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.
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As far as I can tell, this species has only previously been reported from one site in Oregon along the Columbia gorge. However, the key characteristics are fairly unmistakable in all except for one minor detail:
— 4 small yellow spots on frons visible in photos
— Narrow occipital spinule row curves forward (but doesn’t quite meet on stem of ecdysial suture, as it's supposed to in this species)
— Short spinules on anterior margin of front legs
— Short rposterior row of blunt spinules on abdominal tergae, rather than elongated spinules dorsally
I caught several of these mature nymphs in the fishless, tiny headwaters of a creek high in the Wenatchee Mountains.
— 4 small yellow spots on frons visible in photos
— Narrow occipital spinule row curves forward (but doesn’t quite meet on stem of ecdysial suture, as it's supposed to in this species)
— Short spinules on anterior margin of front legs
— Short rposterior row of blunt spinules on abdominal tergae, rather than elongated spinules dorsally
I caught several of these mature nymphs in the fishless, tiny headwaters of a creek high in the Wenatchee Mountains.
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FisherOfMen on May 13, 2012May 13th, 2012, 5:57 am EDT
My depression is cured! On the other hand, my obsession just got another log on the fire.
The local guide took pity on me and took me out fishing yesterday evening. They just stocked a few days ago, so there were plenty of little browns and brookies to catch.
I think the grand total was 15 or so, mostly brookies and some real strong browns for the size (around 6-8 inches)
Now there's no turning back, I'm hooked! ...and now I know what I was doing wrong ;)
The local guide took pity on me and took me out fishing yesterday evening. They just stocked a few days ago, so there were plenty of little browns and brookies to catch.
I think the grand total was 15 or so, mostly brookies and some real strong browns for the size (around 6-8 inches)
Now there's no turning back, I'm hooked! ...and now I know what I was doing wrong ;)
"Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught." -Author Unknown
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -Edmund Burke
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -Edmund Burke
Martinlf on May 13, 2012May 13th, 2012, 7:19 am EDT
Congratulations, Nick. Getting a little guidance can make a lot of difference, and nothing succeeds like success. Now you're hooked firmly, and won't get off easily. Enjoy.
"He spread them a yard and a half. 'And every one that got away is this big.'"
--Fred Chappell
--Fred Chappell
Baetis on May 13, 2012May 13th, 2012, 7:12 pm EDT
Nice...congrats. Sounds like you had a great time.
Jmd123 on May 13, 2012May 13th, 2012, 8:02 pm EDT
Well done! So, what did you find out you were doing wrong?
When I started fly fishing, it was under the mentorship of my Plant Ecology professor at the U of MI Bio Station. He said to me, "Jon, it's going to take three years for you to get good at fly fishing for trout." He was right on the money - I started in '85, and it was '88 before I really started to catch fish. Then it almost seemed easy, as if I'd broken a code...of course, it wasn't easy, but it's gotten easier since then. Now, I do pick my waters - small, low pressure, local so I can learn them well and figure out the good spots. Haven't caught many big fish yet but I'm working on it...
Again, good job. It does get easier.
Jonathon
When I started fly fishing, it was under the mentorship of my Plant Ecology professor at the U of MI Bio Station. He said to me, "Jon, it's going to take three years for you to get good at fly fishing for trout." He was right on the money - I started in '85, and it was '88 before I really started to catch fish. Then it almost seemed easy, as if I'd broken a code...of course, it wasn't easy, but it's gotten easier since then. Now, I do pick my waters - small, low pressure, local so I can learn them well and figure out the good spots. Haven't caught many big fish yet but I'm working on it...
Again, good job. It does get easier.
Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
FisherOfMen on May 15, 2012May 15th, 2012, 6:27 am EDT
Well, for one thing I was tromping right on through the fish to get to where I was fishing... Where there were no fish!
I think I was just caught up in the "duldrums". I hadn't caught a fish in over a month of fly fishing. It caused me to forget about "the hunt" and carelessly toss my fly wherever seemed fit. Also I was trying to key in on pocket water too much and taking things I've heard online as "law" when I didn't know the whole story.
So all in all, I was doing a lot of things wrong!
I think I was just caught up in the "duldrums". I hadn't caught a fish in over a month of fly fishing. It caused me to forget about "the hunt" and carelessly toss my fly wherever seemed fit. Also I was trying to key in on pocket water too much and taking things I've heard online as "law" when I didn't know the whole story.
So all in all, I was doing a lot of things wrong!
"Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught." -Author Unknown
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -Edmund Burke
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -Edmund Burke
Jmd123 on May 15, 2012May 15th, 2012, 9:41 am EDT
Getting out there with a guide probably helped a lot. As I said in another post, I had a mentor who was a professor of mine, plus he took me to his favorite fly shop and that was also a source of good advice. The more sources of information, the better! Once you get enough of it, you can begin to pick out the brilliance from the bullshit. And time on the water is also critical!
Keep at it, the fish will gradually get bigger and easier to figure out.
Jonathon
Keep at it, the fish will gradually get bigger and easier to figure out.
Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
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