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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.

Dorsal view of a Pycnopsyche guttifera (Limnephilidae) (Great Autumn Brown Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington
This specimen appears to be of the same species as this one collected in the same spot two months earlier. The identification of both is tentative. This one suffered some physical damage before being photographed, too, so the colors aren't totally natural. I was mostly photographing it to test out some new camera setting idea, which worked really well for a couple of closeups.
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.

Adirman
Adirman's profile picture
Monticello, NY

Posts: 479
Adirman on May 27, 2012May 27th, 2012, 12:03 pm EDT
Had a pretty decent day today on the Esopus R.; waded just upstream of Phoenicia. Got there around 9:30 and fished till about 2pm with an hour or so break here and there. All in all, fished about 3 1/2 hrs. started out w/ a #14 czech nymph as a dropper w/ a #14 copper john on point. No hits for about 1 hour. Watched other guys flyfishing around me and noone was catching anything. Eventually, started walking around the banks and started seeing some small Iso nymph shucks so, decided to tie on a Prince. Had a #14 gold bead head in my box so tied that on point and started casting, working my way further upstream. Eventually, got into some nice fish, landing 5 and missing 3, all on the prince nymph!Caught 3 rainbows, 2 browns and the ones missed were all "bows as well. Pretty decent action and fairly confident that for at least a 2hr winow or so, I solved the riddle and was able to figure out what they wanted!!
Motrout
Motrout's profile picture
Posts: 319
Motrout on May 27, 2012May 27th, 2012, 2:13 pm EDT
Nice! Prince nymphs are one of the more versatile flies out there, I think.
"I don't know what fly fishing teaches us, but I think it's something we need to know."-John Gierach
http://fishingintheozarks.blogspot.com/
Wbranch
Wbranch's profile picture
York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635
Wbranch on May 27, 2012May 27th, 2012, 3:46 pm EDT
Great job! I'm happy you had a rewarding day. when I used to live in NJ I would fish the Esopus from time to time. But then I became addicted to the Delaware system and can't tear myself away to fish anywhere else except for two weeks every year in Montana.

Back in those olden days, right in Phonecia, there used to be a combination fly shop general merchandise store owned by twin brothers by the name of Fockert. They had only high end Hardy reels and cane rods made by Hardy, Leonard, and a few others. They used to tie, or have tied, exquisite examples of traditional woodduck divided wing dry flies and married wing wet flies. One trait that I always remembered about their dry flies that no matter what size the fly the head never ended right at the eye - there was always about 1/16" of bare hook shank showing. I've heard that is the way many early tiers tied their dry flies but I can't validate that one way or the other.

I do have one of their hand made trout nets that I was wise enough to keep over the past fifty years.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
Adirman
Adirman's profile picture
Monticello, NY

Posts: 479
Adirman on May 27, 2012May 27th, 2012, 4:05 pm EDT
Wbranch, do you know if that flyshop still exists? I wouldn't mind checkin' it out next time I go to the E. to fish.
TNEAL
GRAYLING. MICHIGAN

Posts: 278
TNEAL on May 27, 2012May 27th, 2012, 4:40 pm EDT
Common for old-time tiers to leave some bare shank at the eye....
Wbranch
Wbranch's profile picture
York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635
Wbranch on May 27, 2012May 27th, 2012, 7:32 pm EDT
Adirman wrote;

"Wbranch, do you know if that flyshop still exists? I wouldn't mind checkin' it out next time I go to the E. to fish."

I sincerely doubt it. Those brothers were in their late 50's to mid 60's back when I was in my early 20's. That was over 40 years ago. After I posted my response to your success I tried doing some research on the name Fockert but found only one mention in a comment made by Sparse Grey Hackle discussing some minor fly fishing topic.

I couldn't find anything else about the store or the brothers. The store was on the left side of the street if you were driving upstream towards the portal. I remember it being just a bit down from the creek that comes in from the right and goes under the road. You'd need to ask some really old timers in Phonecia or look into some archival data in the town offices.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
Adirman
Adirman's profile picture
Monticello, NY

Posts: 479
Adirman on May 28, 2012May 28th, 2012, 2:07 am EDT
Wbranch;

Ok, next time I'm there I'll ask around, thanks.

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