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This spring has certainly been one of the wettest I can remember. Plenty of fish have been caught but most have on nymphs and streamers. My preference has always been to take trout feeding on the surface and conditions for dry fly fishing are improving significantly.
There is an anatomy to a hatch. Most activity is centered around aquatic insects such as mayflies, caddis flies or occasionally stoneflies. Mayfly nymphs begin to stir about one to two hours before the visible hatch commences. This is the emerger stage. It is not uncommon to see trout flashing under the surface feeding on the insects as they struggle to begin their odyssey upward to the surface. Caddis flies hatch more rapidly but they still have an emergence stage: the pupa. I will cover caddis in more detail in the next report. Stoneflies most often seem to crawl out of the water to hatch so they are important to the trout in their egg laying stage.
Once the mayflies hatch they are known as "Duns" scientifically this is the "Sub-Imago" stage. They will rest on the water for a time prior to taking flight and this makes them vulnerable to feeding fish. Once off the water they molt again into their adult or "Imago" stage. We know these insects as "spinners". They often change color between the dun and imago stage. Also, after mating the females lay their eggs either by dipping their abdomens in the water or by dropping them from a short height off the water. Either way, once they've laid their eggs, they will eventually return to the surface and then die. Having patterns in your fly box that imitates the stages of the mayfly's life is a key to successful fishing. Expect to see Sulpurs, Light Cahills and Isonychia on the water on most evenings.
Local Hatches 6/06/2019:
Morning 9-11 am:
Spotted Sedge Hydropsyche spp. Tan Elk Hair Caddis #14-18, Green Rockworm or JC's Electric Caddis #14-18, LaFontaine's Sparkle Pupa #14-16
Cream Caddis Psilotreta sp. Tan Elk hair Caddis #18
Midday through Late Afternoon 12 noon - 5pm:
Baetis species (Tricaudatus, interclaris, levitans, etc.) Adams Parachute, BWO, 18-20, RS2 #18-20 Pheasant tail #18-20
Pink Lady Epeorus vitreus Sulphur #14, Sulphur Emerger #14, Len's Sulphur Nymph or Pheasant Tail #14
Slate Drake or "Iso" Isonychia bicolor Iso Prachute or Comparadun #12
Evening 7-9pm:
Sulphur Comparadun & Iso Emerger Tightline video from Tim Flagler.