Midges, Emergers, and Dry Flies, Oh My !

Well with Spring around the corner, and the snow pack melting, dry fly season is coming !

I personally, never grew up fishing a lot of dry flies, unless there was a noticeable hatch.  I never really even tied them, saw them as too complicated, bothersome, and stressful due to the hackle and trying to at least attempt to tie posts for a Parachute Adams or wings for the Royal Wulff.  However, with time I started to dabble and learn from fly tiers that are much more capable of tying them than I was.  So I sat back watched and learned.

As I became more in-tuned to bug life and constantly looking up others patterns and talking to guys at a local fly shop, I said I can do this ! Off I went, spinning up dry flies left and right, some better than others which is a given to any new fly tier.  Next was more dry flies, and more, and more, before I knew it I had tons of them.  As with any body who fly fishes, knows that the flies you tie usually are gone before you know it.

As I have gotten better at tying, my flies improved as did my fish catching ability.  What makes a dry fly, emerger, or midge really pop or stand out to a fish you might be asking your self?  I always just thought it was the replication of what is hatching.  However, it was during a caddis hatch at a very well known Pennsylvania stream where I REALLY started to figure it out.  I had regular elk hair caddis dries and some others that were roughly tied.  Bugs were coming off left and right, fish rising left and right.  Cast after cast, fly size change after fly size change, still nothing but rejections.

"Back to the drawing board!" I said while receiving a complete and utter beat down by some very, very smart fish.  While walking back to the car a guy stopped me and asked me how I did, I said,"well they seemed interested but not enough to get em to bite!"  after that the guy said one word to me,"different." I'm sure your saying to your self different that's it ? Well what does that mean ?

So I went home and tied "different."  I was tying like a mad man, so many different complex

caddis variations that at the end of it I had enough and decided to keep it SIMPLE but DIFFERENT.  So I came up with a pattern that absolutely had me blown away and others on the stream as well,"what are you using?" "Is there a worm on the end of that line?" "Jesus Christ Just leave already!" The gauntlet of words and profanity I received was actually humor-some.  From that point on I knew i was already in the dry fly game and with only one simple fly.

The best thing about this fly is how simple it is, but there is an underlying factor of what I believe is the real successor for the fly. PROFILE.

You can see below of what I'm talking about, looking upward (3rd photo) you can see the wings and the shuck, with a slim body and semi fat head you can see why I believe the fly's major, fish catching characteristic is its profile.

This caddis cripple as I call it has been more than a huge producer for me, it's a staple in all of my boxes anywhere I go, because chances are there are caddis on the stream bed and if they start hatching and fish start rising this is the only fly I will use. Slap some gink on the hair and watch it float like a cork, great for skating and great for fishing in the film. There is no wrong way to fish this pattern, hell even strip it back subsurface and just hold on !

This pattern can also be tied in a variety of body colors for any type of bug. Hendricksons, caddis, sulphurs, isonychias, and the list can go on!

I really hope you add this pattern to your boxes, you will not be disappointed !

Mooser

Recipe:
Hook: sz 14-20 3x Long
Tail: Antron yarn, play with different colored Antron yarn, any color you think would work, well, will in fact work
Body: Any superfine dubbing in any color for the specific bug you are tying
Wing: CDC under some superfine deer hair, yearling elk hair would be another great substitute as well
Head: same colored dubbing as the body, doesn't hurt to change the color of the head as well.

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5 Tips for Braving the Thaw

Well, it's that time of year again; you know, the time where all the streams are blown out from the massive snow melt. With all the snow we've gotten this year, it's shaping up to be a murky one. Chances are, for the next week or two, all of your local streams will be stained brown and flowing pretty well. But it's warm outside and you want to fish!! Here are a few tips on picking up fish during the thaw.

1. Choosing Color

When the water is stained especially, you want to make sure you are fishing with flies that will stand out to the fish. This means focusing on your bright or dark flies. Black, dark brown, and purple are some of my favorite dark colors to fish in muddy waters and alternatively, White, Chartreuse, and Yellow are also some good colors to try out.  Don't be afraid to get flashy either...this is the time to try out those crazy patterns you tied up that night you had one to many. 

2. Choosing Water

When the water is high, your favorite riffle may not fish like it does during normal conditions. As the water rises, the fish will be moving to places where it is easier for them to hold in the current. This usually means they will be going to the sides of the stream. Don't be shy...hit every pocket! You'd be surprised how many trout hold within a foot from the shore, especially during high water conditions. 

3. Presentation

As the water rises, more and more food get stirred up. Target these spots on the stream where the food will be plentiful. Look for foamy water, especially where there is an eddy. Fish will hold in these areas and eat all the food they can see. This is where having your boxes prepared will help you...start tying anchor flies! The water is going to be raging and you're going to need that extra weight to get your flies down. When fishing a double rig, it seems to get the flies down quicker when you put your heavier fly as your second (bottom) fly.

4. Fly Selection 

During the thaw I like to keep my fly selection broad. As long as you're using dark or bright flies, anything can work; from streamers to stoneflies. Streamers can be very productive during the muddy waters, but if the fish aren't cooperating, don't be afraid to switch to some nymphs that will "pop." This is also the time to swallow your pride and fish that sucker spawn, egg or greenie weenie! The fish pictured below was caught on a lime green scud in very muddy water this morning. The only flies I would shy away from are tiny midges and nymphs. Although they can be extremely productive in other conditions, the fish just don't seem to see them in these conditions. 

5. Don't Lose Hope

If you aren't catching fish right away, don't lose hope! Yes, you may not get as many fish as you do when the conditions are ideal, but the chances of picking up the fish of a lifetime are still there. Take the time to enjoy yourself on the stream...it is much better than being locked in your house tying flies and avoiding the polar vortex! The fish below was one of two fish all day today. We did not catch many, but this is the one that made it count! 

22" PA Brown

Ty

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