Frustrating weekend

[foxfire]

fished a stock stream and a native brookie stream this weekend both of which were experiencing a moderate sulphur (I think) hatch. Trout were not at all rising for the hatch or my dry, in fact I watched a half dozen trout rooting along the bottem obviously feeding on something. After changing, I literally was bumping every nymph pattern and wooley buggers i had off their heads without either a hit or bothering them?!?!? What do you suppose they were feeding on??

 

[pcray1231]

1. Are you sure the "rooting" fish were trout? They coulda been, I'm not saying they weren't. But often suckers do this. You see the flashes on the bottom and swear it must be trout rooting around, and it turns out to be suckers.

If they were indeed trout, rooting behavior is nymphing on the bottom. It can be a tough situation. But you want to roll nymphs ON the bottom. Yeah, you can hit them on the top of the head, but nothing. They're looking DOWN, picking stuff out of the substrate. Get rid of the indicator, put enough weight on, and dredge with a tight line. The fly(s) should move with the current, but should feel like they're moving much slower than the current.

Alternatively, give up, and find easier fish. Often, those fish are uncatchable. But there's fish in the riffles and pocket water which are easier to catch.

 

[phiendWMD]

I'll tell you what worked for me last night. I watched the guy near me catch a fish every time I turned around while I couldn't get a bite. So I asked him what he was using. He told me, then gave me a couple brown zebra midges. And I promptly started getting bites and caught 1.

I wouldn't expect everyone to be so generous, but just asking can lead to good information. If nothing else you can be prepared for next time.

 

[dsmith1427]

I agree with Pcray. This past weekend I caught three on dry flies and eight on nymphs. I didn't catch anything on nymphs until I got rid of my indicator. Most of the subsurface came on a Hare's Ear but I also landed some on copper johns and pheasant tails, I lost some flies when I snagged the bottom but when you are catching fish, it doesn't hurt as much.

Don

 

[foxfire]

Thanks for the advice on midges! Yes, they were definately trout. I'm still surprised at the no apparent interst on both streams in the Sulphurs!?!?

 

[PennypackFlyer]

One of the reasons why I use a dry fly as an indicator is because it has a much softer landing. Even then I see trout spooked off from time to time. Also, I will walk much slower through a creek/river when the water levels are low and water is clear. I perceive that the trout can sense my presences. Even then I will cast as far upstream as possible.
I know last weekend was pretty cloudy....Saturday's water levels were somewhat high and stained out at Neshimany, caught a nice 15" SMB but no trout.

If a thunderstorm or cold front recently came through I find it takes a good 12 - 18 hours before the trout become active again.