Another "new guy" question...
I'm at one of my usual spots on the river where i always at the least get a few good strikes . I started with what has always seemed to work well on that stretch. Attractor with a BH nymph bellow...nothing. the water was kinda high and fast so I thought i should try a #10 BH prince and get down deeper...nothing. Then an elk hair caddis because there were a few flying around...not sure what size but pretty small...nothing. So then im like ok... i guess ill look under some rocks... and i swear i flipped over 3 or 4 near and could not spot anything that looked alive. I went home.....
Help!!!
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You did the right thing. Usually a quick check under the rocks will give you some ideas as to what is going on. Also, a good sift in the water will show you what is emerging and/or drifting through the water. Another good tactic is (you have to catch a fish first though) a stomach pump. That will really tell you what the fish are targeting at that time.
That is weird that you were unable to find anything on the bottom of those rocks. Although, depending on the depth and flow strength of the water, when you pull a rock up, lots of the insects will wash off by the time you get it out of the water. It is best to go to an area that is shallower and less current to check under rocks. Good luck!
-Rich
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Break out the terrestrail box.
Hoppers, ants, beetles and dragon flies.
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Thanks for the tips! both of you...I've only been at it since last summer. But man am i hooked! Headed out to the lower ogden this morning.....this time i was alot more careful. under the first rock i found a few small nymphs with fork tails so i tied a copper john below a foam hooper. nothing right away. so i went back to to fipping rocks. and then i found a big nasty looking critter. 99% sure it was a stonefly.I didn't have anything quite that big so put on the closest thing i had whitch was a BH prince again but not the standard type.This one has a dark almost black bead and the body is wrapped with red wire. Once i found the active fish were in the shallow rifles only about 8"-16" of water. Bam!! no pic's..they were all small browns 10-12" nothing to brag about. But i had a great time.
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Generally speaking the later it gets in the year the fewer and smaller the bugs that hatch get. The next sizable bug will be the isonicya (sp) in mid to late Sept. Midges will be around, but at my age I can't see them to fish them.
Hoppers represent a prime rib of sorts for fish looking to fatten up for the winter. Stearmers really start to work well too as the young of the year present themselves. Soon the irrigation season will end and flows will slow making presenting easier, but fish more spooky.
Fish that are in faster water like riffles are there to feed, it takes to much energy to swim against the current to just hang out there. Hanging out is done in the current breaks infront of and behind rocks, along the banks and in pools.
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Mann I love winter fly fishing catching huge trout on tiny 20 22 sized flies [
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[quote JG78]Thanks for the tips! both of you...I've only been at it since last summer. But man am i hooked! Headed out to the lower ogden this morning.....this time i was alot more careful. under the first rock i found a few small nymphs with fork tails so i tied a copper john below a foam hooper. nothing right away. so i went back to to fipping rocks. and then i found a big nasty looking critter. 99% sure it was a stonefly.I didn't have anything quite that big so put on the closest thing i had whitch was a BH prince again but not the standard type.This one has a dark almost black bead and the body is wrapped with red wire. Once i found the active fish were in the shallow rifles only about 8"-16" of water. Bam!! no pic's..they were all small browns 10-12" nothing to brag about. But i had a great time.[/quote]
Way to go! That's great! It's just a matter of time before you will figure them out. Sounds like you are on your way! Knock 'em dead! [
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-Rich
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I "used to could" the introduction of Parachute ties with the white tuft poking up was the greatest thing ever for us old fly fishers, I think.
I still fish winter tiny midges, but I miss a lot of strikes due to my eye sight. If I can get them on the leader. The big eye series of hooks was the 2nd greatest thing.[
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[quote sinergy]Mann I love winter fly fishing catching huge trout on tiny 20 22 sized flies [
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WHY SO BIG! 30's and 32's ...LOL Nice 24" Brown didn't even know that fly was in it's mouth[
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Nothing like fishing #24 griff gnats on the provo around sundown in the winter. Fish rising all over.....can't see your fly AT ALL!!! Setting the hook with any rise near where you think your fly is....that's a blast! [sly]
-Rich
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