an hour where the fishing just dies down...
GO DEEP!!

Leonard

[GRP]

Thanks for all the responses so far. Leonard, I never even though of bumping up a size or two. I'm going to give that a shot tomorrow night.