Hatch, Rise, Pump (Repeat.........) Into 70s!!

As title suggest, early season fishing is going super fine!! Of course between "Rise" and "Pump", there are "Perfect Fly Selection", "Perfect Angle of Presentation", "Perfect Hook Set", and most enjoyably "Bring Trout to Hands".
Then, well, I have visited DePuy's Spring Creek OVER 70 DAYS with Winter Pass. As of this typing, there are 15 more days left in the calender (April 14th is the last day). Let me see how many more days I will be at the creek.

Thursday was another nice spring day with NO WINDS. It could be because of that, somehow I didn't see many BWO. I counted two in the air and one on the water during the whole afternoon. However, midges were present and, OH BOY, midges and trout feeding on them offered me some techy situations. I could manage to get hooked with them with this Foam Emerger Type 1.

This is a pump result from the first or second trout. LOOK!! There are some BWO nymphs but they look translucent = being digested a while. Probably from the day before (I was at the River). Instead, midge pupae and adults look they have just been eaten. I was positive and confident that trout were feeding on midges on that afternoon.

Nicer Browny!!

I did bring in a nice rainbow too!! Right after my camera's self-timer mode was on, it slipped away.... I was looking at the escapee in probably 5-foot away......

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Friday, weather stayed nice but with some clouds and rain (not cold though). PERFECT BWO-ish Weather!! Hero fly was my own Winged Victory Nymph-BWO!!

I just learned how to embed YouTube videos quickly.


Winged V has been taking (or taken by) trout sipping or slicing emerging nymph below the surface. They tend to be larger among the group of a spot. Their rise form is typically "Dorsal-to-Tail". I aimed them, of course. The very first trout seemed just "from the River"!!

Nice 'Bow!! & Happy Lefty!

Hmmmmm, day seemed indeed BWO-ish!!

This was just another catch, apparently smaller.......

LOOK!! His content was mix of everything while nice 'Bow above contained ascending nymph dominantly!!

Toward the end of BWO hatch, I located another Dorsal Rise. After several unsuccessful casts, I figured out a "perfect angle of presentation". BINGO!!

Skinny but the largest Brown of the day!!

His pump confirmed my observation. He was sipping/slicing ascending nymphs (plus some midge pupae) just below the surface.

After BWO hatch was over, there were still rises at the same spot. Midges were still hatching and trout were not full yet in their bellies!! With another perfect angle of presentation, I caught a sipper with Foam E Type 1!!

LOOK again!! At the same spot, this trout was exclusively feeding on midges!!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Today, Saturday, nice spring weather continued (with a little breeze). Midge and BWO hatches were SO-SO. I again started with midges. With the very first decent drift, I caught a little one. Although BWO weren't there yet, I was using a BWO dry as a pilot above tiny midge patterns. Suddenly I heard a gulp!! It was a pretty good size brown!! See how wide its tail is!!

This was the fly, Para Post Emerger...........apparently ruined.....

Finally, BWO started to hatch. Although hatch wasn't as strong as yesterday and rising trout were slightly less, I observed a couple of "Dorsal Rises" as described above. Well, Winged Victory Nymph was gladly taken!!

 Another nice brown!! Gotcha, you sipper!!

 What his content means: two duns and one nymph (right side) were taken a while back (getting translucent = somewhat digested). Rest of two nymphs were just taken this afternoon.

 I did catch a nice rainbow too in a same manner!! My camera captured a moment when trout slipped away from my hands and I was trying to re-capture (unsuccessful.......).

For some of readers who are interested in spawning runs, IT'S in FULL SWING!! Lots of large trout are anywhere along the creek!!
I again screwed up a self-timer pic, it captured trout's back!!

 And take a look at this..... Bead, Hare, & Copper tied with 2XL nymph hook was ruined by the one above during the fight.........

 This was another catch!!

If you want to experience great spring fishing & weather in Paradise Valley, now is the time!! Not to mention, daily rod-fee at creeks remains Winter Rate till April 14th. Don't miss it!!

'Stone in Spring

After a cold spell of last week, it's back to spring-ish again. Regardless of warm or cold, spring fishing has been going WELL, as I've been reporting.
Yesterday, I took a little break from DePuy's Spring Creek (www.depuyspringcreek.com) and hit a section of Yellowstone River with my friend Jordie. It's true that DePuy's (and other private spring creeks) is close to me and I appreciate some seclusion. But I know there are lots of things going on in "'Stone" too. I just can't be and fish at two places. Descriptions and personal stories for Yellowstone River has to be done some other opportunities. There are many a visiting anglers who would imagine a big river like 'Stone gotta be fished with streamers and nymphs. That's not wrong and fishing method is totally up to the angler. However, let me remind you one thing for now, Yellowstone River holds numerous aquatic insects and fishing hatches can be as fun as at spring creeks, sometimes more complicated than creeks!!
"If you can learn to read the waters of Yellowstone River and consistently take trout, you can travel the world and consistently be a successful fly angler" - Don Williams, 1976

Let's review if we were successful or even close.
Over all, it was such a beautiful day with NO WINDS!! We started with nymphs first and took many a whitefish. Healthy population of strong whitefish tells me rivers is as clean and healthy as when Lewis & Clark Expedition had traveled through!!

Just a few of effective nymph patterns.

My own Purple Nymphaze.

My own B.P.C. (Bead. Pheasant. Copper.).

Minch Stone, learned from Parks' Fly Shop, is now my most favorite stonefly nymph pattern!!

We were successfully and consistently catching fish. Then we noticed rings of rises here and there.... Midges were hatching and fish started to rise a bit after 11PM. It was a tremendous hatch!! We thought all midges in the river would be hatching!! (that's exaggerating.....) Our waders were covered like this.

I conducted a "pump" with one of first few catches.

Look!! Pupal shuck, emerger with shuck, and adult were present at the same time!!

I caught a nice rainbow!! Photo was taken by Jordie with his techy camera. Check out his photo-shop website (http://www.jordanbrodiephotography.com/). Do I look better than my usual self-timered pic!?

Although realistic patterns (that I may use at spring creeks) were OK, small yet visible attactors worked better for both us and trout.
Micro Wulff Cripple.

Purple Haze Cripple

We kept catching fish. Suddenly Jordie's rod was bend hard by something BIG!! I took this pic quickly and personally like it as it has everything: Angler, rod bent by big trout, Absorkee Range with snow-cap, lower range grass not green yet, and, not to mention, Yellowstone River!!

After some tug-of-wars, finally Jordie brought it in!!

It was a beautiful and healthy Yellowstone Cutthroat!!

We ended up fishing till the sun was about to set. We hit only a short stretch but it kept us busy all day. Then again, it was such a gorgeous spring day. My body was happily sore from wading heavy currents and walking on rocks (different from creeks!!).
I'll be hitting 'Stone soon again!!

Fish "DRY"!! Stay "DRY"!!

NEWS: A series of my article at Fly Anglers OnLine (www.flyanglersonline.com) keeps running. Check out the latest update!! Some of blog readers have seen those pictures already but writing should be more professional (!?) than at here.......
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OK, weather became nice and mild after my last post (last Friday, exactly)....... I had a schedule for Master Breeder on Monday so this post is the report from Sunday and today Tuesday at DePuy Spring Creek (www.depuyspringcreek.com).

On Sunday before insect hatches, I did nymphing a bit. I caught a rainbow suitable for "pump" and I found this Albino Stone again!! This time from stomach............hmmmmmmm, I gotta come up with something, huh!?

Both midge and BWO hatches were good. Trout rose accordingly but.......somehow all I brought to my hands were like this...... There could have a couple of larger ones among that I hooked but lost (likely story....). But also, in a way, it's technical to set hook just right on these tiny ones and bring them in!!

 

This was a bit larger.........

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today, weather was much nicer!! NO WINDS!! However hatch was so-so, hence so were rises. For both afternoons, dry-flies that have been posted recently worked just fine. However, as BWO hatches more active, I started to see some trout slicing something just beneath the surface. I have seen this last fall!! And I developed this pattern for this situation (and even beyond!!). Ladies & Gentlemen, do you remember Winged Victory Nymph - BWO?

Or try this link for my YouTube Video (somehow I couldn't paste video window).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hpw8e00EJV8

I set the hook for the first one but it got away....felt large!! I didn't miss the next one!! Very strong for my light 4wt and 6X tippet!!

 Gotcha!! See Winged Victory is confidently taken!!

 Happy!!

This one seemed to have eaten "rough".

However, notice here!! BWO nymphs with split cases and protruding wings were taken just as I guessed. So trout were slicing at ascending nymphs just below the surface!!

I also experienced another great riddle this afternoon. Only about 15 feet away from where trout were feeding BWO, there was another group of risers. They didn't take any BWO patterns. I tied on a midge emerger pattern and I got one!! It was like this............no just kidding........the first one was really a leaper and much larger than this. I can't emphasize how selective these trout can be!!

 Then I picked up this one floating!! Yes, stonefly hatched in the creek!!

The more hatches occur, the more I think and learn. I'll keep updating what I observe!!

Under-water Look Back

I got some positive feedback on my past "dry" posts. Good to hear there are lots of anglers out there who are interested in "bugs" and "pumps" as much as I do! Abundant and predictable insect hatches, trout that are eager to rise, and fineness of dry-fly selection & presentation are what Livingston spring creeks are famous for. Come and enjoy!!......though I don't suggest you be brave on an inclement day like my last post............

Before and after hatch-hours, I still fish with my nymph rig. More rainbows are coming into DePuy's (www.depuyspringcreek.com) and they are hungry!! so why not fishing for them with eggs or whatever works!! Let me review results other than "dry" from last week.

One of "pumps"........I think this is as interesting as pumping out bugs!!

Nice!

BIIIIIIGG!!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to present a brandnew EGG pattern of mine!! For the first time ever, I compiled a slide-show for YouTube. It's so simple that I didn't feel like shooting a video. The fact is I am out of "Otter's Soft Egg" from Montana Fly Company as of right now. I had to come up with a new egg pattern so I can keep fishing!! But also let me tell you that trout WILL get bored and tired of the same egg pattern. So even just a simple egg, showing a new pattern is very important.

Right after this post is online, I'm on my way to creek!! See what I learn and observe today!!