[John smith]

This afternoon I was fishing a Western Washington lake and the trout start sipping these guys off the surface. There was also a lot of chironomid pupal shucks floating on the top that looked very similar in size, color and segmentation to the flies. Are the shucks from the flies? Thanks in advance for any info on this. These are probably fly fishing entomology 101 questions.

 

[Batt B]

Nice midge! Yes, that is an adult chironomid, hatched out of those papal shucks you observed.

 

[John smith]

Thanks Matt! After today I think I'm officially hooked on stillwater. Observing the life cycle of the bugs and how the fish reacted was really exciting to watch. Unfortunately I brought no dries because I figured it was still a little early in the season. Clearly not the case. I hooked three fish using a chronomid pattern under an indicator in about an hours time. As soon as the adult midges started to hatch the subsurface bite completely died. Is this common?
Also some of the midges on the surface looked like they were "injured" sort of. They were trying to fly but just treading water really. Were they a crippled midge or a midge in the process of hatching that just hasn't taken flight yet?

 

[Flyguy65]

Tie up some small soft hackles that resemble that midge in the picture and also midge emergers. The trout will sip these two stages at the surface film more than eating adults.

 

[John smith]

Tie up some small soft hackles that resemble that midge in the picture and also midge emergers. The trout will sip these two stages at the surface film more than eating adults.

Thanks for pointing that out Steve. I'm just guessing here but the emerger stage must be an easier - hence more appealing meal for the trout, rather than a full adult sitting on top with the ability to take flight at any moment.
Would CDC be an ideal choice for soft hackle? I have some CDC, but have yet to really become proficient in tying with it. Man that stuff can be fickle.

 

[blackbird]

Tie up some small soft hackles that resemble that midge in the picture and also midge emergers. The trout will sip these two stages at the surface film more than eating adults.

I am also curious about soft hackles as midge emerger flies. Especially the presentation.

My main successes with little soft hackles is northern pike minnow on the Yakima river at dusk love them. Not what I was angling for. : )

Jay

 

[Flyguy65]

Tying small emergers, I use thread for the body, wire rib and a couple turns of aftershaft feather. Really breaths and pulsates.....

 

[wetline dave]

For emergers and soft hackles I really like Hungarian Partridige. Buy a whole skin and you are set!

For emergers I strip one side of the feather and the tie in at the tip and make 3 turns. A very effective emerger is a variation. Strip one side of the feather and tie in at mid body and then wrap forward 4 turns with the last two at the head. This is often reffered to as a flymph. This is a very effective fly!

On lakes I cast out and do a short twitchy retrieve to simulate a struggling insect and will stop the retrieve after a few strips and let it settle and then start again. Don't be surprised when the strike comes as the emerger is starting to sink. The strips are short, maybe an inch or a bit more as opposed to long fast streamer strips.

Dave

 

[wetline dave]

I forgot to add body material, Embroidery thread is my general go to if I am not dubbing a body. You can get it in any color imaginable and it is a six thread strand. separate out the number of strands and off you go. It is also very cheap which I like a lot! Of course you get to go into a women's type store to buy it but that can be some fun too!

Clerk: uh sir are you into needle point? Fly fisher: No miss I am into fly tying! You sure have a lot of neat materials here. Can I buy about 5 feet of yarn off of that ball over there. Clerk: No sir and that is a skein! Flyfisher, it doesn't look like a bunch of eggs to me, so can I buy 5 feet of it or do I have to buy all the eggs ? Clerk: That is yarn and not eggs, a skein is a measured amount of yarn and no you have to buy it all. Flyfisher : OK where is your embroidery thread? Clerk: over there and you have to buy the whole packaged amount. Flyfisher: Thank-you miss for all your help, you are cute want to go have a beer after you get off. Clerk: and I thought you were gay!

Dave