Trout mid-day feeding frenzy--what are they eating?

[HCR]

8500 ft. sm. stream SW Colorado. No action on dries or nymphs until around noon and then lots of takes on #20 green emerger or #22 black nymph fished behind a weighted nymph. No takes in runs or holes and takes ONLY under broken water (riffles and pockets). I cast upstream, let flies drift past and get most takes on the swing or lift at end of drift.

Action turns on suddenly, last for about an hour and then ends suddenly, under cloudy sky or full sun. Can't see any flying insects, but glare is bad this time of day and my vision isn't what it used to be. Sometimes I notice rises in runs (if a run is in sight from where I'm standing) during this period, but as I'm getting plenty of takes on the nymph I haven't switched to a dry.

Have asked three pro guides and gotten two different answers. Wish to know for my own satisfaction.

Thanks in advance.

[mcsteff]

A friend of mine just returned from fishing in Colorado - the Big Thompson at 9,000 feet- where he said tricos and baetis (BWOs) were coming off at midday. Small. 20-24s worked.

[planettrout]

Try something like this and provide the ANSWER to thyself...

http://www.anglingdesigns.com/intro.asp

some lite reading:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1571...pt#reader-link


...but I'll bet they are BAETIS...

PT/TB

[LadyFisher]

Trav and I took a nice walk at DePuys Spring Creek on Saturday. On the run above the blue gate very little was happening. The air is cooling off even 'tho the creek pretty much maintains a 52 degree temp the bugs aren't moving until they warm up. Once the bugs are moving the fish move, after 10 am or even later if it is overcast and the sun isn't out to warm stuff up. On the pond in front of the big house fish were rising and feeding like mad! Different situation, pond is shallow, and there are weeds. We watched a couple of specific feeding browns who were taking an occasional baetis from the surface - preferring to take the emergers! This was steady no break feeding for maybe half an hour. We could plainly see what they were taking. We had been bird watching and had our binoculars to check the surface of the pond too.

[Silver Creek]

8500 ft is really high. Most of the food in the high country streams/rivers are terrestrials.

If one of the guides said beetles or ants, which are notoriously difficult to see, I'd agree. Personally, I think beetles from the trees.

[James Smith]

Lunch???

Jim Smith

[wizard]

I have fished the Big Thompson in Estes a couple times and they tell me that BWO's are there all year and are a staple of the fishery. This time of the year they would be the "little ones" in the #20 or smaller range. I know in the spring the hottest fly around is the micro mayfly pattern in olive size 16-18. Most of the shops sell the micro mayfly in that area.

[planettrout]

"Baetis is often the only mayfly genus represented in marginal habitats of high altitude cold mountain streams (to 13,000ft.)"

http://www.jstor.org/pss/25078238

PT/TB

[EdD]

Lunch???

Jim Smith

Jim, if you keep that up you're reputation will end up headed to the depths where mine and Uncle Jesse's live.


Ed, NBOF charter member

[HCR]

Thanks to all who replied to my query. The fold up seine that attaches to a net is a great idea. I don't carry my net but rarely, but can see purchasing the seine.

As for what the guides said: One, agreed w/me that it was likely a baetis, and the other two said that without question it was a midge. All three fish the big Rio Grandeexclusively andmy question referred to a sm. feeder stream they probably are not well acquainted with. That did not give them pause in giving me their opinion, however.

I did see a few BWOs (3 or four) over the last four outings (I go daily) and the trout continue to love the tiny mayfly nymph flies I'm throwing. Had first fish of the day, a Bow, take me running down the bank. Only 15 inches but didn't want to horse on 6 X. 12 brought to hand today, and released. Great time ofthe year with stream to myself.