Salmonflies
Pteronarcys californica
The giant Salmonflies of the Western mountains are legendary for their proclivity to elicit consistent dry-fly action and ferocious strikes.
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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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Flybyknight on Mar 18, 2007March 18th, 2007, 1:18 pm EDT
OK, you arrive on a spectacular tail water fishery where you know there are 20"+ holdovers; fly fishing only, catch and release, barbless hooks, and no stock fish.
It is cold, raw and not a sign of insect activity anywhere. Water temperature is 42° high and clear.
You know that the following insects are present in either riffles, or pools that you may either wade or drift:
Taeniopteryx
Strophopteryx
Epeorus
Apatania
Baetis
(Dip net yields no insects because the river is wide and deep)
What is your game plan?
Streamers?
or
weighted 2X black nymph on the bottom with 3 droppers?
or?
And what flies would you start off with?
(Yes I have a bad case of pattern anxiety)
Dick
It is cold, raw and not a sign of insect activity anywhere. Water temperature is 42° high and clear.
You know that the following insects are present in either riffles, or pools that you may either wade or drift:
Taeniopteryx
Strophopteryx
Epeorus
Apatania
Baetis
(Dip net yields no insects because the river is wide and deep)
What is your game plan?
Streamers?
or
weighted 2X black nymph on the bottom with 3 droppers?
or?
And what flies would you start off with?
(Yes I have a bad case of pattern anxiety)
Dick
Lightly on the dimpling eddy fling;
the hypocritic fly's unruffled wing.
Thomas Scott
the hypocritic fly's unruffled wing.
Thomas Scott
GONZO on Mar 18, 2007March 18th, 2007, 1:27 pm EDT
Hi Dick,
Personally, the closer the water temperature gets to 40 degrees the more my confidence plummets. But then, I'm not much of a winter fisherman. I doubt that many fish would chase a streamer, though one might nail it if you put it on the fish's nose. I'd dredge with nymphs--and pray for warmer weather! :)
Personally, the closer the water temperature gets to 40 degrees the more my confidence plummets. But then, I'm not much of a winter fisherman. I doubt that many fish would chase a streamer, though one might nail it if you put it on the fish's nose. I'd dredge with nymphs--and pray for warmer weather! :)
Martinlf on Mar 18, 2007March 18th, 2007, 1:53 pm EDT
Yes, too cold for streamers--nymphs on the bottom. Fish them slow and deep.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"
--Fred Chappell
--Fred Chappell
Troutnut on Mar 18, 2007March 18th, 2007, 2:22 pm EDT
I would fish a Taeniopteryx nymph deep, with a smaller but gaudy attracting dropper.
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
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