Vol. 13 No. 44

PODCAST #5 with Rick Hafele

In this podcast Rick Hafele talks about aquatic entomology.

Dr Gibson gathered questions from our readers on the bulletin board to present to Rick.

This is a great interview and is very informative.

IMPORTANT NOTES ON TROUT BEHAVIOR

These notes will cover the trout feeding behavior as it pertains to the PMD hatches. Trout feed on insects that are found drifting in the current. As the nymphs mature and the time of hatching draws near, the nymphs begin to drift off the bottom on the way to the surface. The trip doesn’t happen all at once, nymphs start drifting off the bottom up to an hour before the actual emergence. At first the trout begin to feed on the bottom. As the nymphs ascend toward the surface the trout will follow them up, feeding on the nymphs because trout always take advantage of easy, available food forms. As the nymphs get closer to the surface and the emergence becomes more eminent the trout begin to feed almost exclusively on emergers. 

THE ANGLER’S LOG BOOK

While cleaning out some old fly fishing items I came across my old Angler’s Log. Back in the 1960’s the Orvis ® Company sold an Angler’s Log book. The pages were punched to fit in a small note book, and you could carry it in your vest although I chose not to do so.

A CHALLENGE COURSE?

Every once in a while a topic comes up and I’m torn as to if I should write about it.
It can be that something which might be interesting to me might not be interesting to you at all - or I might not want to bring attention to something which might be better left alone. Confusing? Sure is and that’s why it is difficult for me as a writer.

THURSDAY TRY

Thursday was the second day off for this week. I wanted to go out to another pond and try it. The last trip was cut short by the wind. I had the itch to be out again, even if the wind had not blown so hard the previous time, but it seemed like a good excuse.

I headed off to another pond. I have not fished this one for a few years. I had put some small bass into this pond to help control the numbers of small panfish. Time to find out what might have happened since the bass went in.

MY BEST DAY FISHING

The date was July 10, 1976.  I’ve just checked in to my favorite fishing camp, Aurora Lakes Resort, near Little Fort, British Columbia. In spite of an eight-hour drive, I’m excited, as I had not wet a line since the previous summer. I rush to set up two rods, get a long-handled net and stuff a back-pack with wet and dry Hardy Marquis 8/9’s, my wet and dry fly-boxes, a gunny sack, an anchor rope, my old Pentax Spotmatic, two sausage rolls and three beers.

CARTOON BY NEIL SUTHERLAND

Neil Sutherland not only gave us a great readers cast article this issue, but also a great reason to smile!

THE MAY HAYSTACK

In much of the Northeast spring there are a staple of hatches that one may encounter, that require patterns to be on-hand in order to avoid fishless days. Those hatches have become identified over time by their respective patterns most commonly tied and fished. Here in Central PA, those patterns hold true as well. They are the Dark Hendrickson, March Brown & Grey Fox hatches that we all have learned to love or hate over the years depending on your success or failure while fishing over them.