Jefferson – It is, as Angelo Curro suggested, the most reliable of all the insect hatches – at least in the stilted view of anglers who consider
bugs entirely from the aspect of their influence upon the behavior of trout.
In most of the shallow-water environments where they reside, the gentlemanly mayfly classified as callibaetis makes its debut around
11 a.m. and performs its fairy dance until 1 p.m. Except when it doesn’t, as was the case last week at Tarryall Reservoir when circumstances
conspired to at least partially thwart a couple visitors eager for rising trout.
Cold water from a heavy runoff and cool spring had chilled this impoundment below its normal means, suppressing the muchanticipated
emergence by a week or more compared to a year ago.
Curro, a resident of Golden and card-carrying stillwater enthusiast, had anticipated his first visit to Tarryall with a fresh supply of his favorite
fly, the Crippled Callibaetis from Umpqua.
This pattern provides at least three advantages over the standard dry imitation. As a helpless stillborn, it attracts maximum attention
from trout seeking the easiest possible meal; it entails little of the difficulty inherent in presenting a dry fly and, best of all, still yields
the excitement of a visible rise from its position in the surface film. Trout take it with the same famous gulp that comes with the dry.
Tarryall, intimate at 175 acres and the feature of a popular state wildlife area, typically provides the rest. Stocked heavily with rainbow trout in its third full year of revival since being drained, it is rimmed by a fringe of weedy shallows where slender mayflies spend their lives and where trout come to find them.
For those craving surface action, Tarryall is far more predictable than large reservoirs that also have callibaetis, but where fish frequently
avoid surface feeding. If Tarryall has a shortcoming, it is that its rainbows seldom are large, mostly 12 to 15 inches.
Where trout aren’t rising regularly, anglers typically use an indicator to suspend flies just above the carpet moss, where nymphs become
very active, undulating their abdomens in a sort of ritual dance before swimming to the surface.
It’s a tactic that adds lots of fish while waiting for the hatch, extending what otherwise might be a relatively short bite. Last Friday, that cycle
grew shorter still when, just as the callibaetis began making an appearance, fashionably late, one of the vocal thunderstorms that hopscotched
across the valley kicked up an hour’s worth of waves and the magic was lost.
Curro, who spends at least half his fishing time on lakes and ponds, had a ready replacement. Moving closer to shore, he tied on an olive
damsel nymph and promptly was rewarded by a succession of plump brown trout, the largest 18 inches.
By now, Tarryall’s water should have warmed sufficiently to restore the integrity of that most dependable hatch. Catch it while you can.
Canadian Rowley offering expertise on baetis, trout
Phil Rowley, Canadian TV host and operations manager of Edmonton-based Superfly International, offers the following information about tempting trout keying on callibaetis.
Like all baetis, this lake mayfly hatches best on cloudy days and trout rise with more confidence. Emergers don’t leave the surface film easily with overcast conditions.
A head/dorsal/tail rise pattern indicates feeding on emergers.
Nymphs typically take on the color of the substrate, from olive/tan to tawny brown back with pale underbody.
Both adult and nymph patterns should be long and slender.
The nymphs undulate in place, but seldom move rapidly. Use a finger twist retrieve for slower action, but not quite as slowly as with midges.
At the same time, an occasional 10- to 12-inch pull will get attention among the many naturals. Trout often take the fly when it stops.
Trout tend to feed upwind and move quickly. Cast 8 to 12 feet upwind from a rise, give a twitch to straighten the leader and wait for the fish to take the fly.
Trout can become stuffed rather quickly during a profuse hatch. To extend the bite, try stripping a leech pattern such as a Woolly Bugger to trigger a predatory response.
