Lateral view of a Male Baetis (Baetidae) (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from Mystery Creek #43 in New York

Blue-winged Olives
Baetis

Tiny Baetis mayflies are perhaps the most commonly encountered and imitated by anglers on all American trout streams due to their great abundance, widespread distribution, and trout-friendly emergence habits.

Mount Deborah and Hess Mountains. Two of the greatest peaks of the Alaska Range rise behind the braided, glacial Susitna River. These massive mountains are 35 miles north of where I took this picture.

From the Susitna River in Alaska

Stream photos

Featured on the forum

Re: Trico emergers
In the Mayfly Genus Tricorythodes by Bwoklink (Martinlf replied)

Re: Trico Tips
In the Mayfly Genus Tricorythodes by Martinlf

Re: UV spectrum and trout
In General Discussion by Martinlf

Re: closing the gender gap in flyfishing
In General Discussion by Konchu (Smallflyguy replied)

Re: Fishing Kupa River, Slovenia
In Fishing Reports by Slocum (Fish1 replied)

Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva Hydropsyche (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva

Ventral view of a Hydropsyche (Hydropsychidae) (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

With a bit of help from the microscope, this specimen keys clearly and unsurprisingly to Hydropsyche.

9 Recently Added Photos

27" brown trout, my largest ever. It was the sub-dominant fish in its pool. After this, I hooked the bigger one, but I couldn't land it.

Troutnut is a project started in 2003 by salmonid ecologist Jason "Troutnut" Neuswanger to help anglers and fly tyers unabashedly embrace the entomological side of the sport. Learn more about Troutnut or support the project for an enhanced experience here.

over- or under-lining?

Irishangler
Posts: 12

Irishangler on Jun 27, 2008June 27th, 2008, 4:38 pm EDT

I was curious to hear your opinions about over- or under-lining to change the casting characteristics of a fly rod. A friend of mine most frequently uses a 6-wt medium fast rod and started spooling 5-wt line, especially when throwing streamers, to get a little more pop on longer casts. He swears this makes it easier to accomplish this task. How sound is his reasoning?

irishangler

GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681

GONZO on Jun 27, 2008June 27th, 2008, 5:19 pm EDT

There's nothing wrong with using line weight to fine tune a rod to suit your taste. If your friend likes the way it works, that's all that really matters. Generally, under-lining a rod speeds up the action and over-lining slows it down. Some people over-line fast rods to make them work easier at short distance, and others under-line slower rods to let them carry more line without bogging down. If your friend is throwing heavy streamers, I'd say his reasoning is reasonable.

Martinlf