We understand that to many of our guests it's not just a hobby or a vacation, but a life long passion for learning and bettering your angling skills. With that thought in mind we'd like to add some more technical fishing information to our website and monthly newsletters as the fishing season approaches. Our outfitter Eric Adams from Montana Fly Fishing Guides will be imparting this insider information which has taken him and his guides years to discern.
This section of our website is designed for those of you who like to explore the many factors that make fly fishing in our area of Montana such a unique experience. Each month we'll add another piece of the puzzle in the never ending thinking man's game of fly fishing. Tight Lines!
Underrated Nymphing Technique
The trout are rising on an overcast day, they are sipping steadily but it’s difficult to identify what they are eating. Sounds like springtime in Montana. Upon closer investigation we can identify midges and baetis on the waters surface. These hatches are consistent in terms of the time of year they hatch as well as insect size. Midges and baetis are both small insects ranging from 16 to 24, or in other words awfully minuscule flies. Not only are we dealing with small flies, but these insects also tend to hatch on overcast days when visibility is challenging at best. A dilemma for the angler to be sure; small flies plus tough visibility.
Have no fear those rising trout sipping nearly imperceptible insects are prime for the taking. These fishing might be in deeper water, foam holes or mid-river seams but all of their attention is focused on the upper water column, constantly searching for emerging midges and baetis. While many anglers prefer the dry fly it’s not always the best tactic. After decades of experience both fishing and guiding my favored method for approaching these trout is shallow nymphing. This allows the angler to fish small flies without the challenge of difficult visibility. I would suggest fishing both a midge pupa and a baetis emerger anywhere from 1 ½ to 3 feet from the lead fly. For the indicator I prefer the Pinch-Ons. They are small foam indicators with an adhesive backing. Multiple Pinch-Ons can be applied to the line for increased visibility.
Now that the rigging is complete special attention needs to be paid to when fishing. Trout by nature are conservative when feeding on small insects. Why feed aggressively on small insects which have a limited amount of protein? Instead trout will feed steadily and deliberately conserving engery while eating massive numbers of these insects. When fishing this rig any pause, tic, or unusual movement however small on the indicator usually indicates a trout sipping your flies. Remember it doesn’t cost anything to set the hook.
This is a great tactic for most anglers wherever they might find themselves fishing. Here in Montana it’s a time proven method for taking trout on small flies. Give it a try the next time you find yourself in this situation and you might just find yourself pleasantly suprised.
Area Hatch ChartThis month we'd like to reveal the many hatches that our local waters offer from April through September; below is a general hatch chart with many of the more important hatches. A hatch chart is a great reference guide to understanding the seasonal feeding habits of trout. Year after year these insects will emerge (or hatch) on a consistent basis. This allows anglers to select flies in the correct sizes and colors to accurately match the insects upon which trout are focused.
Insects Stoneflies . . . . . . . Salmon Fly Golden Stone . . . . Brown Stone Yellow Sally . . . . . Caddis Flies . . . . . . . Early Grannom Spotted Caddis . . . Little Brown Caddis Plain Brown Caddis . . . . . Mayflies . . . . . . . Western Green Drake Western March Brown . . . . Hecuba Pale Morning Dun . . . . Blue Winged Olive . . . . Terrestrials . . . . . . . Grasshoppers Ants . . . Beetles Misc. . . . . . . . Midges Streamers Insects For those of you who have already made your reservations this is a great insight to what types of flies and methods you will be using during your stay. Or if you are interested in a particular 'fabled hatch' in our area this is a great guide to making your reservation to coincide with that hatch.
Stay tuned for more updates!
