A Report from SE MN

This has been one of the best springs for fly fishing that I have seen in a long time.  The streams have stayed clear and the rain has come in a timely manner and never hard like in years past.  In April I never fished a nymph once, only dry flies.  In the beginning of the month it was BWO’s with blanket hatches even on sunny days.  There were trout feeding everywhere and the hatch lasted for an hour and a half to two hours every day.  The trout were willing, but you had to use the right size, 20, and had to have accurate casting because there were so many bugs on the water the fish didn’t have to move more then a couple of inches to get all the food they wanted.

    Towards the end of the month the Gray Caddis started and it was blanket hatches again especially on sunny days.  The water was and still is so clear that you could pick out the trout you wanted to fish to.  It was some of the best Caddis fishing I have had in a long time.  The Caddis kept going good up to the middle on May and then things slowed down as far a dry fly fishing was concerned. Nymph fishing and especially midge fishing was very good.

    Now that we are into June, the Pale Afternoon Dun (PAD) or Light Hendrickson hatch so far  has been a bust.  They are around and hatching, but not in large numbers like in years past.  Either one or two things are happening.  One the weather has been too nice, to many sunny days that have kept them from hatching heavy, or what I am beginning to think has happened and that is that the high water we had most of June last year cut down the number of eggs that survived the flooding.  Last year I only got to fish this hatch for one day and then the rains came and kept coming.

    June is the month when we have the largest variety on hatches in SE MN.  Already I have heard of reports on some March Browns hatching and just two days ago I saw my first Yellow Sally Stoneflies of the year.  The fishing is starting to switch to evening fishing for the largest variety of hatches, but afternoons are good also, especially since it is staying cool and if we get a cloudy day.

    This has been one of the best springs we have had in a long time.  The streams have stayed clear and the rain has come when needed.  Right now is a great time to be on the streams. Hatches are happening and wildflowers are blooming.  If there is one down side to the weather we are having is that there is a lot of pressure on the streams, even on week days.  Everybody likes this weather.

 

Wayne Bartz