Header image
Enter a name
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.

Lateral view of a Female Sweltsa borealis (Chloroperlidae) (Boreal Sallfly) Stonefly Adult from Harris Creek in Washington
I was not fishing, but happened to be at an unrelated social event on a hill above this tiny creek (which I never even saw) when this stonefly flew by me. I assume it came from there. Some key characteristics are tricky to follow, but process of elimination ultimately led me to Sweltsa borealis. It is reassuringly similar to this specimen posted by Bob Newell years ago. It is also so strikingly similar to this nymph from the same river system that I'm comfortable identifying that nymph from this adult. I was especially pleased with the closeup photo of four mites parasitizing this one.
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.

Sayfu
Posts: 560
Sayfu on May 16, 2013May 16th, 2013, 5:51 am EDT
I received my dyed purple Guinea Fowl skin from Whiting Farms recently, and it passed an initial test at my local trout planted lake. A #12 9672 blue soft fibered tail, blue goose biot body, bumped up black metal bead thorax dubbed over the bead with purple dubbing, and a blue hackle tied in between the metal bead, and the front red plastic bead worked exceptional. And I have been doing poorly up until now getting the planted fish to take a bug. This is all based on ROY G. BIV and what colors show up better at depth. Next test will probably be a quality lake not far down the road. Our rivers are in runoff now, but wild fish will get the test on the Snake, and Montana Rivers when they come back into shape. I split my purple skin with a fellow that ordered a blue Kingfisher colored skin.
Oldredbarn
Oldredbarn's profile picture
Novi, MI

Posts: 2600
Oldredbarn on May 16, 2013May 16th, 2013, 6:26 am EDT
Sayfu...Since you are fond of "the color purple" check out the vid on Parks Fly Shop out of Gardner MT...Tying the Purple Haze Parachute. A fly after an old hippie's heart...;)

Once you are at Park's site...click on the "How to" link and then the "video" link to the left...then you can pick YouTube vids and toggle until you find it...You probably could just type "Tying the Purple Haze Parachute" in google and get to it that way...(?)

Enjoy...Be careful now! I don't want you to blow your mind...Or the fishes, for that matter.

Spence

While you are there looking around I want you to ignore the "Shimmer Nymph"...It doesn't work in the least...a waste of time...;)
"Even when my best efforts fail it's a satisfying challenge, and that, after all, is the essence of fly fishing." -Chauncy Lively

"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
Sayfu
Posts: 560
Sayfu on May 16, 2013May 16th, 2013, 6:55 am EDT

The results at the lake were startling. The feather in my cap was I normally go to do my "testing" early in the morning when few anglers are there, and my fish production using everything from Chironomid pupa to midge dries, to caddis dries, soft hackle PT's etc. etc. has been very poor. Yesterday I could not go until the about 3 PM when lots of worm anglers were there....mom's, and their kids. It is a great city investment to get young people interested in fishing. Right from the getgo I had numerous tugs on the soft hackle,casting from my chair. So many I thought I was grabbing the few weed growths that were popping up, but when I stood up I could see the flashes of fish striking the fly. And I never saw another fish caught with all the worm anglers that were there. But I could hear folks say from time to time, "I had better dig out my fly rod." Several stopped to ask me what I was using. I have as much confidence in the color visibility of blue as I do purple, and the combo provides great shading contrast. And with the right clothes on one of those flies looks great in ones lapel. :)

Quick Reply

Related Discussions

Topic
Replies
Last Reply
2
Apr 5, 2015
by Lastchance
3
Apr 24, 2020
by Brian314
12
Mar 28, 2013
by Sayfu
2
Nov 16, 2011
by Sayfu
Troutnut.com is copyright © 2004-2024 (email Jason). privacy policy