What are they eating??

[Steeltrap]

Me and a buddy fished Laurel Hill Creek, Somerset County, yesterday. My buddy caught one, I had two follow and never take a brown wooly bugger, and one other fellow caught one on the brown WB.

I can see the fish feeding but can't see what they are feeding on. Not my first rodeo so I don't find that unusual. I threw many patterns at 'em. A brown biot pheasant tail got a few looks.....but no takers. My buddy caught his on a size 16 black "junk fly" with black hackle and black tail.

I tried a size 22 Zebra, black and brown stonefly patterns, scuds, stimulator--dry, and to many other patterns to name.

Now, I'm very limited on my ability to walk and move in a stream (heck...even on flat pavement) and I cannot dip a catch net to attempt to grab those unseen "bugs". (Honestly....I'd fall over if I try to contort while in water)

So....any thoughts or ideas of a pattern that I should try?

Thanks much!!

 

[dryflyguy]

Were they feeding the surface or underneath?

 

[Steeltrap]

just under the surface....from there down to I'd say 15-18" deep. I could see them turn 'n flash in the deeper pools.

On occasion one would break surface but no hatch's were coming off.

 

[Dave_W]

This is tough to diagnose - could be any of a number of scenarios.

My guess would be some sort of midge or caddis pupa were active - probably midges. These can be subtle and the fish tend to focus on the emerging pupa just at or under the surface film. They also feed heavily on the nymphs/pupa as they move up in the water column.

When trout are feeding aggressively near the surface and down about halfway through the water column in the springtime, I tend to reach for soft hackle wet flies and present them on a downstream swing. If the fish don't take, I'd downsize the wets to the smallest sizes in my box or try some midge pupa and swing them just like the wets.

Lose the split shot and fish the flies high in the water column. If you see a trout come up and refuse, that's usually the cue to go to smaller flies.

 

[Steeltrap]

Thank you.

You are corroborating what research I've been doing. IIRC the nymph "look but no take" was a size 14. This Pheasant tail was tied with dyed brown biot. I had none smaller.....but I will soon.