05-14-2007, 08:20 PM
Update/questions about the salmon fly hatch:
I've been on the Blacksmith Fork three times in the last week, but always kind of late in the day. Arrived between 4:30 and 6 p.m. on Monday, Thursday and Saturday.
Monday, I saw one adult salmon fly. Fish were not interested in the imitations, but they were rising to various may flies -- I caught one on a darker-bluish parachute Adams.
Thursday, I saw no sign of adult salmon flies at all. Some pale morning duns were flying around and fish were rising, but the only action I got that day was on a beadhead nymph. Caught one.
Saturday, I didn't notice adult salmon flies when I arrived at 5 p.m., but pretty soon I saw one flying high overhead, then another, and then it built to quite a brigade. A lot of them were landing in trees, etc. But they all stayed high. (This was in the Pioneer Campground area, by the way.) note: I saw a few caddis and got a couple little guys to rise to one.
So, my questions:
1-I'm arriving as early as I usually can, but I think it's too late to catch the actual hatch. Right? With those conditions in the evening, is it likely that there would have been big hatches earlier in the day if I could have gotten there?
2-I've also heard that after they hatch, they return to the water at some point to lay their eggs. Is that right? And if so, how long are they around, do they lay their eggs a couple of days after they hatch or will they be flying around for a week now?
3-Also heard the hatch generally starts low and moves upstream, how quickly does that happen?
thanks
[signature]
I've been on the Blacksmith Fork three times in the last week, but always kind of late in the day. Arrived between 4:30 and 6 p.m. on Monday, Thursday and Saturday.
Monday, I saw one adult salmon fly. Fish were not interested in the imitations, but they were rising to various may flies -- I caught one on a darker-bluish parachute Adams.
Thursday, I saw no sign of adult salmon flies at all. Some pale morning duns were flying around and fish were rising, but the only action I got that day was on a beadhead nymph. Caught one.
Saturday, I didn't notice adult salmon flies when I arrived at 5 p.m., but pretty soon I saw one flying high overhead, then another, and then it built to quite a brigade. A lot of them were landing in trees, etc. But they all stayed high. (This was in the Pioneer Campground area, by the way.) note: I saw a few caddis and got a couple little guys to rise to one.
So, my questions:
1-I'm arriving as early as I usually can, but I think it's too late to catch the actual hatch. Right? With those conditions in the evening, is it likely that there would have been big hatches earlier in the day if I could have gotten there?
2-I've also heard that after they hatch, they return to the water at some point to lay their eggs. Is that right? And if so, how long are they around, do they lay their eggs a couple of days after they hatch or will they be flying around for a week now?
3-Also heard the hatch generally starts low and moves upstream, how quickly does that happen?
thanks
[signature]
