Fly Fishing in May in the Rockies

It's May. Stream levels may be rising, but so are water temps. This means trout need to eat more chow to stay fat and get larger. Feeding trout are what we want. I'm convinced that a trout that is eating bugs can be fooled with flies, and I'm going to keep trying. I hope you do the same.

Before going to a stream at this time of year, contact your local fly shop to find out about conditions. If the water is too high and off color, the fishing may be slow. If the stream is clear, go fishing.

May is Mother's Day, and Mother's Day in Colorado means Mother's Day caddis hatches. The Arkansas from Canon City upstream is one of the hot spots. The caddis begin emerging in late April and continue moving upstream to Buena Vista and above. How fast the hatch moves depends on water temperatures. Shops along the Arkansas track this hatch with vim and vigor, so check their web sites or give them a call for current info. Trout of all sizes and varieties move towards the edges of the river as they gorge themselves on larva, pupa and adult caddis. In the evening, egg laying females return to deposit eggs that will bring next year's bugs, and the trout line up to feed once again.

The Roaring Fork and Colorado are also streams that have very good caddis hatches at this time of year. Water conditions will depend on temps, snow and rain and so on. The bugs will come off, but the rivers may be too high and muddy to fish. If they are clear, though, the fishing will be great!

When searching and fishing for caddis tie or buy larva, pupa, adults and egg-laying imitations. You can fish through the entire hatch during the course of a day on the water. Bug sizes will range from #14-18, with smaller bugs typically darker than larger bugs.

Larva patterns are thin and segmented, either bright green or tan, and have dark heads. Add a soft hackle and/or a bead as desired. Pupa patterns should be tied for fishing in either deep or shallow water, which means varying the amount of weight or size of bead used. Adult patterns can be tied with or without hackle and should be fished in fast or slow water according to design. Heavily hackled flies sit higher and work better in fast water while flies that have the hackle clipped on the bottom or do not have hackle often work better in slower water where fish have more time to examine the fly and how it floats on the surface.

Larva patterns should be fished deep, with enough weight to get the flies near the bottom of the streambed. Turn over a few rocks and take note of how many caddis larva there are; it is truly amazing to observe. As the progresses and water temperatures increase, watch riffles, runs and seams for splashy rise forms, which usually indicates trout are beginning to chase emerging bugs. The pupa swim quickly to the surface to emerge and the energy fish expend as they chase them to the surface often carries the fish through the film. They are not hitting flies that are flying, but bugs that are under the surface. Position yourself above aggressively feeding fish and swing a pupa pattern or soft hackle to their position, then twitch the fly as it approaches. They will nail that baby!

As the hatch continues begin watching seams for flotillas of bugs which will be lined up in the current drying their wings and being eaten by fish, birds and dragon flies. Make a good drift to feeding fish and they'll eat your offering, as long as the fly is about the same size and behaves like the naturals.

When fishing caddis adults, try fishing upstream to rising fish. As the fly drifts by the position you are standing, pull the fly under the surface and swim it past and below your position. Often, fish will attack the sunken pattern. Many bugs do not successfully emerge, drowning in the process. They drift along with the current and become food for hungry trout.

I am personally very fond of fishing attractor patterns during caddis hatches. The Royal Coachman Trude with a small Copper John dropper will often fool as many trout as exact imitations. Since we are in the foolery business, this seems a good thing: fooling wary, greedy trout with odd-looking bugs that we concoct.

Let's go fishing soon, and then go again!