"It's an odd fact of life that whichever side of the stream you're on, two-thirds of the best water is out of reach on the other side" John Gierach
June is the month were we begin the transition from Spring to Summer AND making sure that we on on the freestones at the right time to witness the Damsel Fly hatch which may be the biggest insect hatch in terms of size and numbers for our central New England freestones.
What is a Damsel Fly? Without getting scientific on you just think of a large dragon fly that is a beautiful light shade of green AS A WINGED ADULT! Actually the adult is of little importance to the flyfisher or the trout for that matter. It's the nymph that creates all the action. Here's how it works:
Find a bright sunny day and be on the river around 9am. Watch the rocks along the shore and if your timing is right and the conditions are good the shore side rocks will be covered with Damsel nymphs by noon.
Now, the damsel fly nymph is fairly quick in the water and the trout will chase them as the nymph tries to get out of the water. I've seen trout BEACH themselves trying to grab one of these outsized morsels. I once was fishing the Bliss Pool on the EB from the other side and I could hear splashing behind me. The whole bank was full of trout chasing these critters. It's an easy guess that on a prime day these insects number in the thousands.
What Fly To Use
Forget the adult insect. The trout don't seem to know it exists. It's the nymph that is the attraction and a size 12 brown wooley bugger or a Gartside Sparrow tied on a size 10 dry fly hook will work.
Add very little weight to this fly because you will be fishing it in shallow water anyway.
Ken
8 comments:
Another use for a Sparrow. Great fly pattern!
Anonymous,
The Sparrow is starting to take over my 'big fly" box!
Ken
Ahh yes the damsels...I have witnessed browns in the Kempfield shooting to the banks and I had a big fight with a long release with a monster brown on the housy Sunday who took a wooly bugger that I was presenting with damsel nymphs in mind...first time on the housy and managed one nice stocker but moved 3 large browns, pricked two and one of them was in the 25" plus range
The Housy,
A totally underrated river. I think the Farmy has stolen some of the lustre.
KEN
Hi Ken -- As you know, I am a regular on the Housy in the spring and I was there on Monday after Paul. I probably have seen him out there. It's my favorite MA freestone. You have to work there and be a good wader. I had a great day and caught some very nice, healthy Browns. I was catching them on my point fly and the trailer on the swing. In the evening there was a big BWO hatch and I took a few more on a size 18 para bwo. As usual, I had the river to myself. Bugs were everywhere. There were still Hendricksons around and several caddis species. I also saw some freshly hatched Damsels thought I didn't put on the fly.
The bad news is the Housy shuts off really quickly and is beginning to move into a morning and evening affair. The water was low, and warming very quickly. Woods pond, and several other impoundments super heat the water. It's probably 70 degrees already. I really hope we don't move into another drought, but I am afraid it is looking that way. It will shut down the freestones. I have enjoyed staying away from the Swift!
I should point out that when I say The Housy, I mean in MA, not in CT where it is obviously well known. It was a true secret before they began stocking it.
Andrew
Andrew,
the Housy shutting down in the heat is much likw the Millers. People hit the tailwaters and the freestones are empty in the evening - the best time
Ken
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