Recognizing rise forms

fig. 1 through 4 (click image for detail)

 
Recognizing rise forms

 

            When ever we are faced with fish dimpling on the surface of an otherwise glass smooth piece of water the angler in all of us tends to panic.  We wait so long in between these special moments of our fishing career (where the stars align, the wind is calm and there are fish rising everywhere) that we completely forget all the times that we played out this scenario in our day dreams and did everything right.  Although the information in this chapter will help you take advantage of those rare occasions, I don’t expect you to get it perfect every time.  I know I don’t!


The most important part of our approach to a rising fish situation is to try to figure out what the fish are eating.  There could very well be a number of different insects hatching at one time so it would be helpful to be able to know which insects the trout are eating.  In terms of different species of insects we can narrow it down relatively easily.  If there are large insects around like stoneflies or grasshoppers we should be able to see these being eaten.  The rises on these insects will also be relatively aggressive.  If we are unable to see large insects but are seeing aggressive rises the fish are most likely eating caddis.  Caddis tend to swim to the surface and try their best to exit the water as fast as they can.  Therefore the trout must be quick when feeding on these insects.  Many times you will see the fish leap out of the water in pursuit of a caddis.  If you are seeing soft rises where it looks like the water simply had a drop of rain hit it you are probably seeing fish that are eating mayflies or midges.  Since both of these insects hatch relatively the same way I will talk mainly about the mayfly.

 The mayfly hatching on a glass smooth piece of water is the ultimate challenge in fly-fishing.  It is this chess game that has occupied the time and thoughts of men since long before Sir Isaac Walton wrote about it in the Complete Angler.  It is the obsession that some of us have that will make us stand in one spot on a stream, successful or not, and make a thousand casts to a single fish.  However, if you do your homework and keep a level head, all those casts are not always necessary.

 When mayflies are hatching there are four distinct stages of the hatch that will cause a trout to rise.  It is this factor that allows the retail fly shops to sell you two-dozen fly patterns to imitate one insect.  The four stages are as follows:  The nymphal form near the surface (fig. 1), 

 The emerger, half in and half out of the water, (fig. 2), 

 The dun (fig.3), And last we have the spinner (fig. 4). Being able to recognize which of these stages any one trout is feeding on takes practice, dedication, and a keen eye.  Here’s what to look for.  First you have to stop casting and watch your fish.  Notice which parts of his body you see come out of the water, if any, during a rise.  If you don’t see any of his body, and only a disturbance on the water, he is not eating on the surface at all.  He is eating nymphs just under the surface (fig. 1a). 

 If when looking real close at a rise you see the fish’s body break the surface but not the head or nose of the fish, he is probably taking emergers that are half in the water and half out (fig. 2a). 

 Only when you see the nose of a trout should you go to a dry.  Fish that are indeed feeding on the surface itself will have to break the surface to eat the insect (fig. 3a).  

 Fish that are feeding on spinners will appear the same way.  Look close on the waters surface to decide which stage to imitate with your fly.

 With a little practice and perseverance you will be able to watch a fish feed on the surface and know not only what kind of insect he is feeding on but which stage as well.  Mastering this will take out most of the guesswork and the panic that we all endure on a day that was made for “fly” fishing.