May 29, 2015
As a result of the summer like weather we have been experiencing water temperature in our rivers is now mayfly friendly (50 F) and Hendricksons are starting to show. Even though blanket hatches haven’t started as of yesterday enough are around to have trout and salmon looking up. Hendrickson must be like bacon for fish. Every fish in the river will make a pig of itself aggressively grabbing everyone they can find. A couple days ago there weren’t many hatching or many fish showing but the guys drifted Hendrickson dries over water where we knew fish were holding and salmon would rocket to the surface and inhale our imitation. We had to cut the leader and give a number of fish our flies because they had taken them too deep to try and extract without harming them. They hooked every fish that took. That only happens with Hendricksons.
When the hatches begin they’ll grab anything on the surface take even comes close to the real thing. There are days when you can’t do anything wrong. After a few days of Hendrickson hatches Red Quills make their appearance. Weighing in as a size 12 or 14 they are considered big in the mayfly world and easy for our aging eyes to follow.
It all sounds simple enough but there is one little catch, you absolutely have to present a drag a free drift over a fish or they won’t play. Fish will shy away from anything but a prefect drift.
If you spot a feeding fish don’t be in a big rush getting a fly over it. That fish has to get back to the bottom regroup and prepare to rise again. If you put a feeding salmon or trout on the clock it will not show again for a minute or two so you have plenty of time. There is absolutely no rush, that fish isn’t going anywhere. If a fish rises to your fly and refuses it change it. Don’t hound a fish with something it doesn’t want. When the right fly goes over a him he’ll will eat it especially during mayfly season.
Only one thing can be said about the trout pond. They are on fire. The mayflies are keeping bankers hours trout are eagerly eating like clockwork.
All the rain associated with the thunder storms has the East Out and Moose running higher than we would like but it shouldn’t last that long. For now fish any soft water beside eddy lines and you’ll find fish.
The Penobscot flow on the other hand is just about perfect.
One last thing. When you are nymph fishing be sure to finish the drift and let your flies swing up come to the surface. It imitates insects drifting to the surface to hatch. Fish will hit aggressively and set the hook themselves.
Have a great weekend fishing. The hay days are here.
