What's been hatching on Valley Creek the last week?

[martin0206]

Hey guys, I fished Valley Creek on Saturday in the park with mixed success but I don't think I was fishing the right flys. I saw a very small tanish looking fly sporadically hatching throughout the day and also maybe something that resembled craneflys but I could be completely wrong about that. I started nymphing and missed a few on BWO' nymphs and bead head midges. I then switched to a sulfer around a size 16 and managed the trout seen below although Im not sure thats what was hatching. It was probably my biggest ever at valley and definitely the nicest looking trout I caught there though they are all very pretty. I then went to a sulfer emerger after not getting much action since it appeared the trout weren't taking much off the surface but rather grabbing them on the way up. Nothing, not another bite. Spent a good 5 hours on the water mostly mid day and managed only one although I had a few others on and missed a few. Has anyone fished there recently and have any idea what I may have been seeing that were hatching and are they usually taking emergers in the middle of the day? Thanks for the help - Jeff

 

[surveyor06]

My guess is that you were seeing some caddis. Valley is not rich with hatches. Mid day I would suspect they would be taking midges. I find nymphing to be the most productive way to fish at valley. Scuds are very effective as well as midges. I would try a scud pattern with a zebra midge dropper.

 

[Volksnurse]

Nice Jeff!

 

[martin0206]

Thanks, they probably were caddis. I did fish some bead head midges. Do you ever find that it matters the color of the bead head? I don't seem to have much luck with copper bead heads but have done well with silver ones. I was all out of the silver ones but loaded up the other day so hoping to get out soon with those.

 

[gfen]

do stoneflies work, i don't want to waste my time