Match The Hatch?

[The_Husky_Jerk]

Hi guys,

Im very new to fly fishing and only been out a handful of times. Ive been a little frustrated with my lack of technique, but I know that will come with time. And when I get off my wallet and invest in some decent fly line (not the 14.99 stuff).

My question to all the all-knowing, seasoned veterans

I understand the concept of "Match the Hatch" but have little to no knowledge of what insects are the best to replicate at any given time of year. Would you guys be able to give me some insight on what kind of flies would be best for this time of year? I usually go to Bean Park in Paris, and fish the Grand. Hoping too hook into my first Steelhead on the fly.

Thanks!

Cheers.

[cplummer]

The first hatch is the hendricksons... Use nymphs in the day then emerger patterns mid day.. Dry flies after supper..

But if your fishing steelies go with streamer patterns .. steelies like the minnow baits more than they would fly hatches..

[The_Husky_Jerk]

Good to know Cliff! Im about an hour from the Niagara area, but I would definitely like to pick up some streamers from you next time im down that way.

[cplummer]

I noticed your from brantford.. I used to fish the stream that goes through there.. whitemans creek.. great lil stream

[The_Husky_Jerk]

Whitemans isnt the stream it used to be... in my opinion anyway. Got 1 rainbow (2lber) out of there last year. Thats about it. I see lots of guys down there, havent personally seen much caught. Ive been sticking to the grand as of late. Im actually heading down to Caledonia tomorrow morning, to try out the streamer approach guys were suggesting. So I just set up a bobber, weights going down, then streamer?

[cplummer]

Whitemans isnt the stream it used to be... in my opinion anyway. Got 1 rainbow (2lber) out of there last year. Thats about it. I see lots of guys down there, havent personally seen much caught. Ive been sticking to the grand as of late. Im actually heading down to Caledonia tomorrow morning, to try out the streamer approach guys were suggesting. So I just set up a bobber, weights going down, then streamer?

yes sir.. once in a while tug it a bit to jerk the streamer as it was an injured bait fish.. works for me ;-)

[The_Husky_Jerk]

Well, I didnt manage to catch anything on the streamer approach. Switched to roe, still no luck. After a while started chucking a spoon, no steelhead landed but I did get a bonus Smallmouth and Pickeral. Which I released immediately. Killed me to put the Picky back, he looked so tasty! Guess I will have to go back for him this summer......

[smerchly]

Lots of small moths skipping over the water at Rennie Park today and the minnows were after them , breaking water . I matched the hatch with live minnows & got a few fish , finally . ( gills, perch & a few oos's ) One perch was 11.5" and I believe it was a spawned out hen , full of minnows .

[Icehut]

Here's how you match the hatch. It takes a little time and observation, but nothing could be easier. Casual entomology is a natural companion to fly fishing, and at least some interest in the subject is, in my opinion, mandatory.

Dawn and dusk are your friends. Note air temp, water temp, weather patterns, clouds, light levels, if you want.

Watch the skies, the bushes, and the water. Notice what's flying around and what's floating by you. Notice what is mucking about in the streamside bushes, and falling out of them. Note the big bugs, and the little stuff... trout feed on insects down to 1mm. They sometimes ignore what we would think of as good eating... eg: the 1" brown caddis on the Grand don't seem to stir the fish... odd.

Check spider webs.

Turn over rocks in various areas of the river. You'll find some insects in fast areas, others in slow. Study the size, shape, color.

Make a kick net - two 1/2" thick dowels about 30" long, with some fine-mesh stuff stapled btw them, mebbe 2' wide, which can score from the walmart fabric section, or a fabric store. Plastic mesh like bridal veil, can't remember proper name, but it's cheap. Wade into the river, face downstream, plant the net poles and kick up a fuss, examine what you've netted. Or just stick it in the bottom and hold it steady for five or ten, to see what's in the drift. Insects can lose their grip and be swept away, but they also drift on purpose, at certain times of day. If you want to get serious, bring a white lid of some kind and a camera with a good macro lense, and record what you find. Or bring vials and alcohol and preserve the little wigglies if you want to get really hardcore.

Study baitfish. Talk to fisheries biologists, find out what fish in your area eat. Eg: crayfish are a huge part of the diet of our local browns and smallies. Having a good imitation and fishing it correctly, in the right place, can make normaly surly fish act very silly indeed. Study how baitfish move. Study how crayfish move. Think about what the fish is seeing, from below/side, not what you're seeing, from above. Baitfish are almost invisible, and they feed and move in a specific manner, and move very differently when sick/injured. This is some interesting stuff when you get into it.

Also, scour the literature. There are hatch charts online for the Grand, Whitemans, Credit. X bug appears on x river from the third saturday in June to the fourth Tuesday in July, etc. Sadly the bugs are not aware of these charts, and do not always do what they're supposed to do. Take it with a grain of salt. Some folks don't worry much about such things. Personal observation is best.