Tannin Stained Streams

[cfarr]

Hey y’all, was fishing a tannin stained creek early and got my bud handed to me, so it got me thinking. Do you guys think fishing tannin stained streams can be more difficult? Specifically, I’m of the belief that fishing dries in tannin stained streams absolutely can be more difficult, especially if the water is a little higher than normal.


Attached is said creek plus a cased caddis

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear cfarr,

Sometimes, in fact many times, dry fly fishing is absolutely the wrong approach. It may be the angler's preferred method, but ultimately the trout are ones who cast the votes.

That said, when dry fly fishing is not going well dispense with the concept of trying to match the hatch or provide an appropriate period specific fly and try something odd or outrageous instead. Sometimes you can provoke strikes when it seems like nothing is happening. You may not have planned to fish a size 8 Chernobyl ant, or a Madam X, but if you are packing one try it out. Adding an impressionistic nymph like a BH Prince or BH Hare's Ear as a dropper might surprise you.

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂

 

[cfarr]

Dear cfarr,

Sometimes, in fact many times, dry fly fishing is absolutely the wrong approach. It may be the angler's preferred method, but ultimately the trout are ones who cast the votes.

That said, when dry fly fishing is not going well dispense with the concept of trying to match the hatch or provide an appropriate period specific fly and try something odd or outrageous instead. Sometimes you can provoke strikes when it seems like nothing is happening. You may not have planned to fish a size 8 Chernobyl ant, or a Madam X, but if you are packing one try it out. Adding an impressionistic nymph like a BH Prince or BH Hare's Ear as a dropper might surprise you.

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂

Thanks for the advice. That’s the difficult thing about the trip is I barely dry fly fished and actually ended up tight-lining. Maybe it was an unusual tough day or something, I’m unsure. Even fished with some flies matching nymphs and emerging insects I saw, but only hooked onto one.

 

[Letort]

The tannin staining is probably the least impactful of the variables. It may impact YOUR fly selection and confidence, but the fish need to eat and they live in the tannin stained water 24/7/365, so they have adapted to their reality.

More likely it was water temps, front moving in, too sunny, too cloudy, someone traipsing throug the stream previously, etc.

Or perhaps it wasn’t that your offering was bad but the trout were bad at eating that day.