The beauty and mystic of the rise.

Ever been confronted with actively feeding trout yet stubbornly selective, dialed in on a particular or multiple aquatic hatches, and unable to score? Baffling and even frustrating isn’t it?

There are no better, hands-on, up close and personal, tools than a seine/net and vials for learning/studying aquatics

Trout season is well upon us and fish have got the feed bag on. It’s a dry water year and most aquatics are popping earlier than norm, catching many off guard. There is no better time than now, hatches are firing off and fish are actively feeding, to tune in and become familiar with a trout’s primary diet; aquatic insects. Many fly patterns are designed to imitate a particular insect or even phase of a hatching insect. Others are simply suggestive patterns or attractor patterns that represent almost any aquatic. While some may argue, size, silhouette, presentation, and color is the old school, tried-true rule to follow when hatch matching. However, taking the time to learn some basic knowledge of aquatic insects will not only help increase your odds for success but also help you cultivate a better understanding of trout behavior, aquatic habitats, ecosystems, hatch timeframes, feeding patterns as well as hatch matching, fly selections and inventories.

Mayflies sport upright sailboat fashioned wings.

Entomology is truly a fascinating world that offers a vast learning curve yet, to some, can be overwhelming. Orders of aquatics, life cycles, sexes, abdomens, thorax, burrowers, clingers, crawlers, #22 no-see’ms, you can take it to any level desired. Starting out, forget the Latin and keep it simple; take little steps. Basic guidelines and descriptions for three of the most common orders of aquatic insects trout anglers should know are:

Mayflies: Upright wings (resembling a sailboat), size range: #8-#22. Color range:
Olive-tan-sulfer. Dry fly examples: Adams-Cahill-Blue Quill…In-the-film examples: Parachutes, Compara-duns, Compara-nymphs-Cripples. Wet fly examples: Soft-Hackles, A-P, Pheasant Tail, Hares ’Ear nymphs.

Caddisflies: Slant-shape wings (resembling a pup- tent), size range: #6-#20. Color range:black-tan-olive-rust. Dry fly examples: Elk Hair Caddis, Henrysville, Goddard. Wet fly examples: Z Caddis, Fox Poopa, Birdsnest, Soft-hackles.

Stoneflies are elongated and sport flat wings. (bigg’ns favorite).

Stoneflies: Flat elongated wings, size range: #4-#18. Color range: Orange-olive-yellow-slate grey. Dry fly examples: Salmon fly, Sofa Pillow, Stimulator, Yellow Sallie. Wet fly (often referred to as hellgrammites) Golden Stone, Bitch Creek, Rubber- Leg, Twenty-incher.

Aquatic Insect Hatch Guides/Books: Western Streamside Guide (Hughes), Trout Food (Ralph Cutter), Guide to Western Hatches (Hughes), Complete Book of Western Hatches (Hafele-Hughes), Aquatic Insects of North America (Merritt-Cummins). All available at Trinity Fly Shop.

Caddisflies are often prolific.

Currently, T.R. flows are dropping (1900cfs.) and will be high but fishable by late May, down to 1500cfs. (May29)… Dog woods are in bloom and the springers are filtering through the lower river. Plan accordingly and stop by and check out our unique line of goods. New 2013 soft wears (hats/t’s) in stock and simply bad to the bone… Come #’em out!!!

Learning about aquatic insects is vital to trout success.