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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.

Artistic view of a Perlodidae (Springflies and Yellow Stones) Stonefly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington
This one seems to lead to Couplet 35 of the Key to Genera of Perlodidae Nymphs and the genus Isoperla, but I'm skeptical that's correct based on the general look. I need to get it under the microscope to review several choices in the key, and it'll probably end up a different Perlodidae.
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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Beautiful Rifle River brown, biggest of a bunch
Jmd123
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Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474
Jmd123 on Jun 26, 2018June 26th, 2018, 4:40 pm EDT
OK, there WERE some nice flowering shrubs out there lining the banks, looked like dogwoods mostly...but the action on the water was the real deal tonight. The size wasn't there - the fish above was the biggest at 13"- but I had fish feeding and hitting all evening long, from 7:20 - 10:20, and brought probably 15 - 20 fish to hand. If I felt like killing fish I would have had a limit of keepers...And, the hatches were numerous and diverse, flies on the wing all evening long, some big #12-sized tan-orange caddis and a smaller #14 straw-colored caddis, plus some random grey ones. Light Cahills appeared at dark, but my #16 elkhair caddis were working so well I didn't bother to switch. Also saw some other good-sized mayflies towards dark that might have been Isonychia, plus an assortment of smaller and differently colored ones too. Lots of flies, lots of fish feeding on them...ah, the joy of summer fishing!

Only downside: finally resorted to insect repellent tonight, knew I would have to on the Rifle. They were in my face, in my ears, biting me while I was trying to unhook fish...in fact they were so aggressive I had to apply 40% DEET twice! And they still wouldn't stay out of my face. Oh well, that's June fishing for ya, ya gotta take the bad bugs with the good. Hex fishing is usually pretty bad for mosquitos...

Nevertheless, a lovely evening on a beautiful stream with cooperative fish. The Rifle River rarely disappoints!

Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
Adirman
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Monticello, NY

Posts: 479
Adirman on Jun 27, 2018June 27th, 2018, 12:06 am EDT
Sounds like you had a great evening, nice. All of the fish you caught were on top? I love days like that but don’t experience them often, probably because I almost never fish in the evenings lol! Have you ever tried those off battery operated repellant clipnons? They have the cartridges you insert? I used that upstate and found it quite effective didn’t even need my Head net which is usual for the Adirondacks!
Adirman
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Monticello, NY

Posts: 479
Adirman on Jun 27, 2018June 27th, 2018, 12:12 am EDT
Oh btw, we’re you fishing from your kayak Johnathon? If so , is your strategy modified a bit as opposed to wading? I tried it a little upstate but again, found the logistics were challenging mainly due to the lack of an anchor ( for now) and if you do hook up, if your floating, you can be bouncing around and end up with the fish hookset directly behind you! 😝
Jmd123
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Oscoda, MI

Posts: 2474
Jmd123 on Jun 27, 2018June 27th, 2018, 1:53 am EDT
David, this was wading. The Rifle is only about two-three rod-widths wide in this portion of the river, pretty much the headwaters. A kayak would be both awkward and fish-spooking! Lots of people do kayak and canoe the Rifle - in fact, my access point is a canoe launch/takeout - but forget fishing if even one or two go down the reach, the fish are all done for hours. And on the weekends, there are HUNDREDS. And most of them are drunk, so they're not exactly quiet either!

This section of the river has everything from ankle-deep riffles to holes pushing the water-line on my chest waders. It has always had good hatches and is reliable on a summer evening for good fishing with dry flies. I mean I saw a LOT of insects on the water, and that's what brings them up. It's by far my favorite way to flyfish, as it combines hunting with fishing - you are not just hoping some random fish out there hits your fly, you are stalking individual feeding fish as if you're tracking a game animal, looking for a good shot. Plus as I always say, a good hatch eliminates three questions:

Are they in the mood to bite? Yes they are!!

What are they feeding on? Whatever is flying in the air around you!

Where are they? Right there, and there, and there, and...

Tight lines and get that anchor!

Jonathon
No matter how big the one you just caught is, there's always a bigger one out there somewhere...
Adirman
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Monticello, NY

Posts: 479
Adirman on Jun 27, 2018June 27th, 2018, 5:21 am EDT
That sounds like an awesome river , I would love to fish it someday 😊
Partsman
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bancroft michigan

Posts: 321
Partsman on Jun 27, 2018June 27th, 2018, 8:04 am EDT
Nice fish, jonathon! I was there yesterday morning till about 2:00 pm. I did ok, walking back to the car noticed grasshoppers everywhere. Mike.

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