2 min. video

A couple of minutes of video shot on the Grand today. Don't let those clouds of trikes fool ya. T'was not to be.

Video From August 30th.

Hatch Matching on the cheap.

I’ve often heard it discussed, whether verbally or in text, the high cost associated with getting into fly tying. Besides the assortment of tools one needs just in order to lash feather to steel, there’s the materials needed. One look through a book of patterns will be enough to clue one in on the vast assortment of fur, feather and fabrics that a tier has at his disposal. That list is ever expanding and only limited by ones imagination.

But for the beginner, the vast amounts of materials can be daunting when he gets into the tying game. Fortunately, your not going to have to buy a hackle neck every time you want a new fly. I’m going to recommend a system for trout flies that can allow you to imitate most caddis or mayfly dry, with minimal outlay of cash. This isn’t groundbreaking stuff. Its been covered in many publications by any number of authors………but since it is unlikely that you and I have read the exact same materials, I’ll pass this along for your perusal.

What your going to need.

Dubbing Kit: You can find these made by a number of companies. I use a set from Spirit River I bought well over a decade ago. It was less than 25 bucks for 2 compartmented containers containing 10 colours each. If a color doesn’t exist that I need, blending usually quickly gets the results I’m looking for. Other companies offer similar selections. Flyrite comes to mind.

Wing Material: Deer and Elk Hair. CDC. Snow Shoe Rabbits Foot, Antron/Z-Lon.

You could actually use either or really………I tend to gravitate between the two. You’ll need it in a few different colors to match the wings of the natural. Light tan, Medium Dun, Light dun, White, Black are a few that pop immediately to mind. You don’t wan’t the oiler puffs. The Z-lon if for spent wing spinners. It is also handy for adding trailing shucks to your patterns.

Tailing Materials: Micro Fibbets, Paint Brush, Antron………..

Are two I use. Micro fibbets are inexpensive and come in any number of colors.

Patterns.

For Mayflies, Comaparaduns or CDC Comparaduns. For the Spinners, Spent Wing tied with Z-lon/Antron/S-lon…..CDC Wing Spinner, Usual

For Caddis: Deer/Elk Hair Caddis, X Caddis. CDC/Skitter Caddis.

For tying instructions you folks are far luckier than I was. You having access to this wonderful little tool known as the internet can go on over to you tube and pretty much find instructions for any pattern your immediately going to want. Youtube has a vast treasure ( and trash ) trove of Fly Fishing related videos for you to learn from. On all aspects of the sport, tying aside.

And there you go. You match the colours of the natural ( either through observation or copying others recipes ) with your dubbing, wing and tail materials. As I mentioned before, adding a trailing shuck can help imitate an emerger. The colour of the shuck should be along the lines of the nymph your trying to copy.

Not only are these relatively inexpensive to tie……….they`re also very easy patterns to tie, ideal for beginners. They are also very effective. These patterns will give you what you need to match the hatches you come across, and they will catch fish. From there, you can expand your repertoire outwards. While these are effective patterns, having a variety of ties for the same hatch is never a bad idea. Personally, I like having parachutes ( probably my favourite style of dry )as well in my box to compliment my kit. However, good hackle is certainly not cheap. Snowshoe Rabbits foot is. Not only is it inexpensive, the stuff floats great. It can also be tied as a Comparadun, or as a downwing Caddis. Also makes functional spinner wings to boot. Turkey/Goose Biot’s are also relatively inexpensive and can also bolster your repetoire. You’ll find, this short list of materials, can get you a lot of bang for the buck.

Getting a complex.

So many hatches. So many choices.

Trikes, Bwo's, cranes, the various caddis............. all on the water at once these recent mornings. Dance through the fly box to keep time these days. Trico duns seem to have been over powered by other hatches these last few outings. I'm still managing fish when the spinners hit, but the duns are rather unpopular the last bit. I can't see its because I'm missing on the action. I'm usually on the water pre-dawn, and the trike females usually come off with the first light to my knowledge. Bwo's as well, have been available in decent numbers, but haven't produced that magnificently. Far more productive has been the Crane Fly. If they don't take that after a few good passes, then its time to check the drink to see whats floating by. But the reality is, when I do check, I usually see a mixed bag at any given time. Cranes, Bwo's, Trikes, Crippled caddis.........can all drift by in a 20 second look see. Putting together the rise forms with whats in the floating food floatilla is usually a good starting point. No point in fishing spinners to a splashy rise form now is there? If there is spinners in the drink though..........thats usually a ticket for a few fish.

A 1/2 dozen fish landed over a couple of hours is decent enough I suppose, but a month ago that would have been a dismal performance. Not the same ball game though. I did manage a fish pushing the high teens that was as good as any fish I caught this year. He sucked up a #20 Pennsylvania Tailwater Crane just after sun up.

The white flecks in the pic are Trike spinners, and can be seen better if you click the pic to enlarge.

Be aware, these are my observations. Others can be out at the same time and find a different situation. I have heard of buddies doing well on BWO's on days when Cranes have been my key. Different sections can have different results. What you get here is not an ANSWER. You get a look at my observations and findings. What worked, or didn't work, for ME.

............ :(

So, as you can see by the pic, and vid to follow, there were clouds of spinners in the air during my last outing. Initially I did well moving fish with trico female duns, just as planned. When they stopped producing, on went a male spinner................no dice. So on went a female spinner. Little interest, but nothing to justify the number of fish rising on a steady rhythm. There were caddis........so on went a couple of likely candidates. It wasn't til lthe end of the emergence I finally took the time out to sieve the water for an answer. Whenever I just glanced at the all I saw was trike spinners. But it was BWO's. What a moron.

If I've fished a trike hatch that fish ignored in favour of other fair, I can't remember it. Oh well. Live and learn. Its a bitter bill to swallow though. A great day of fishing missed because I was slow on the draw.

Trico Spinner Cloud vid.

Trike's

The lack of any recent postings does not mean I haven't been angling. The exact opposite. I've been consumed with the Trico's on the Grand.

I suppose it's probably not the easiest hatch to fish. There's a few things you need to know in order to be successful with them. Some obvious, some not so.

Whenever you get into the tiny flies, you encounter a wonderful little nuance known as micro drag. Besides the currents and seams we can see, there are also tiny swirls and jogs we cannot. If you watch tiny naturals on the water, there will be subtle little pauses in their drifts, or they will swirl back against the current, affected by the small variance in current. Tippet material can be to stiff to allow these micro currents to affect our fly as they should. This requires using a very light tippet. 8x being appropriate. Short casts can also help. When I say appropriate tippet strength, the general rule is to divide your fly size 3, and thats your tippet. In example, a size 24 Trico, divided by 3, gives us 8. So 8x.

Precise casting is also a priority. The number of Trikes on the water at one time can be enourmous. Fish do not have to move to find their next meal. If you watch a trout on a steady feed, they will be coming up in exactly the same spot. Being 10" of off its feeding lane will likely not get results when targeting specific fish. Your also going to want to get your fly over top of him in time with his rise rythym. Fish on a steady feed tend to rise in a steady cadence. By timing your presentation with his pattern, your increasing your odds of a hook up.

As far as I know, the hatch tends to work like this. Male duns come of at dusk and late at night. They hang around waiting for the females to show up. I've seen it written that they don't provide much angling opportunity because of it. I really can't speak to that myself. I'm familiar with the morning activity. Then, almost as soon as you have light, you'll get female duns emerging. This will get the fish moving. Fish can be taken in the early stages of the emergence with duns, even before the lock into a steady feed. Not long after they start emerging, after spending sometime streamside and molting, they start forming great clouds of spinners over riffles. There they are joined by the males. After the mating starts, the males hit the drink first. So, in terms of fishing the hatch, you'd prefer to be on the water at dawn, and fish the female duns. Once that stops producing, its onto the male spinners, then the female spinners if the males stop producing.

This is also the time you want to be using your light rods.......2wt, 3wt etc...........Lighter rods protect lighter tippets better. They also allow for a more delicate presentation. Hopefully be out again shortly, taking advantage of this hatch while its hot.

And just like that..........

So you can imagine my consternation when the MC22's were more or less getting ignored. Yeah, I got some fish on them, but nothing that would be justified by the number of fish rising..............and there were lots. There was obviously something different.

It took me awhile to figure out. I kept checking the water, and air. .....and came up with a couple of candidates, but it wasn't till near the end of the session I finally nailed it. Trico's.

Some folks love this hatch, some hate it. I fall into the love it category. I've had some great days fishing this hatch on the (Upper Credit). If I had clued in quicker it would have been another killing spree. As it was I did decent.................but missed out on the majority of the action. Lack of 8x didn't help. I could see the micro drag affecting my drift and there was little I could do to remedy it. This undoubtedly cost me fish.

The picture? Think of that as checking out the web for information. The old fashioned way.

Continuing on a theme...............

The fish on the Grand continue to respond to Micro Caddis. Mind you, they now seem to prefer a 22 to a 20, and 7x tippet seems to be required as well. Weeks back, the whole river was rising to the hatch. Not so much now. Still great fishing though, but the rising fish have certainly thinned. It has been some time since I've had to change to a different pattern. Fish that have been sipping ( as opposed to the splashy rise forms often associated with caddis ) are also usually on the MC's..........just the cripples and dead.

You'll notice the patterns I use are really simple. Deer Hair/Elk Hair, dubbing and antron on the X-Caddis. They're tied onto Tiemco 206BL's #20's. There a curved shank emerger hook. I tie it on the straight part of the hook, making for a slightly smaller pattern. The wide gape does make hook ups far easier than a standard hook.

Yeah man, I'll be out again tomorrow. With a box stuffed full of Deer Hair and X-Caddis MC's. Gears rigged and ready by the door, a 22 on the end.

Bass vs. Boo

I love Bass fishing. Never get enough of it. I generally fish marginal fisheries for these, but whatever. This fish took a Chamois Muddler. The 4wt Boo tames it quick. Small fish I guess. ;)

Short Bass vid.

Short Vid

Just a bit of vid pulled from footage shot over the last while. Still have to sort out a solution for compiling footage.

Camping and Fishing on the Grand.

Forced Break.

This mornings outing was the last for a week or so. No transport till then. Unfortunately the rain skewed the hatches a bit. It started out with some sippers which I started taking on BWO's. Pretty much a no brainer. They wouldn't take the MC20's, so given that it was great BWO weather ( overcast and shitty ), it wasn't a hard call.

The caddis never really got going. Some started popping when the sun made its appearance, and for a while it looked like it was going to get good, but it petered out before it really happened. Still managed enough fish ( on MC20's ) to make the day a success, but it certainly wasn't the lights out action from the previous outings.

While the iron is hot.

Yup. I can be a real whore when it comes to milking a hatch for all its worth. So with yesterdays successes under the belt.............where do you think I was this morning?

You got it. Hey, can you blame me? Hours after hours sitting on the shore, watching water as it ambles past, wiating, watching, hoping for the surface activity to start. Many times it never does.....and I leave the water without my line ever casting a shadow or causing a ripple. So when I have a good idea that trout will be coming up? Yeah man.........no brainer, I'm there.

The day before probably had more risers, with a bigger window of opportunity, but the morning still provided some excellent surface fishing on Cranes and Caddis. Would be out again tomorrow but its the dreaded weekend.

Lordy, I needed that.

After taking it hard Monday and Tuesday, playing Heron, watching water that was devoid of rising fish, it was nice to have an great outing this morning.

For two days I watched, and waited, for fish to hit the surface but to no avail. HAtches I was waiting on and looking for just never happened. It was tough. It happens. I wasn't anticipating much more this morning.

As soon as I hit the river I saw more bugs in the first minute than I had on Monday and Tuesday......so my hopes were bouyed. As I moved up the river beyond the access point, I saw a couple of sporadic rises............which again trumped the other 2 days immediately. I had moved up a fair distance to check on some big fish water............but absolutely nothing was moving there........so I headed back down to where the sporadic's had been.

Initially I was able to move them with a #20 Crane. As soon as the fish started hitting the surface with some regularity, the crane stopped getting looks. Onto the MC #20...........and that produced very well for the rest of the morning..........landing a good number of fish, and stinging many more. Best fish of the day was in the mid to high teens was broken of at the knot..........may have to rethink the Turtle if that happens again. That was a first.

A little late to the ball...........

I captured a number of these last night where I work. Its about a 1/2km from both the Lower Credit and Silver Creek ( here in G'town. ). I was surprised as they should be done a while ago. If there down here, I would think the should be thick on the UC ( I have yet to fish my beloved river this season ). Oddly, taking macro shots without a macro capable lens makes this a sketchy affair.

Upper Credit River Hatch Chart

I compiled this chart a long time ago. It covers the Mayflies and Stonefly's of the Upper Credit. It is the result of harassing someone/s who knew the deal. Any charts I saw previously, ranged from sadly lacking to criminally misinformed. That was evident to any neophyte who ever bothered to check the bugs. The impetus to this, was when I couldn't identify a certain hatch ( the mollis it turned out ), and ran into a brick wall with the shops I frequented. It wasn't until I had the fortune of talking with Roy DeGuisti, that I finally found someone who knew the river and hatches intimately. This chart was compiled after many many emails and conversations with Roy. I noted Henry Frania's assistance as well. Henry is an entomologist very familiar with the upper credit and its insects. I can't remember what Henry's input was, but it was likely through his and Roy's own discussions on the subject.

Many years later, I have still to see a better chart. I have lost this chart a few times due to server or hard drive crashes. Fortunatley, others have been able to help me get it back ( thanks to Ken Paterson for this one! ).

I recently learned from a guide that this chart may have appeared in print. If so, I can remember giving that permission only once, and I'm not sure the group followed throw with its publication ( either a local chapter of TU or Isaac Walton, can't remember.). If you have seen it elsewhere, it was likely printed without permission. Hopefully, if it was printed, it was properly accredited. In the case it was not ( and without permission ), a big fuck you too the lazy buggers responsible.

Flybox Fox Trot.

I love taking fish off the top. This was something that came with me from spin fishing. I was a topwater junkie by 6. Watching bass smash a Hula Popper was one of my favourite sights. With trout.........the sight of rising fish is just glorious. Its a beautiful sight, watching the trout take thier dinner from the surface. Sometimes, the fish have manners. Lightly picking their dinner fare from the surface. At other times, they are like Homer Simpson at a doughnut eating contest...........smashing the surface to inhale their favoured fare of the day. For me..........surface feeders usually foreshadow a good day of fishing..........if you can find the key.

If you can`t match the hatch, that can lead to some major frustrations. Having a river full of fish rising, but only manage one or two............well, thats an epic fail on our parts. We missed the match. It happens. If you haven`t encountered a specific hatch, you may not have a suitable imitation for it.......so, its back to the vise and a shot at redemption the next day. All pretty straight forward.

Then............there are days where not only do you encounter every fish in the river rising, but also every available insect hatching. This can present a whole new set of problems which can be found under the header, `Complex Hatch`. A complex hatch can be a difficult one to contend with. Even if you do have a match to what the insects have keyed on, you still have to figure it out, and put it on in time. Often, fish will have zoned in on one hatch, often the most prolific. This is good. You find the key, tie it on, and catch fish. Easy peasy, almost as if the competing hatches don`t exist. But things can get much more irksome.

What if some fish are on one bug, then switch to another.....or another stage of the same bug. What if different fish, are on different bugs? You can be dancing through your flybox looking for that right fly, for the right fish, In a limited time. I came across the most shining example of such a complex hatch the other night. Various Caddis, Light Cahills, BWO's, Cranes.......all coming off, or coming down. I had hit the water at around 4:30'ish and sat to watch a section of river that was devoid of trout rising. Chubs were going nuts. There were decent numbers of Cahills coming off since around noon, and the little guys were sucking them up. Fish attacking insects larger than themselves. I will not be surprised when I finally see a mayfly take off with a tiny fish latched to its leg. It had been an odd day. The morning never really took off. I watched a lot of water flow past without much happening. Sporadically checking the river throughout the day yeilded no results. So, I was realatively confident something should happen. When it did, it was fast, furious and frantic.

For 2 hrs only a very occasional trout showed itself. Then a number of trout started moving on bugs at the same moment. In a couple of minutes the entire river was full of risers.........taking emergers ( and the occasional dun ). Including a decent fish. SO, I slowly got into the water and moved into a position were I could observe that fish. It was pushing good water, and defintely on emergers. A day earlier fish here had been taking Cahill emergers. I was confident they'd be on that today. That was actually the plan. Beat up the fish on Cahill emergers. So I wasn't surprised when my first cast into its feeding lane was sucked up without hesitation. It was a very short hook up, but good enough to make sure that particular fish wouldn't show himself again. Oh well, onto other fish and successes. However, after a relatively brief burst of productiveness, the fly stopped producing. WTF? Something else had changed........the rise forms. They were now sipping and splashing rise forms. I could see no Adult Caddis or may duns getting sucked up..............so I was thinking something small, or difficult to see. My first though was...Black Caddis, Spent Caddis, Cranes, or BWO's. A look into the drink showed numerous cranes. The splashing and sipping is something I associate both with the crane........so on went the crane. Instant and undeniable success! Yippee. But wait! Whats this? After another brief window my fly is ineffective. Fish are now all splashy. Hmmmm........lots a caddis? Which one? After flipping through my caddis, leaving my box in disarray, I find more immediate success on a #20 TanTan Caddis. Kewl. Ask me how surprised I was when the fish all started sipping shortly after.
Here I got stuck. At first, I tried a BWO......as the days weather had me thinking they should make an appearence. My #20 dun and emerger patterns got rejected. A former guide/friend tells me the were smashing #22 Bwo's in the upper stretches. I hadn't come across any BWO's that small before ( edit: Yes I have...........somehow brain cramped on this. )and had none in my box. Or if I had, a 20 had sufficed. However, when I was rejected...I had a good long look at the drink and saw the #22 spinners. I first tried a #20 color appropriate spinner. First cast.........rejected. It was a little large, but I liked the attention. So, on goes a 22 spinner. Instant success! Problem solved. Of course, when I dealt with that fish, and looked to the river............there was now no fish moving anywhere. At all. Nothing.

SO it was off to the bank for a rest and a look see. Then a short time later back to the campsite. All of the activity had taken place within a two hour period!!!!

Oddly enough I had been talking to an angler the other night, who had related to me something he had read about the different types of anglers. One type, is the type that falls into the 'as many as possible' category. Next, was the 'biggest possible'. And last we had ' size, numbers not as much, as technical as possible.' I like to believe I fall into the third category, having worked through the first two.

In my opinion, working through a complex hatch can be difficult enough. Often, we can get lucky and the key is fish are on one of the hatches and stuck there. Having to go through a night like I did was definetly an exception. And with such a short window on each bug? I can't remember that happening to me before. It may have, but I can't remember it. In order to keep step at all, I had to be stocked with the requisite flies. I had anticapated to be fishing to trout on Cahill emergers. That I had the needed flies ( with the excetion of 22 BWO's ), spoke more to preparedness than blind luck. I was happy about that. I also thoroughly enjoy figuring out fish. Waiting, watching, then talking a fish into taking the first cast gets my rocks off. When its a good fish, its as close to perfection as I've experienced on this plane.............well short of the aid from hallucingenic substances. For one brief moment, you were perfect in the eye's of the fish, and god.

I would have been far more successful had the fish kindly done as I hoped and stayed on the Cahill emergers for the night. Just the changing of flies and tippet cost me valuable time. However, I was savvy enough to be aware of the changing rise pattern, and check the drink for the cause. And I figured the fish. And while I havehad much better days on the water in terms of fish numbers and size, not all will be remembered as long as this evening, when I and the trout did the flybox fox trot.


edit: I more than certainly familiar with #22 BWO's. I have dozens of them tied up in my UC box............and a look at one of my older sites reaffirmed this. Can't explain this brain cramp. Maybe 4 seasons off? More likely Ian Martins evil little book on the Grands Hatches that has misinformed me more than once. I had been pouring over that lately and poisoning my brain once again.

Chamois Streamer.

If there is one fly pattern I can share with you that you have likely never seen, its this one. First off, this pattern IS deadly. At a quick thought, I'd say I've been throwing this for a decade or so. Maybe more....maybe less. It has provided me some of my best days fishing, and all of my best bass at this point. During one recent season when I was unable to fish much due to injury, I fished this almost exclusively. I can't claim its mine. It's too obvious not have been done before. I can guarantee you I have never seen it elsewhere. Its something that just seemed a natural. Any predatory species I've fished it too has responded well. It's bass candy. Trout love it too. Pike.........if its something that likes chowing on fish it will take this. Its success is simple. Its the Chamois.

A guy I used to fish with showed me a pattern he tied........a Chamois Worm. This was unlike any worm fly I'd seen previously. This was a big honking affair along the lines of a dew worm. A great pattern that seems to shine especially in adverse conditions like high, off coloured water. When it is dead drifted it tumbles just like the natural would. The thing I immediately noticed, was that when it was held still in the current, it would undulate like a minnow. This was the impetus to try it as a minnow pattern........and wow..........the only way for me to convey to you the effectiveness of this pattern is for you to try it. Like the worm that inspired it, when dead drifted in a rivers current, it tumbles like a dead minnow. When stripped, it will undulate........in calmer water, fluttering as it falls. Held in the current it undulates like a fish. Held just under the surface where fish are rising to a hatch? ;)

I have tried, and keep trying this in variations....looking for the next best thing....but here is how I default tie it. Nothing has really proven anymore effective....styles, colours, dying the chamois........been there, always end back here.

Chamois Muddler.
Hook: Not a biggy. I tend to tie it on #8 Streamer hooks....I think. I add lead wire as a straight strip across the shank for weight. Stop Short of were you want to tie in the spun deer hair head. Actually, besides weight, I use it to bulk up the body a bit....so a few strips are in order, depending on the wire gauge. My ties are still anorexic......most of my flies are.........my style? Or constant error?
Body: Silver tinsel.
Wing. A strip of chamois, cut to resemble a baitfishes body. I dunno....maybe 1 1/2 the length of the hook? I often exaggerate the tail.....thinking this may vibrate the chamois with a better action.
Head. Deer Hair. Spun like the muddler minnow.

And thats it. The only thing you actually need, is the chamois body. That can be lashed directly to a hook on its own and still produce. The one problem ( which can be solved by tying in a different style ) is the body will wrap itself around the hook on occasion. One way I combated this was to tie it on a short shank, wide gap hook where there was just enough room to spin the head and attach the chamois.

Again............not claiming to have created this. I'm sure someones tying Chamois as a minnow somewhere........just ain't seen it myself. It's a no-brainer. Otherwise it wouldn't have occurred to me. If you've seen it, know who originated it, lemme know.

I have no reservation about this fly. It is my go to streamer. There is no arguing with the success it achieves. Especially with Bass. Even on some of the marginal fisheries I frequent it produces extremely well.

I added a pic for reference at this point. Pretty fly ain't it? ;) You won't see me spending any time to gussy them up. No point. They go to the ball as is. To me, a good fly not only has to be effective, but it should also be a quick, easy, tie. Most patterns I fish fall into this category.

A day later...........

What a difference 24hrs can make. Yesterday morning the entire river was alive with fish on the rise, smashing caddis with wild abondon. Today? Fuck me if the trout hadn't packed up and moved to Brazil. I could count the number of surface breakers on one hand. Not what I was hoping for or expecting. Oh well. Thats Karmic payback. I know walking away from rising fish is a bad thing so I honestly wasn't surprised that the trout weren't coming up to play.

I believe there has to be balance. If the fishing is unreal one day, I'm never surprised when its the shits the next. Mind you, I could list of a slew of reasons why this happened to us today, but in the end I'm not sure it really matters. It happened. Sussing out the how's and why's may make for interesting mental gymnastics.....we can come up with a well thought out reasoning which may be correct, give ourselves a pat on the back for solving the puzzle, but thats not going to turn back time and make the fish rise. Hopefully we can apply what we learned on another............when a whole new set of variables will come along and mess up our well planned fun.................but.......as I said, I've learned this lesson before. Walk away from rising fish, pay the price. Leave while the fishing is good, return when its sucking ass. Turning down open opportunities has never served me well in this sport.

Micro Caddis

So, I guess a little more on the MC20. I had a question as to the pattern. ITs simply a Deer Hair Caddis. Light Tan Body, Light Elk/Deer Hair Wing on a #20 hook. Easy peasy.

I was out again today. Fish were very active, sucking up the MC's like crack. Too bad I couldn't stay out long. Migraine, bad back, inclement weather served to royally piss me off. Likely back to it tomorrow to get more kicks in while they last.

A vid of the Micro Caddis tie. Suitable for beginners. MICRO CADDIS VIDEO in HD

Don't sweat the small stuff.

So, just a heads up. Of sorts. I've noticed some folks have had a tough time with the Grand over the last couple of days..........this may help a bit.

When I hit the river in the Fergus area yesterday morning......first thing I noticed as I got to the water was the presence of small caddis.........by small, I mean the Micro's. This gave me pause, as I had just reorganized my fly box and knew I had one single fly for that hatch.

Fortunately, the fish were initially more than happy to take the foam post caddis emergrs I've been fishing of late. This lasted while the surface activity was still sporadic. Eventually, the river started churning with rising fish and the emerger stopped producing as well. So, to the box and pretty much every Caddis or Crane ( selection's based on observations ) with very limited results. Certainly not in-line with the number of rising fish.

So, I finally bit the bullet and tied on the one Micro Caddis I had. Instant, and utter success. Now I was getting the fishes attention the way their activity suggested as possible..............up until the fly eventually blew up. Once that was done, so was I. No point in fishing patterns they would just snub. I went home and tied up a couple of dozen Micro's. The patterns I use are #20, Light tan Body, Tan wings.

This is hardly the first time I've encountered Micro's, or this particular reaction on the part of the fish. It maybe tough lumps the first day, but if you go back prepared the next, you'll clean house. I enjoy this hatch. The number of bugs is so prolific, that it can bring up what you'd swear is every fish in the river. The pattern to match is an easy tie, and you can do incredibly well with it.

edit: My apologies, the fly pictured is not a Micro Caddis. That is a 'Foam Post Emerger' tied in an 18. The picture is there for aesthetics, not reference. Sorry for any confusion

Retracing Steps.

There is always more to learn. In this sport, life, whatever. We are never finished.

Every year, I find myself rereading a lot of the same literature I have in the past. Its very easy to ‘forget’ what you already know. It’s never a bad idea to give ones self a refresher course every once in a while. One book I picked up sometime in the early 90’s, FlyFishing Made Easy by Dave Card and Michael Rutter, always seems to get a look over. I recall picking up some great tips from that book.


I mention this for a reason. I notice a lot of folks on the water, or these days on Internet chat rooms as well, who are missing some very basic knowledge which could easily be solved with a little learning. My biggest pet peeve would be in regards to etiquette. Far too many folks using the water are absolutely clueless, or absolutely inconsiderate. Whether they feel they have more right to the water than we do, or they know nothing about how to properly approach the situation……..I dunno. I do know I’ve never seen a beginners book which didn’t cover this.

And this is just the start, questions about basic knots, how to rig your gear for different situations, how/when/why to match a hatch, how to read water……………this list goes on. Mind you, books aren’t the only place to get the kind of learning. People could also try using ‘Google’, but that seems to be an effort for some as well. Apparently, in this age of instant gratification, actual making the effort seems to be a little daunting for some.

I would advise anyone to take what they get from internet forums with a grain of salt. You get a diverse cross section of anglers, from the old pro to the neophyte………and that newbie is almost guaranteed to be as vociferous with his advice as the old hand. Often its difficult to tell which is which, especially if your new to the game. I’ve seen beginners tell others to forget matching the hatch, just chuck streamers, only to tell the other side of the story next season when they learnt better.

I can’t recall ever picking up a book covering the basics and found it to be negligent. There is some great literature available penned by some very accomplished anglers. It is never going to hurt to see what they have to say. No matter what your skill level, your almost invariably going to garner some new gem to add to your knowledge base.

I’ll leave with a video made by Gary Borger. It covers…….the ‘basics’. But I wonder if there is anyone who watches who won’t glean something new………..or be reminded of something they forgot.

Thanks for taking the time to read!

Gary Borger: Fly Fishing for Trout.

Learning to keep with the Drummers beat.

Do you play music? Have a band? Have a set of ears? Nothing sounds worse than a group out of sync. Its nasty, grating, and difficult to bare. Being out of sync with the river wears on me the same way. Its not overly enjoyable. Nothing drives this home more for me than when fish key in on a hatch I haven't encountered before.

This was the case this week. Brown Drakes. Yup. Never encountered that hatch before. So when I happened to be in the right place at the right time for some good fishing opportunities. I was at a distinct deficit.

The boys that know the hatch well had been following it up river. Each night or so, moving up the river to a different location as the river warmed up, hoping to catch the spinner fall. On the night in question I managed to have myself on a prime location on the river that was packed by dusk by those in the know. Mind you, I was expecting to be fishing Fox spinners. The realization that Brown Drakes would be falling was disconcerting. I tend to travel lightly, and the box containing my larger assortment of spinners was at home. Nothing in my box was going to suffice for a Drake pattern. If those started to fall in any number it would be unlikely the fish would look at the less appetizing Fox patterns................mind you, I'd still be game to give it a go.......but wouldn't be overly optimistic about my potential results.

In the end, my results on this night weren't going to be affected by my lack or preparedness. One of the group that descended on the location was a local guide who happily shared a couple of flies that would keep me in the game. My problem was my back had gone completely ballistic and curtailed my staying out on the water past 10:30 or so. When spinner fishing you can often find yourself on the water well after midnight. FML, whatever, but the night wasn't totally lost.

The guide I was talking with, Jim, was extremely informative ( all guides are not created equal. ), and filled me in on the knowledge I needed for this hatch in the future. I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am for such opportunities. Listen carefully, learn what your being told, apply the knowledge. A recipe for success in my books. The spinner pattern he gave me is now part of my ever growing collection of patterns, tied and used by accomplished fisherman. I've picked up some great ones.

Over 2 days I did decent enough to keep myself happy. I didn't manage anything over 16", but I've stopped becoming dissapointed when I don't hit the pigs. I was happy that I managed to figure out the majority of fish........there were more competing hatches going on than you'd like. For the most part, fish that were sipping would take a #20 BWO or Crane Fly, fish on emergers could often be counted on to take a caddis emerger.

A good week. For once. God damnit.

I can't even begin to tell you how thrilled I am to start putting in some real time on the water this season. After losing the previous four, I'm downright ecstatic.

Having been knocked out of beat, my rythym with the river disrupted, I hadn't been expecting to enjoy the success I have. But for whatever the reason, the river gods have been kind to me. The bugs have been doing what I expected, when I expected. The fish were behaving properly, rising to the plethora of insect activity. In my limited outings over the previous few years, this was certainly not the case. I don't want to even get into how I could walk into a blanket hatch and find no fish rising. And, well, that really screwed with my shit.

Fishing the Grand over four days last week, one evening, 3 days, provided some great fun. The fish were co-operative, taking Caddis adults and emergers. Being somewhat limited in mobility, and time ( back is still bad, I have to limit my hours on the water ), I've stopped obsessing with the piggy hunt. Now I'm generally content just to peg whatever rises. That fish were caught requiring a net was a happy bonus.

I'll finish this off with some footage shot over a couple of days. Unfortunately, my camera person on the occasion wasn't as keen on getting footage as they were fish. Can't blame'em.........but it is a fail if you are designated 'CAMERA OPERATOR'. I certainly have no inate need to show off fish I catch, but they certainly do add some flavour to a 'fishing' video. Certainly it was an opportunity missed...........you just can't gaurantee good fishing. But hey, something is better than nothing............... High and Dry.

Crappie

Welcome to my newest foray into cyberspace with fishing. This is not new for me. I have been involved in some form with a number of sites. Before 'blogs' existed, I had one called 'Credit River Fly Fishing' in the 'early' days of the net when very little in the way of resources existed. Thinking back that site garnered an inordinate amount of traffic. So now I'm back. A little older and ( hopefully ) wiser.

Every spring, when possible, I like to get out for early season Crappie fun. When early season is depends on where you live, and how fast the lake/pond in question warms up. Once the required temps are reached, the Crappie come into the shallows to spawn. I have to admit. I have never bothered to research what those temperatures are. I have a general idea of the timing on the lakes I fish just by the habit of so many seasons. I also know by what stage the foliage is at.

When they do hit the shallows, they are easily sighted with the aid of polarized sunglasses. They school, so when you do find them, you will find them thick. They can easily be fished from shore, providing you have ample casting room. I prefer to wade as it does allow much better access to the fish. You will take so many fish that you'll be surprised when a cast doesn't result in a hook up. Like anything though, too much of a good thing............ It can become a little boring and repetitive after awhile ( same can be said of sex I suppose. ). Its probably best to limit ones time in this endeavour. Crappie also have a tendency to inhale flies. No matter how careful you are, there is always some mortality related to catch and release fishing. One doesn't need to sting every fish in a lake to enjoy themselves.

Gear is very simple. I generally use a 3 or 4wt rod with a floating line, with a leader never more than 9'. Although, when I know wind will be a major factor, I maybe tempted to bring a 5wt. For beginners this ( 5wt ) is what I would recommend. Choice of flies is an even simpler affair. Crappie are not picky. Olive Wolly Buggers will almost never fail you. Small streamers, large Nymphs, Poppers...........I actually think it would be harder to find something they will not take, than what they will. Within reason. If you start fishing #26 Caenis for them with no luck.........well, reread that beginners handbook of yours.

I will try to provide as much video here as possible. At this point I'm hoping to release some weekly. Here is the first instalment. Keeping in theme with the post, Fly Fishing For Crappie.

Video Test

A brief test video