Spring is Here!

This past week of warmer weather has brought things to life on Alberta spring creeks. Daytime melting and the resulting run-off from the surrounding fields have stirred both the bugs and the trout out of their winter torpor and into spring mode. The first of the winter stoneflies to emerge (Utacapnia trava) were quite active this past weekend resulting in some exceptional nymph fishing, and even the occasional fish feeding on the surface.

The Utacapnia trava hatch is one that I look forward to because, for me, it signifies the beginning of the year’s trout fishing season. Like most winter stoneflies in the family Capniidae, U. trava nymphs crawl out on the bank to emerge. The increase in nymph activity invariably results in more nymphs getting caught in the drift. The resulting feeding activity is not so much selective in nature as it is impressionistic; meaning the fish form a search image of the nymphs and are more inclined to pluck them from the drift since it is something they now recognize as food. Hatches tend to trickle off over the course of a few weeks with some days seeing more activity than others.

Utacapnia trava male and female in copula

Adult females are mostly black and about 1.0 to 1.2 cm long (you may see some females that are tan to light brown – these “teneral” adults have just emerged and will darken as their exoskeletons harden). Males are also black but are a little smaller at 0.8 to 1.0 cm long. Females have fully developed wings typical of other adult stoneflies while the males have reduced (bracypterous) wings – making them look more like nymphs out of water. During warm days the adults can be seen crawling on the snow looking for mates, or lounging in the willows. On colder days and at night, the adults seek refuge under the snow and leaf litter where they ride out the sub-zero temperatures in relative comfort. On windy days, or when females return to the stream to lay eggs, these clumsy fliers are prone to getting blown onto the water.

Utacapnia trava male and teneral female

Nymph fishing prior to the start of spring run-off is characterized by crystal clear water and spooky trout holed up in their winter lies. At this time approach and presentation are everything, and the fishing is very much a visual game – if all goes well you usually see the fish take your fly. Once run-off starts, approaching fish (or at least water where you suspect fish are holding) is much easier; detecting a take, not so much. For this reason, I usually add a small strike indicator to my setup to help with detecting the subtle takes that are typical in the slow moving, murky water. My fly of choice is a small sparsely tied black nymph tied similar to a Hare’s Ear. I tie the fly un-weighted on a #16 to 18, 2XL hook to match the slim profile of the naturals. If extra weight is needed to get the fly in the zone I will add just enough micro-shot to the leader to get the job done.

If you spot any fish feeding on the surface they can usually be hooked on small black dry fly. My preference is for a black down-winged style dry fly with a white or gray wing of sparse polypropylene or CDC. Don’t worry if your fly does not land or float perfectly on the surface; naturals trapped on the water are usually not fully upright and are rarely in control of their situation.  Feeding fish will not be following a regular rise pattern since the naturals are found sporadically in the drift – so if you do see a rise, note the exact location, move into position and make a few casts. If you do not get a take after a few casts, the fish is either spooked or just not interested.

Early season run-off can be a blessing or a curse depending on how heavy it gets. If daytime temperatures are moderate and overnight lows slightly below freezing, visibility will generally be in the preferred 1 to 2 foot range. Problems arise however if daytime temperatures get too high, or overnight lows remain above freezing. Under conditions like this many spring creeks can be un-fishable by noon.