Small Streams 5-14-13

Last Friday we fished the Blackfoot River about twenty miles below the dam.   On arriving we knew fishing success would be difficult as we geared up in a very dense caddisfly swarm.   They would fly into your eyes and ears and cover your clothing.  The river was in good wading condition, a bit discolored, and with a water temperature in the mid 50s deg. F.   We finished the day with only three fish landed. These responded to such as prince nymphs and small bead head peacock leeches.  One was a gorgeous twenty-inch cutt, so all was not lost.  Lesson learned: when such a swarm of aquatic insects is encountered, expect slow fishing.   Being in water “24-7”, fish will respond to such activity quickly and feed until filled up.  If an angler arrives near the beginning of such feeding action, good fishing results. If arriving later when fish stop feeding, as we did, expect reduced success.