understanding a hatch

[Scythe]

If you don't see surface feeding activity, then you don't fish surface patterns.

Well it depends on the viz, you can entice the cruising pods to take a fly off the surface if you can spot them and present properly and if they're within the top 50cm of the water column. You'd just be more likely to get interrest in something fished on their eye level.

[deewy]

DEEWY ,for the place you are fishing i would first fish with suggetive dries that can immitate anything:

parachute adams # 16
black klinkhamer #14 & # 16

DDD / yellow humpy /beetle # 14

stimulator /hopper # 10

royal wulf #16/18


i think your water 's surface is pretty smooth - so cut the hackles off the bottom of the full hackled dries in order to present a more prominent profile and to have you patterns flush floating.

if you can sight fish with your dries you can gauge much better what the fish want.


as with most stream trout yellows also have an evening rise .so look out for this -if its mays the para adams will suffice and for midges i would recommend the black klinky or a parachute midge emerger.

herman

thanx herman

thanx scyth and nimpho

I am just curious as I will be fishing a piece of water in the near future for smallmouth yellows. I have never done this type of fishing. Its gonna be slap-bang in the middle off winter and from the limited info I got, its big pools with hardly any flow. Likely places one would look for fish is inlets and outlets of pool, as this is where I have caught fish before.

to be honest with you guys I will most likely not know the difference between a mayfly and a caddis, but I'm trying to learn quickly. Rols was a big help last night as I tied my first klink's and a parrachute adams. Not easy when you are used to 1/0 and Bigger hooks and then attempt it on a #14...I was also thinking in the likes of hoppers and beetles, but what do you guys think of a moth pattern? I have a SBS in an australian magazine where they rate the moth patern big time. Early spring there is normally a craphouse full of moths everywhere and I'm sure this could also be a decent meal ticket.

I wouldn't like to fish blind with dries but I like to prepare for a worst case scenario.

[deewy]

in winter - then forget about caddis. i would aproach it from a sterkies point of few. i do recommend a dropper though - can't go wrong with a # 16 beaded minimalist grhe

what is the sterkies poin of view?? hehehe sorry for all the questions guys, I'm still a yellowfish virgin, having caught only one clanwilliam yellow, wich I still think till this day was more lady luck shining on me than tactic. 6wt makro rod, shakespear reel, floating line, 5kg mono tippet off 1m long and a(what I now know is about a #12) walkers nimph, perfect cast, by standards thas I have only caught one bass before, nimph drops in a small feederstream an I just see the fishes mouth open and I'm on, still remember it like yesterday, allthough its 10 years ago now.

herman I think you and your boet should join us on this trip then you can share your knowledge on the water with us...

I have also tied up some nimphs, flashback and soft hackles that I intend for using, but I realy want one on dry fly

[FastAction]

It would all depend on the water you are fishing, and that you didn't mention. Clarity makes a huge difference, as does location. Vaal yellows on dry do not respond the same as sterkfontein dam yellows on dry, or other pieces of productive water for yellows on dry.

Off the cuff, here's some advice that should help you regardless of water being fished. If you study the water, and they are rising up (gentle rising, sipping), then try one dry fly only. Something like a #14, or #16...DDD, Parachute Adams, Klinhammer in black, Humpy, or Elk Hair Caddis.
If that doesn't produce the results, suspend a nymph from the dry fly...maybe 30cm or 40cm down. #16 or #14 PTN or any mayfly nymph should do well. The dry fly acts as a strike indicator in this scenario.

You can also try two dry flies...in tandem. Maybe a humpy, ddd, para adams, etc...and then 40cm from it a smaller emerger fly, like a foam post black buzzer, CDC emerger, or a klinkhammer. If you cannot see the emerger pattern, just watch the bigger dry fly for any movement or takes.

Even if you see minimal surface activity, try the dry and dropper rig.

Your success will depend on locating the fish...that's the most important part. "Blind casting" into open water is a real waste of time. Study the water, find the fish, and then present the flies.

Forget big flies too, nothing bigger than size 12 flies, and even that's pushing it. Ideally, in winter, the flies should be in the #14, #16, and #18 range. If you are getting rejected on #14 flies, then first try a #16....and so on.