Casting for Success
by Dick Babine
Lead Instructor
Scarborough Fly Fishing Academy
There are a few things that anglers can do to increase their chances of success when there are no clear signs of fish activity. Remember the most important rule of nature that can result in catching more fish is to remember that 80% of a fish's diet consists of food items taken below surface.
The first problem that the angler will have to solve is to determine where the fish are feeding and what food source is likely to encourage the fish to take your offering.
When approaching the stream, check for signs of either an impending or recent hatch. Check for birds that will fly erratic patterns some 20 or 30 feet above the surface of the water. This will indicate a recent hatch and the birds are picking the insect out of the air prior to their making their way to the stream-side vegetation, where they will wait for the proper time for egg laying. If the birds are swooping down to the waters surface, then you have arrived at a hatching or egg-laying period and the birds are taking the insects from the waters surface either before their wings have dried to support flight or while they are depositing their eggs. If there are no indications of hatching activity, you will next have to check the water column for any emerging insects by sampling the biological drift. The real knowledgeable angler will check by using a net to seine the biological drift for larvae and nymphs. Placement of the seine is important as you need to get as much of a sample as possible. Locating the net or seine directly between two rocks, boulders or other obstructions will allow the current to funnel the biological drift into your net. The determination of what's the best imitation to use is based on the most prevalent insect caught in the net. This procedure usually will result in collecting mostly crawling and feeble-legged mayflies because they are very poor swimmers. The swimming nymphs will not hang around very fast currents and therefore not likely to show up in your collection. The Caddisflies are either secure in their cases which are tightly attached to small rocks and boulders. The caddis that may appear in the collection are the net-building larvae and rising pupa that from time to time are pulled by stronger currents and will end up in your net or seine. Now, so we don't exclude the stoneflies, remember that they have the strongest legs and two very tough hooks on the end of their legs and can rarely be knocked around by strong currents and when hatching these insects will crawl out of the water onto a rock or boulder to shed their shucks and fly off.
If the project is successful and reveals a good collection of any particular species of caddis or mayflies, then the process is to simply select your offering based on size, color and shape.
If the collection reveals no clear winner then there are a few things that will still produce the required results.
Cast a nymph quartering down and across stream, letting the line, leader and tippet to arc to a point directly below your original casting position. Now, as the unweighted fly reaches the end of the ride and the line, leader and tippet straighten out, this will cause the fly to rise toward the surface and act as if it were emerging and just may encourage a waiting fish to react instinctively and take your offering. One very important part of this technique is to have the fly rise at a point where the fish is likely to be holding. After the rise and no strikes are indicated, start to retrieve the fly at a very slow rate. This nice slow and patient retrieve will imitate a swimming nymph and very difficult for a fish to resist.
Another technique will employ the use of a weighted fly and will imitate a nymph or larvae tumbling along the bottom of the stream bed. Except for the up-stream retrieve with the weighted fly, you have two time-proven techniques that will produce.
Having mentioned these techniques, it still requires the angler to place the offering in the best possible location. As you know fish will hold or lie in protected areas of the stream. Also remember that they are very lazy and will select their spots based on current speed, biological drift and protection from predators. These holding areas are around medium sized rocks or boulders. They can likely be found to the sides and just to the rear of obstacles, in pockets on the bottom of the stream bed and on the slow sides of a river bend, especially the undercuts. These are places that will require the least amount of effort in maintaining their position in the water column. The rule of nature that explains this phenomenon is, Maximum Gain with Minimal Effort.
To further assist you in fly selection I offer the following:
As far as Mayflies are concerned, we have a large population but the most prominent species are the swimming Baetis family. The species most common in our waters are the Baetis vegans or by the common name the Dark Blue Winged Olive (BWO). It is the first major mayfly species to hatch. The nymph is dark brown with a dark wing case and will hatch from mid-April until mid-May with the water temperatures from the high 40s to 55 degrees. The phrase that I like to use during my fly fishing classes is: 50 degrees is just for me. Meaning that if you have 50 degrees for three consecutive days these nymphs will begin to hatch. The hatching activity will start about mid afternoon and continue well into dusk. Remember that on overcast or rainy day this activity will start sooner. The best Hook sizes for your imitation are a 14, 16 or 18 2x. A Hare's Ear, Pheasant Tail or Zug Bug in those dark brown colors will best imitate this mayfly.
The next swimming nymphs are the Callibaetis fluctuans family or by their more common names, Grey Quill or Callibaetis. These nymphs will become active from April thru September because they are a select group of multi-brooded mayflies than can produce three or more generations during a single season. They will hatch in water temperatures of 55 to 60 degrees. Their color is a brownish olive and can be imitated using Pheasant Tails, Zug Bugs or Hare's Ears tied in the right colors. Also, don't forget that all these mature nymphs will have large dark wing cases. Once again, these nymphs tend to be small so 14, 16 or 18 2x hooks would be appropriate.
The next series of nymph are the feeble legged crawlers and the clingers.
The first of these are the Ephemerella cornuta and E. attenuate or by their common names, Light Blue Winged Olive and Tiny Dun Variant. This nymph is a feeble legged crawler which will start to hatch from mid April until mid May and the times are from 800am thru 200pm. These hatches tend to be in spurts lasting about an hour. The water temperature needs to be 50 to 60 degrees. The nymph is a yellowish green in color but the green is almost chartreuse. The Hare's Ear and Zug Bug in those colors will produce.
The next nymph in our series is a clinger and goes by the name Epeorus pleuralis or simply known as Quill Gordon. These nymphs are much larger and will start to hatch towards late April until late May. The hatch will commence around 10am and continue until mid afternoon. Their color is dark brown and need water temperatures of 50 to 55 degrees. Your hook size should be 12 or 14 3x.
Next comes the ever popular Stenonema vicarium or commonly referred to as the March Brown or Ginger Quill. This clinger is reddish brown in color and will begin to hatch in early May until mid June. The water temperature needs to be 55 to 65 degrees before the nymphs will begin to hatch from 10am throughout the day until dusk. Your imitation should be sized with 14, 12 2x. The same colored Zug Bug is used.
Another feeble legged crawler is next and goes by the name Paraleptophlebia adoptive or known locally as the Blue Quill. This crawler will hatch during early May to mid June and will begin to hatch from 10am thru 4pm. It also likes the water temperature to be 50 degrees or better for three or more consecutive days before making its appearance. The nymph is amber brown in color and your imitations should be sized 12 or 14. This is the true Hare's Ear Nymph.
The next to appear are the crawlers Ephemerella invaria or Dark Hendrickson (Female) and Ephemerella rotunda or Red Quill (Male). These nymphs are dark brown and will hatch when the water temperature reaches 50 to 60 degrees. The hatch will start about late May and continue until late June from mid day with 2-4pm as peak hours. Your hook size should be 12, 10 STD or 3x. A dark Hare's Ear will imitate this nymph well.
Another clinger is next and goes by the name Stenonema fuscum or better known as the Grey Fox. This nymph enjoys an early June to late June hatch with the water temperature of 55 to 60 degrees. The color of the insect is Amber to medium brown and a hook size of 12 STD or 10 3xl. Once again you can use a similar colored Zug Bug or Hare's Ear.
Our list continues with the next feeble legged crawler known as Ephemerella dorothea or Pale Evening Dun. This nymph is medium brown in color and will begin to hatch when the water temperatures are 60 to 65 degrees. This hatch will start in early June and continue through the month. Usually an evening hatch unless the sky is overcast or the day rainy, then the hatch will occur sooner. Your Zug Bug or Hare's Ear should be sized 14 & 16.
Next to last on our list is the clinger, Stenonema Ithaca or Light Cahill. This nymph will hatch in temperatures of 60 to 65 degrees and will start the process sporadically but throughout the day. This is another dark brown nymph that can be easily imitated by your dark brown Hare's Ear or Zug Bug. The hook size is 12 or 10 2x.
Last but not least is another crawler by the name of Potamanthus distinctus or the common name of Yellow Drake. This is a late June to mid August hatch which will commence around 5pm and continue well after dusk. The water temperature must be between 60 and 70 degrees. The nymph is amber brown in color but among the largest nymphs, so use 10 3x hooks and tie a Hare's Ear in a soft medium brown or amber.
