For those of you who like to start the season early by poking around in some of the spring creeks that have open water (and are in open season), a few hatches should start to trickle off over the next week or so – assuming of course we continue to get some warm days more than a few degrees above zero. Winter stoneflies (Capniidae) will be the first to show up and will begin to emerge on any stream that has pockets of open water. You will not likely see fish rising though since these bugs emerge by crawling out – and do not stimulate surface feeding activity until enough adults return to the water to lay eggs.
Utacapnia trava (Capniidae) is usually one of the first winter stonefly species to emerge on Stauffer Creek. Note that only the females have fully developed wings; the darker male seen on top, although it looks like a nymph, is actually a sexually mature adult with short stubby (bracypterous) wings. A small (#16-18) nymph tied sparsely using black rabbit or muskrat fur will usually do the trick.
The fish will still be quite sluggish at this time of year and will not move far to take a fly, so if you are drifting nymphs, you will need a slow presentation that positions the fly within inches of their nose. The low clear water will also require the utmost patience in your approach and the most delicate presentation you can muster; but when everything comes together, the reward of hooking a fish in winter is well worth the effort.
I like the way you put the presentation Rob. Absolutely slow and stealthy. I sometime tease the guys that I go with and cut a forked stick and prop my flyrod on it as if it is a bait fishing system. Funny thing is that if I wait just long enough I will inevitably catch a fish in Stauffer on a small Black Copper John or a light green Copper John.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Gary H.