2/5 Sunday Report

[Forsythian]

Got out this afternoon and fished for a couple of hours... the trout were VERY active, even at high noon. There was a hatch of some sort happening, but I am quite the novice, and the experience was humbling. The insects on the surface and flying about were white and were very small, I'd say size 18 or smaller. After closer observation, it was evident the trout were instead feeding just below surface. Instead of hanging in feeding lanes, it seemed they were more "prowling about", hunting, and "thrashing" more than "sipping". For the life of me I could not get a glimpse of what they were after.

The fleece patch on my vest is now packed full of trial-and-error flies... From noon until 2:00 I drifted nymphs and scuds, stripped maribous and woolies, and slung a couple of dries. I only managed some very spotty action on a zebra midge about 8 inches under an indicater, hooking only 1 of about 5 or 6 takes. All the time, the darn fish were splashing all around me (and not another fisherman in sight!). About 2 the wind really picked up, as did my frustration level. I got the spinning outfit out of the truck, and caught 3 pretty quickly on a nickel mepps.

The fish were absolutely beautiful... unbelieveable colors... different I think from those above the dam. About 3 it was time to go and cook some wings for the game, but I wished I could have stayed! The wind was laying down again, a cloud cover took hold, and I'm sure I could have eventually stumbled onto something in my flybox that would have worked!?!? I guess I've got a lot to learn

[Phil Lilley]

What size were the rainbows? Where were you wading exactly?

[Forsythian]

Phil, these were small fish... the biggest was maybe 10 or 11 inches.

Where was I? Lets just say I was between Powersite dam and Barker

In further retrospect, I should have kept one and checked its gullet...

My earlier invitation (plea) to Brian or another experienced flyfisher to join me one of these evenings and trade their insight and company for a cold beer and a couple of solitary wading spots still stands...

[tippet7]

When all else fails...use a griffiths gnat.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I'll have to get down there and fish with you. I don't think I can offer much insight to what they're taking however. The last couple of times I've been down they weren't surfacing, or taking jigs.

Which side are you hitting?

[Forsythian]

Tippet... I tried the gnat to no avail.

I went back 2/7 and ran through my fly box again, and finally just before dark I managed a couple of "reaction" fish by stripping a maribou through them.

I brought one home and did a little "CSI" autopsy... his belly was full of some type of nymph/larva... I need a book or a website for hatch charts, not sure what they were.

Anyways, Wayne I'm fishing on the south side of the stream... I'll be down there this evening between 4:30 - 5:00 so long as they shut the water off...

[Arkamo Traveler]

Forsythian--I will try to offer a little help on the bug ID mystery. First, were these bugs adults (flying) or nymphs (larvae). If they are larvae and look kind of wormy ( no legs) they are probably some sort of midge/chironomid. Try to match the approx. thread color and hook size. Chironomid paterns, like the zebra midge, are barely more than thread on a hook. Adding some clear antron, zylon, or wood duck to either end may give it the apperance of a wing case opening (a little crystal flash may work too). It sounded like the trout may be hitting emergers, so swinging the fly might be a good presentation.

Let me know if you come up with a winner.