5 Things The Government Doesn’t Want You To Know About Spring Skwalas

Time to
shake the frost off of your waders and start thinking about Spring fishing. The
warmer days have me excited to get out there. Many anglers overlook early
Spring as a time of hatches, though all year round we have to pay attention to
the active bugs. Too many bugs get overlooked. In my opinion, the Skwala is one
of those bugs. Many rivers across the west and Pacific Northwest get phenomenal
Skwala hatches through March and April, depending on where you’re at. Not as
popular as say the Bitterroot or the Yakima, but Madison river Skwalas fair
well once that water temperature peaks up to that 41-43 degree window. Here on
the Madison, they are definitely overlooked. Skwalas have not made a name for
themselves here but in the Spring-time, albeit March or April, we can expect to
see them mixed in with their golden cousins under riffle rock and crawling out
onto the snow to hatch. A challenge for most anglers is tying on a dry fly when
there is still snow on the ground. It’s just a concept some fail to understand.
Some bugs hatch in colder temperatures, and yes, the fish will eat them on top!
That being said, big bug dries along snow covered banks can be fun, and it is
possible to get Mr. Brown to rise to a chubby or stimi on a cold day. The big
question is how do you know where Skwalas are hatching, and when? Here are 5
easy tips to catching fish on Skwala patterns on the Madison River this spring.

1.    Rubber Legs, Rubber Legs, Rubber Legs – The best way to fool a Spring
trout is to feed it what it wants. Birthday cake (stoneflies). No more Reese’s
Pieces (midges). Remember that color can be important. However, what is more
important in the early Spring is fishing where the fish are. Stonefly nymphs
can vary in color amongst species, but for Skwalas, a grey or brown bug with a
yellow belly fits the bill. Trust me, when it gets good, its good and there’s
no shame in a double rubber rig.

2.    Watch the Weather and Temperature – Water temperatures are crucial for
timing most stonefly hatches. Skwalas are not an exception. The magic window of
consistent 41-43 degree water is one of the best indicators for Skwala
Valhalla.

3.    Earlier Rather Than Later – As soon as that water temp hits 42
degrees, it should be rolling. If you wait until the water temperatures climb
on and on, more bugs start to take over, including larger mayflies like March
Browns and caddis join into a trout’s diet. These bugs generally appear in
stronger numbers, overshadowing what was THE meal item. Though Skwalas are
never the only bug hatching in the Spring, but there definitely seems to be a
window in which trout key in on them.

4.    Dry Dropper – My favorite Skwala dry patterns
are the PMX Olive #10 or Stimulator Olive or Peacock #10. These are good when
you are casting just dries or have lighter droppers on them. These are what I’d
call my finesse patterns. As for dries for dropper rigs, I’ll use lots of
different Chubbies, particularly custom ones in Gray, Olive, and Peacock. My
all time favorite though, Dornan’s Water Walker #8-10 Olive will keep a Rubber
Legs nymph suspended at 2 feet no problem. As for the droppers – stick to the
Rubber Legs in a #8-10. Brown and Coffee/Black are my go-to choices.

5.    Pay Attention to Details – Look for
stonefly shucks on rocks, snow, and any other structures. Shucks will give you
an idea of hatch timing and when and where Skwalas may be active during the
day. If you’re finding the shucks, theirs possibly bugs in the air or on the
water. If you don’t find many shucks, check rocks near the bank, they might not
have made it out yet. These simple indicators will give you a slight idea of
timing and understanding where the majority of the bugs will be.

It’s time to
get out there and enjoy early Spring fishing! Don’t forget about our 2020 Orvis
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