I fished the Yough Tail Race this past weekend and did fairly well. I got 5 browns and 3 bookies. Despite the very cold temps(20's) Many fish were rising. The files were very small and black not sure exactly what they were. Most fish were picked up on a minnow streamer. Does anyone have any idea what could be hatching is such low temps.? The temps were cold so I assumed this kept the flies from flying away. They seem to skimming along the water trying to fly off. Any advice as to what these could have been would be appreciated greatly.
Yough River Trail Race, Somerset County 11/22/2008
- Thread starter billd_328
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tomgamber
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midges?
albatross
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Squaretail
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Sounds like stoneflies to me as well.
Like Tom, I would guess black midges. Stoneflies don't hatch in the water, they crawl up on the bank to hatch. Also it's kinda early to see them. No doubt when they are hatching, you can see them crawling around the bank oftentimes in the snow, thus the name "snowflies". Egg laying adults do land on the water after mating. It is possible that's what you observed. Next time check along the bank to verify.
Maurice
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I saw #20 LBStones all over the place on Monday
Where Mo?
3wt7X
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I have a source that fishes the Savage River, Garrett Co., MD and he advised that the Little Black Stoneflies are really getting the fish rising right now on sunny days. I'm headed out there on Sunday 11/28 and will be sure to make a report. The Savage is relatively close to the Yough, so I would have to agree that the stoneflies are the pattern over there.
albatross
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Me, RyanH, TomGamber, and LigonierA1 all caught trout on little black stones on Laurel Hill Creek about 3 weeks ago. The fish were rising steady to them. I was just using a black caddis imitation. About a size 16.
tomgamber
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But as the original poster mentioned..they were so small that I couldn't ID them as little black stones...so I went for tiny and dark and it worked...
JackM
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Last time I was at the Yough around the Rte 281 Bridge, I was covered in black midges by the time I stepped into the water and walked to the other side. I found risers and they seemed to respond best to tiny dark flies that sat low in the film. I actually used CDC BWO emergers in size 20 to catch a handful on top.
Squaretail
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Afish,
I could swear stones do hatch on the water, but go "skimming along the water" as billd328 said untill they get to the bank to dry and fly.
Is this incorrect to your knowledge? I may have me bugs mixed up.
I could swear stones do hatch on the water, but go "skimming along the water" as billd328 said untill they get to the bank to dry and fly.
Is this incorrect to your knowledge? I may have me bugs mixed up.
Squaretail,
To my knowledge, all stoneflies crawl out of the water to hatch. What you may be witnessing on the water is egg laying process of adults after hatching
Here is info I looked up on "Troutnut", with a link to the site. Good luck!
"Hatching Behavior
Stoneflies owe their unimportance to their emergence style, which keeps them safe from trout at a stage when mayflies and caddisflies are the most vulnerable. Without exception, they emerge by crawling out of the water onto rocks, sticks, or other shoreline objects. In some species the adult emerges from the nymph within inches of the water, and others crawl up to ten feet back into the woods, but this distinction matters little to the trout.
After emerging, the adults may live for up to a month. Like caddisflies and unlike mayflies, many stonefly species can eat and drink as adults.
Egg-Laying Behavior
Stonefly adults are usually only important when laying their eggs after mating. Some drop their eggs from above the water but many either flutter along the surface or land on the water and create a commotion capable of drawing savage strikes from large trout during midday. They are one reason for the success of the Stimulator dry fly in large sizes.
Stoneflies may fall spent (Spent: The wing position of many aquatic insects when they fall on the water after mating. The wings of both sides lay flat on the water. The word may be used to describe insects with their wings in that position, as well as the position itself.) after ovipositing."
http://www.troutnut.com/hatch/13/Insect-Plecoptera-Stoneflies
To my knowledge, all stoneflies crawl out of the water to hatch. What you may be witnessing on the water is egg laying process of adults after hatching
Here is info I looked up on "Troutnut", with a link to the site. Good luck!
"Hatching Behavior
Stoneflies owe their unimportance to their emergence style, which keeps them safe from trout at a stage when mayflies and caddisflies are the most vulnerable. Without exception, they emerge by crawling out of the water onto rocks, sticks, or other shoreline objects. In some species the adult emerges from the nymph within inches of the water, and others crawl up to ten feet back into the woods, but this distinction matters little to the trout.
After emerging, the adults may live for up to a month. Like caddisflies and unlike mayflies, many stonefly species can eat and drink as adults.
Egg-Laying Behavior
Stonefly adults are usually only important when laying their eggs after mating. Some drop their eggs from above the water but many either flutter along the surface or land on the water and create a commotion capable of drawing savage strikes from large trout during midday. They are one reason for the success of the Stimulator dry fly in large sizes.
Stoneflies may fall spent (Spent: The wing position of many aquatic insects when they fall on the water after mating. The wings of both sides lay flat on the water. The word may be used to describe insects with their wings in that position, as well as the position itself.) after ovipositing."
http://www.troutnut.com/hatch/13/Insect-Plecoptera-Stoneflies
Tanks for all of the feedback. I did leave one bit of information out that maybe helpful. The bugs were about size 20 to 22. I was able to get out for a few hours yesterday and found the same activity. The flies were near the shore line in the calmer pools. They did not appear to be hatching out of the ripples like many other bugs do. I was able to convince about 5 or so to hit a small size 20 fly I tied with light colored CDC and olive brown dubbing. The little foam black stone fly albatross post looks like it would be the ticket.
3wt7X
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Another great immitation for the little black stone fly is made by a author here in MD. I am sure that some of you are familiar with Charlie Gelso's little black stone fly, which is great for that hatch and it also cover's small black midges if fished in the smaller sizes. If anyone lives in the Hagerstown area and is interested in fishing the Savage on sunday, just let me know. I have extra room in the Ranger.
