Wwarrior,
I can’t help you with the Bushkill, I never really fished there. As far as the trico hatch in general - it is tough.
First of all the fly pattern you use, Al’s Trico, works quite well for me. One important thing is to determine if the flies on the water are male (all black) or female (cream abdomen). As the spinner fall progresses, the flies on the water change, so keep checking. I rarely use the poly or z-lon wing spinner patterns anymore. Less is more, and Al’s Trico certainly is less.
The hardest thing about fishing the trico hatch, IMO, is trying to present the fly drag-free where the fish are feeding. They feed on the spent spinner, and the lifeless flies often accumulate in eddies, slow water behind rocks or boulders, or other slack water. The fish don’t stay stationary either; they usually move through the area and pick off the insects. The main problem with this is getting a good drift casting over the current and landing your fly on the edge or into the slack water. Some areas are near impossible to fish, for me anyway. You have to concentrate on getting a good drift, which is easier said than done. Since the flies are so small, it doesn’t take much to create drag. A little drag in the drift is a sure turn-off to trout, especially with lifeless spinners. You might have to cast straight upstream with a curve, straight downstream, across with multiple mends, cast from the bank (slack water side), etc. All this has to be done without spooking the fish!
You mentioned that you fish midges successfully, and yet tricos give you more trouble. The only difference that I have observed is that midges actively hatch in mid stream areas where getting a good drift isn’t as difficult. Spent midges in slack water offer the same challenges as tricos.
Other factors making the hatch tough to fish is that tricos hatch in the summer and early fall under low, clear water conditions, making the fish more spooky. Also, the fish have seen it all by now after being fished for since the spring. I have noticed that the catching fish during the trico spinner fall gets progressively tougher as the season progresses.
I use 6x tippet and go down to 7x on rare occasions – no need for 8X.
Tricos are tough, but fun to fish when you tire of nymphs, and want to try to fool them on top. Putting on a small shot and fishing the pattern below is cheating! But it really works. Good luck.
