Three quick tips to catch trout right before The Salmonfly hatch.
The Salmonfly hatch on the Madison River should be right around the corner and you have heard reports of one or two bugs spotted, Yes you can feel adrenaline hit your blood stream as you think about giant clumsy insects crashing into the water as they fly overhead but you are still a day or two out, so now what? Try these three things..
First, target and aim for water close to the river’s bank with your favorite stonefly nymph pattern.
Both the Salmonfly and Golden Stonefly nymphs are migrating to the rivers edge waiting for the ideal conditions to crawl up on land. Needless to say this movement gets the trout’s attention to target as well.
Second, focus on a nice clean drift for your next hookup.
Salmonfly nymphs are not good swimmers and kind of clumsy when dislodged from their rock clinging position. They do not have the gas filled bubble of a caddis or swimming ability of some mayflies. The current takes them while they tumble and roll waiting for another rock or branch to cling on to. In fly fishing terms this means a nice clean drift works best. If you are getting hit on the swing think about throwing a streamer.
Third, what else is going on?
Lately in the evenings a lot of caddis have been coming of so tying on a pats rubber legs with a green caddis pupa trailing has been working best. Drift the stone imitation and swing the pupa at the end to cover the bases. I usually tie the stone on with a non-slip mono knot and trail the pupa with an Orvis tippet knot versus a knot off of the hook shank to keep the stone a rolling and tumbling.
Give it a shot and have some fun as we wait for the next big hatch to begin.
