Wind Knots And Tailing Loops

 

Dennis asked about the differences between March Browns and Gray Foxes. It was such a good question that I'm going to do a whole page on it.

D. Becke - BK is indeed the Beaverkill.

G. Tarris - The little mayflies of which you speak are in all probability either blue quills or black quills. (aka paraleps). Both show up in the coldest water when Hendricksons refuse to hatch. When it gets impossible to get a fish to eat a Hendrickson, try a paralep as the fish have not had as many bad experiences eating paraleps and are quite often willing to eat one with less scrutiny.

Ed S. - You had a great day if you add up the two stops on the Willow and the stop on the WB. I fished the WB the next day at your spot and did hook and land a 19 inch brown. Might well have been the one you caught the day before as he had very little fight left in him.

Jim N. - You asked about fly boxes in my vest. Had to get the vest out and count. Two boxes of spinners, one box of Hendricksons, one box of olives, one box of caddis, one box with just grannom and apple caddis, a combo box of March Browns and Gray Foxes, one box of small emergers, and one box of paraleps. Will be adding a box of invaria and a box of big bug emergers on Monday, with a boxes of green and brown drakes including spinners, and a box of isos all on stand by. The bugs find their way to the same pockets every year in hopes of avoiding fruitless searches. Put my new clippers on the wrong side of the vest this year and finally had to relocate them to their old position after pulling on the thermometer zinger every time I wanted to use them for a full month. Some boxes come out (only stone flies so far) and others will be added as the season progresses. Mind numbing, but fun! 

Jim N. - Also asked why there were very few fish rising with the water covered with caddis? Two reasons come to mind; first, the fish are right now fat as pigs and have full stomachs, and second, caddis really don't taste all that good, and they are probably sick of eating them.

Brian - Asked what data besides number and length of fish do I collect or monitor. I record water flow  levels and temps, wind and pressure readings and anything else I feel might have been an important factor in a days success or lack there of. Water levels determine where I can wade safely. Water temps determine what is likely to hatch and later in the season, where I can fish. Sunshine is an important factor in warming the water for spring time hatches and seems necessary for good caddis hatches. The first day a high pressure front moves in after a low is best for mowing the lawn and tying flies, fish and bugs don't like it. I don't believe they are fond of north wind either (although I think north wind goes hand in hand with high pressure).

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