Spinners
Spinners
There was a huge spinner fall in the KLG last night. My dumbass didnt figure it out until the ride home. Caught a few on sulphur duns, but only saw a few bugs hatching. When it got dark there were swarms of big spinners, guessing eastern gray drakes and sulphurs. I was leaving then....such is life, I know for next time. I dont fish much in the evening because of my work..usually mid afternoon. Rarely get to see sooo many bugs on the water. Fish rising everywhere and refusing my duns...I feel pretty stooopid thos morning.
Re: Spinners
Well on the bright side, at least you learned and will be ready for next time! What I love about fishing is that you constantly build this bank of knowledge and experience that makes it more likely that you will catch fish. I think a lot of people quit fishing because it feels overwhelming at first and in the beginning you are really guessing about what fish are in a water body, where in the water they are, what they are eating, what tactics to use, etc. By reading books, looking at internet, talking to people, and hands on experience over the years, you can really fill in the blank pieces to the puzzle.
Not sure of water temps up there, but should be pretty good dry fly fishing for the coming weeks!
Not sure of water temps up there, but should be pretty good dry fly fishing for the coming weeks!
Re: Spinners
Doubt they were eastern green Drake spinners . Maybe sulpher spinners ...remember the spinners are bigger than the duns . So the big sulphers that come off early are a #14 the spinner could be a #12 ... That's a big dry for the south branch
- Rusty Spinner
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Re: Spinners
You likely saw invaria sulphur spinners, but there may have been March Brown spinner mixed in. Remember that a spinner stage is elongated unlike the dun, so a spinner looks bigger when it is actually longer but skinnier.
For those not familiar with spinner fishing: fishing a rusty spinner or a sulphur or green drake spinner is basically like a religion for me. Once you crack the code, you wind up out-fishing all your buddies who can't figure out when trout switch over from duns to spinners or why a spinner works just fine during a hatch. They are a difficult fly to see on the water, so my guess is that is the reason so few fly anglers fish that fly. There are ways to make your spinner stand out when it's on the water such as adding an orange wing post, or my favorite, tying the wings from snowshoe rabbit's feet in dun (dyed) or beige (natural) color. But often, I just strike when I see a rise "in the vicinity". Seeing a trout sip down a spinner as darkness falls is tough at best and impossible at worst, so don't sweat not always being able to view the fly itself sitting flush in the surface film. Just watch the end of your fly line and follow that down 10' - 14' depending on length of your leader and tippet to where the fly should be and set if you see a fish feed in that area. Learning the rusty spinner game can easily double your catch rates on tough to fish rivers like the upper Delaware system.
For those not familiar with spinner fishing: fishing a rusty spinner or a sulphur or green drake spinner is basically like a religion for me. Once you crack the code, you wind up out-fishing all your buddies who can't figure out when trout switch over from duns to spinners or why a spinner works just fine during a hatch. They are a difficult fly to see on the water, so my guess is that is the reason so few fly anglers fish that fly. There are ways to make your spinner stand out when it's on the water such as adding an orange wing post, or my favorite, tying the wings from snowshoe rabbit's feet in dun (dyed) or beige (natural) color. But often, I just strike when I see a rise "in the vicinity". Seeing a trout sip down a spinner as darkness falls is tough at best and impossible at worst, so don't sweat not always being able to view the fly itself sitting flush in the surface film. Just watch the end of your fly line and follow that down 10' - 14' depending on length of your leader and tippet to where the fly should be and set if you see a fish feed in that area. Learning the rusty spinner game can easily double your catch rates on tough to fish rivers like the upper Delaware system.
"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Unknown
Re: Spinners
Also first thing in the morning , if you see rises , there is a good chance they are on left over spinners from the night before.
Re: Spinners
I know the spinners are bigger. These were a very large. I have gray..not green... drake spinners on my porch here for the past 3 nights also suphurs and baetis. There were definitely sulphur spinners and somthing else that was very large with 2 super long tails and very dark... .maybe march browns..i havent seen them in my porch lite yet but that doesn't mean anything.
Re: Spinners
is this the swarm of spinners you were talking about?
Re: Spinners
Regular Aglia 2 with buck tail is where it’s at for warm water species!
"Stupidity is scary but genius can be frightening.
Genius built the atom bomb. Genius topples nations."
Genius built the atom bomb. Genius topples nations."
Re: Spinners
i walk the gorge almost as much as i fish it, just watching. many fish the right water with the wrong technique. as mr spinner said above, keying in on that part of the hatch is tricky but rewarding when done right. sometimes ill just watch until they give up, then grab my rod from my car just before dark and crush a few pools after they give up
Re: Spinners
Here is a picture of one of the Eastern GRAY Drake spinnersI was talkimg about...NOT GREEN
Re: Spinners
He was absolutely right Grey Drake's ( I apologise for thinking you are crazy ) The Shaman of the KLG is one with the river .lightenup wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2020 9:23 amThere was a huge spinner fall in the KLG last night. My dumbass didnt figure it out until the ride home. Caught a few on sulphur duns, but only saw a few bugs hatching. When it got dark there were swarms of big spinners, guessing eastern gray drakes and sulphurs. I was leaving then....such is life, I know for next time. I dont fish much in the evening because of my work..usually mid afternoon. Rarely get to see sooo many bugs on the water. Fish rising everywhere and refusing my duns...I feel pretty stooopid thos morning.
Re: Spinners
Thanks fpr clearing that up Im a backcast tree catching, wind knot tying expert, no shaaman!!Jaybird wrote: ↑Fri May 29, 2020 9:42 amHe was absolutely right Grey Drake's ( I apologise for thinking you are crazy ) The Shaman of the KLG is one with the river .lightenup wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2020 9:23 amThere was a huge spinner fall in the KLG last night. My dumbass didnt figure it out until the ride home. Caught a few on sulphur duns, but only saw a few bugs hatching. When it got dark there were swarms of big spinners, guessing eastern gray drakes and sulphurs. I was leaving then....such is life, I know for next time. I dont fish much in the evening because of my work..usually mid afternoon. Rarely get to see sooo many bugs on the water. Fish rising everywhere and refusing my duns...I feel pretty stooopid thos morning.