Grand Finale - Best of Spring Hatches

REMINDER: East Idaho Fly Tying Expo is getting close!! = April 17th & 18th at Shilo Inn in Idaho Falls, ID. I'm very excited. Hope to see some blog readers over there!!
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Well, it's about that time of year. DePuy's Spring Creek Winter Pass (Oct 15th - Apr 14th) is about to end. As of this writing, there are two more days left but I have finished my schedule with great feeling = success, satisfaction, and then new things that I have learned and observed. This past week I fished the creek for, well, 6 days (except Saturday 11th). I'd like to say this was by far the BEST April fishing I've ever had!! It's been filled with great midge & baetis hatches along with, of course, many trout, among which some are very large to be taken by tiny insect imitating flies!!
It will be one spring to be remembered. Hence it will be another gallery post with not much commentary.

April 6th, it was cold with snow fallen during the day of Easter. I was fed with some great foods at my friends' so I was able to fish hard! La Pupa, that I introduced in my catalog, will work!!

 After this, northern winds got stronger and colder. I had to quit fishing.

April 7th, one of creek regulars as well as my good neighborhood fisherman, Lester with The Ignorant Angler took some pictures for me.

 Certainly better than my self-timer pics........ Thank you Lester!

In the afternoon, getting tired of direct exposure to northern winds, I changed a spot. Not much changed...... However, midges and baetis were trapped, so to speak, in that particular spot and trout rose in spite of rough & wavy surface. Furthermore, my new dry flies were proven to be very effective!! (more to come). This was a very satisfying brown, taken on my new midge dry!!

Then a new baetis dry!!

Back to midges.

For every species.......

This is the midge that creek regulars are seeing and discussing this season.

April 8th started with the morning glory!

At one particular spot, sight-fishing produced amazing results!!! Everything was oh-so-visible and trout were oh-so-HUGE!! (I wasn't fishing the group in redds. Apparently browns spawn in the fall.) Midge larva and pupa patterns did some incredible jobs!! This will be remembered forever!!!!

Next one was even bigger but fly that did the job was smaller = size 24 Chewy Midge Larva 

The best & largest caught during the hatch fishing (soon to be the second best.......continue scrolling down).

Happy!

Another typical of DePuy's resident brown!!

April 9th, I went back to the same spot though I didn't expect anything better than the day before. Yet I again spotted a big trout. With several attempt, it came up and took my size 22 (practically #24) midge dry-fly!!!

This is the BEST and my record with the hatch fishing with the smallest fly in my box!!

April 10th, another midge morning. My another new midge dry-fly was gladly taken!!

In the afternoon, I moved to a different stretch of creek. I suddenly encountered a group of rising trout that I didn't expect there!! They were after midges. I guess both trout and I were caught by surprise to each other!!

Then suddenly I was surrounded by rising trout - just like soon-to-come PMD time!!! Unbelievable even surreal experience!!

My other new trial midge dry-fly (Yes I've been working on several different pattern) got a huge attention!!

A handsome Cut-bow hybrid!!

Stomach sample show more baetis than midges........

Nice Yellostone Cutty on baetis patterns!!

My own FA Nymph was about to be torn up.......

April 12th, sky and air temp were moderate but winds came from every direction, some of which were cold and distracting but over all, they didn't ruin fishing. Rather, trout were active in between winds.

I was needed lots of patience and perseverance in the morning. I hooked some and lost them in between winds. I wanted just one more fish at Annie's Run. I observed the creek surface. I noticed lots of large pupa shucks. I tied on a large Pupaerger and cast........ Finally a solid hook-up!!

Good job!

My observation was confirmed.

I moved to a different stretch. Midge hatches were still strong. A nice brown came up and took a tiny dry-fly!

Baetis hatched shortly & sparsely but I did get some actions.

Just like 10th, trout keyed on midges after baetis hatch ended.

This brown was caught by luck. I couldn't really figure out why trout weren't really interested in my flies today. As I was about to leave and move to the next spot, I observed the surface and seined. The answer: I found many midges in GRAY.  So I tied on gray and light-colored midge patterns. Trout responded immediately!!

Then the very last one to end the day and the Winter Pass (that was because I decided to stop though there were more possibilities to catch more): It came up to my new midge dry-fly, size 22 in Gray of course. It was so dramatic for me.

It was larger than the one above. This picture shows I was releasing it properly........

I'm very content now. This season was again filled with lots of memories, lots of trout, lots of bugs, and lots of new observation and learning. Many THANKS to Smith Family who own and run the creek for letting me in and answering my compulsive phone calls.

End of Winter Pass is merely a little stopping point of my own fishing. I soon visit back most likely with clients through summer. Hope to see more trout and bugs.

Off to East Idaho Fly Tying Expo!!