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.

Stream photos

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Limnephilidae (Giant Sedges) Caddisfly Larva Limnephilidae (Giant Sedges) Caddisfly Larva

Dorsal view of a Limnephilidae (Giant Sedges) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington

This specimen resembled several others of around the same size and perhaps the same species, which were pretty common in my February sample from the upper Yakima. Unfortunately, I misplaced the specimen before I could get it under a microscope for a definitive ID.

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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.

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top 10 for early spring

Johnnymunoz
nevrsink

Posts: 4

Johnnymunoz on Mar 25, 2010March 25th, 2010, 12:56 pm EDT

top 10 wet flys or nymphs for early cold water fishing in the catskills, what are the must haves??? what don't you leave home without?

fishermen, we are called to be fishermen.

Wbranch

York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635

Wbranch on Mar 25, 2010March 25th, 2010, 11:55 pm EDT

There is no specific order implied with my list. I just wrote which ones came into my mind first. You are going to want to be sure you bring a good assortment of split shot in sizes B, BB, and 3/0 to insure you are getting the fly down near the bottom. If you aren't getting snagged once in awhile it is likely you aren't catching any fish and aren't deep enough. I'd recommend not not using a bobber, just flip the shot and fly upstream at about a forty-five degree angle and high stick the drift as soon as the fly hits the water, maintain the high stick, and throw an upstream mend into the cast as often as is needed to maintain as drag free a drift as is possible. I almost never use a bobber when nymphing for trout and still catch my share of fish.

Leadwing Coachman wet fly #10 - #12
Flashback Pheasant tail #10 - #14
Brown stonefly #8 - #12
Black stonefly #8 - #12
Olive caddis pupa - #12 - #14
Tan caddis pupa - #12 - #14
Light natural Hares Ear - #10 - #14
Prince - #12 - #16
March Brown nymph #10
Hendrickson nymph #12 - #14

Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

Patcrisci
Lagrangeville, NY

Posts: 119

Patcrisci on Mar 26, 2010March 26th, 2010, 12:32 pm EDT

WB,
I could not agree with you more on fly choice and nymphing technique.

Pat Crisci

Wbranch

York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635

Wbranch on Mar 28, 2010March 28th, 2010, 1:18 am EDT

Hi Pat.

"I could not agree with you more on fly choice and nymphing technique."

Well at least I know I have someone who agrees with me here LOL!

Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

Patcrisci
Lagrangeville, NY

Posts: 119

Patcrisci on Mar 29, 2010March 29th, 2010, 1:06 am EDT

Hey WB, I suspect that's because we fish the same neighborhoods? Anyway, my early spring fishing go to flies are in your top 10. They would be a size 8 black stonefly, a size 14 olive caddis larva, and a gold ribbed hare's ear. And yes ya gotta bounce em off bottom to do business in early April. On another note, the rain here has just stopped; rained most of the night and morning. I umpire high school baseball and I'm thinking we will be washed out most of the week with all the rain we've had here in Dutchess County. I'm hoping to get out to do some fishing around mid month in the Catskills.

Pat Crisci