“How Our Fish Feed and What Flies to Use”
Now that Spring is upon us, there is going to be more movement among trout as the temperatures slowly start to rise. One thing that can be confusing is how to spot the fish and determine what they are feeding on so that you can use the best fly possible to attract them.
Trout can create rings on the surface of the streams when they rise to take insects off the surface of the water. If rings are reappearing in the same spot, this is an active hole where they are probably eating insects. This is when you should be careful to watch the surface of the water to determine what bugs the fish are looking for so that you can select a fly which most closely simulates the bug.
If trout are splashing as they rise to the surface (and you often hear this rather than see it in my experience – I always just seem to miss it), it usually means they are feeding on caddis flies. This is when the fish have to leap from the water to catch their prey since they are moving so quickly. Dry flies are great for this type of fishing.
There are times when insects are floating right along in front of you and yet the fish are not going for them. They are just beneath the surface looking for bugs that are just about to emerge from the water. When this happens, the water bulges upward and occasionally you can see the back of the fish as it rises. When bulges are occurring, floating nymphs are often a great way to go.
The weather is breaking so get out there and don’t be afraid to play around with different types of flies! Happy fishing! CWO offers novice and experienced fishers an assortment of Fly Boxes for Asheville, North Carolina area streams. ~ Kristen