Ok, I’m fishing this spot that was stocked a little over a week ago and has been fished pretty hard. Last night I’m there all by my self, no body to bother me. The fish are going crazy for something the whole night. For the most part they are just bulging when coming up but some fish are making nice splashes and even coming all the way out of the water.
The only thing in the air that I can see are a pretty good concentration of midges and a few caddis flys so i try every midge pattern in all the sizes and get nothing but a few refusals…using a 6x leader, good drift, everything is right. I had one take but couldn’t hang on to the fish.
I continue to try most of my dry flys with no luck.
The only thing i was able to take fish on was a wooley bugger pattern. which i did take a really nice bow on so i was happy.
My question to you guys is what do i do in this situation. The fish were feeding all over the place nostop for the whole time i was there. I’m guessing they were feeding on emergers or something? which being newer to fly fishing i don’t have a nice supply yet. It was just frustrating how picky those fish could be. what would use guys have tried
Hi,
A smal soft hackle on a dry fly hook would be worth a try. Also, some dark grey osterich hurl wrapped on a size 20 or smaller hook would be worth a shot (can be a nice surface film midge pattern if it lands soft, and good just sub-surface as well). A size 12 or 14 Invicta might be worth a try (I find these work well sub-surface if trout are feeding on caddis).
Basically, I would have tried some wet flies, winged or wingless. Then, it would just be a matter of figuring out if they are taking the midges or the caddis sub-surface.
Gold Ribbed Hares Ear, fished down and across, and worked just under the surface. Let it hang at the end of the swing, move it up and down a bit, swing it from side to side by moving your rod from one hand to the other.
I would start off with #14 and work my way down as needed.
I might try a light or dark Cahill fished the same way.
AgMD
no it was “powys curve” on Lycoming creek. I tried an ant pattern with no luck on hook ups. The fish were picky. I’d watch them come right up and nose my flies and then turn off. I feel like they were some kind of caddis pattern
I always wanted to fish Lycoming at the “Curve”. I drive past it on my annual pilgrimage to Cedar Run and vicinity.
Another thing you may try is some small Blue Winged Olive dry flies or emergers like about size 20. We usually get Olive hatches this time of year on a lot of PA streams and the fish can key in on them. Try a dry BWO on top and a small soft hackle below it on a dropper.
If im reading this right… you said you were out fishing all night…
Here is a few tips…
when they are hit the surface like that at night…
strip a size 12-14 crackleback… and let it dead-drift a little… and sit just under the surface… Try not to fish it dry… you’ll get more takes just under the surface…
strip a few times really slow, then drift to about the count of 7-10… and a few more slow strips…
if you are in a medium current, then let it sit there… with a movement everynow and then
and also try try size 8 unweighted woolies… in black, and solid white… slow stripped or dead-drift
Riseforms of bulges and some jumps … bugs are emerging (some taking off) - focus on the bulge forms. Easier food for the trout, less energy spent.
… chironomid emergers and caddis emergers would do wonders on a dry line. About size 12 - 16. Although I’d likely go with the October caddis in an emerger pattern.
Chironomids take a bit of time to surface once they start to emerge, so the trout have ample time to snag them. Caddis however … a bit faster, hence the quick grabs just under the surface.
Take a hook (nymph size 14), base wrap with thread, 2 wraps of lead (or other wire) towards the bend. Dub on some mixed fur of tan / chocolate (more tan than chocolate). Tie in a pinch of squirrel tail as a small over wing and a smidgeon of calf-tail on top of that. For a head, take some black craft foam sheet, cut it in a thin strip (~1/32"), and wrap as a head 2 or 3 times. Wrap off and voila. Don’t worry too much about neatness on the squirrel - the caddis is emerging - there is no symmetry to an emerging critter.
The foam will help float it - and the lead will hold it tail down.
This works wickedly for trout in late fall ponds and lakes.
(I found in fall, its the best time to take along a small tying kit … fall patterns are not too different in colors or materials … easy shoreline tying)
darrell,
(edit: oh yeah - add a wrap of pearl flash twice behind the head to represent an air bubble … more wickedness) …
Excellent Question. I had the exact same experience on my favorite stream last year. I think one fish actually jumped over my fly line and looked at me and winked as he dove down back into the water! I tried everything my limited knowdledge knew. Due to this thread I have a lot of info to go on, lot’s of things to look up and learn about emerger’s and stuff. A book of info here. I just have to learn it. But a great post which gives a lot of us solid stuff to work on.
Thanks for the post. Keep those questions coming pls.
OK Ripper I’ll take a shot at this.
First of all it helps to put stream or location in post so we know where you are. I think your in Northern Pa. OK since most of the May flies are over except BWO in are area that leaves pretty much—Bwo And you gusted it Caddis. Also in your post you said it was evening --Bwo usually emerge in the nicest part of the day when it’s cool (afternoon) so I don’t think it was BWO (Baetis) Like I said I don’t know where your fishing but I fish Central Pa and their is a tan size 14 caddis that emerges at night on the water now .I don’t see a caddis until twilight and then I see caddis flying up the stream but I can’t see them coming out of water, but the fish start working like crazy. just like you described. Not being their off hand I would say Caddis try a deep pupa or a emerging pupa.
bulges and splashy rises? Sounds like caddis to me, probably mostly emergers (bulges) and a few drys (splashy rises). Caddises stay on the water for no time at all when they emerge, so fish will often key on the emergers intead because they are a bit easier to catch. My answer here is usually an elk hair caddis fished with a sparkle pupa, soft hackle, or some other shallow emerger pattern as a dropper. Most the fish seem to take the emerger, but a few will grab the dry and it makes a good indicater in low light situations like the one you described. Don’t know if this was your situation or not, but it would have been my first approach.
I’ll go out on a limb here and suggest something a little less conventional. If you’re targeting stocked fish, try something with blue and silver in it. It may actually surprise you the fish will take your fly over naturals in some cases. A bright blue bugger or flashy silver bugger. I don’t think the pattern matters as much as the color.
