Size 20 BWO Emerger
First the Emergers - Bob Wyatt's DHE Emerger may be all that you need to represent that insect that is struggling to leave it's watery world and become airborne. But one thing that he does do is neglect the use of CDC which which is a MUST for the imitations size 18 and smaller. The little olives that play with us on the Millers every Fall are best imitated with a low lying, in the film pattern. Remember, trout will rise and break the surface for that emerger that is just under the surface and ignore the adult fly in the process. Emergers are easier to get to!!
The flies above are two styles of emergers. The tail end sinks below the surface but the thorax of loose dubbing and CDC floats the front end which gives this message to the trout: insect trapped in the film, free lunch!!!!
You can basically represent any mayfly species with this style of emerger. Along with Comparaduns I will not leave home without them.
Now for the Swift - Last Friday was one of those days where it was warmer at 8 am than at Noon. The wind picked up and really made for some tough going for the few brave souls fishing below the gauge. How was the fishing? It was good! I picked up two bows up by the gauge run and then another in the flats below. I finally joined the crew down at the Pipe where caught one and dropped two. By Noon everyone had left.
Some observations - The fishing this Winter on the Swift has been very good. It is nothing like two years ago when snow, ice and brutal cold made the trout disappear. In fact, they seem to be spread out all along the river. There are also tales of some over sized browns being taken within the last two weeks. All you have to do is dress warm and pick a day that isn't windy.
Swift regular "Bill" told me of getting tangled in a long length of leader material that had 4 flies tied to it!!!. Needless to say that ultra Czech rig is totally illegal in this state. Two flies are the limit! We've never had to worry about fly fishers breaking the law. Let's keep it that way!!!
Ken
11 comments:
Ken
Good looking flies. I can't wait to see the first mayflies hatching.
GW
GW, same as you I look forward to top water action, my favorite form of fly fishing. As cold as the water is this time of year, once in a while you'll see them hit something on top.
I saw a couple of good rises last weekend from something sizable, one downstream of me and the other upstream. I drifted and pulled a pheasant tail through the zone of the downstream rise and got a take, but did not connect. I tied on an elk hair caddis for the upstream one, but nothing doing.
Sam
GW,
Thank you. I can't wait either.
Sam,
I saw a fish making a rise or two just upstream of the gauge on Friday. A few sunny, warm days will get that surface action going.
Ken
Hi Ken,
Spent Thursday near the gauge in a nice break from the rain; even had some brief sunshine. Fish weren't interested in my stuff though - zebra midges 20-22, PT and scud in 18, and a serendipity you gave me last year only got a couple bumps. What's been working?
Kevin,
Hmm... Those should of worked. My best fly on my last two outings was a WD40 in size 18-20 with a olive colored plastic bead for the head. No real weight involved but more density to keep it down. I get those plastic beads at Michael's Craft stores. Size 11/0 seed beads as they are called. You get a zillion of them for nothing!!!!!!!
Ken
Very nice emerger pattern Ken. Do you use a frog's fanny on the wing?
Thanks for the tips - learning to tie this winter and that should be a good pattern to try next.
Kevin
Anonymous,
I never use frog's fanny. Too messy and wasteful with that applicator brush. I use the closed bottle shake on powder. It's a far superior product.
Kevin K,
Keep tying. If I couldn't fly fish any longer I would still tie flies!!!
Ken
I was there last Thursday as well. Mostly fished Cady Lane and below and had that section all to myself. Had a brown take a size 14 Ausable Wolf I was using as an indicator (forgot them at home). He came out of no where and chased it down. Also caught a nice bow on a size 18 hot spot scud. While removing the scud I noticed the bow had a 3.5" soft plastic just inside his mouth. It came out pretty easily, along with the mono line but the hook was too deep. Despite the rain in the morning and afternoon, the sun did show up. It was a good day.
Mike,
I've seen that soft plastic thing down below the Pipe in the last year. I'm really interested in that Ausable Wolf catch in January. Awesome!!!!!!!
Ken
Hi Ken,
My schedule is always crazy in the spring so I miss a lot of the local season, but you’ll still hear from me if I see a day on the calendar when I can have you guide me on the Millers. In the meantime, though, I just saw on your website that you’re offering a free guide book to the river. I’d love to have a copy, to whey my appetite for the season ahead!
Thanks,
Dave Prockop
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