Easy Meals
A.K.A.
Emergers - Cripples
& other edibles
Don't you just love an easy meal, something that requires little or no effort. Henry does, (by the way, he's recovered from ingesting that quill) And it's a double bonus, if it's tasty to boot. Yep we love to throw something in the microwave, pop it out, park ourselves in our favorite easy chair, and watch the game or whatever!!!
Comfortable?? "Yes, you say, very comfortable"
Now picture someone waiting on you, and continuing to serve you food, as you felt the need. As little effort required on your part as possible, all you had to do was eat it. "Say, that sounds pretty good" you think to yourself. That would be a nice situation to be in - Yes, it would be - and trout; holding in their favorite lie, find themselves in that same situation!!!
Trout are like some men (of course none that would be reading this article) in that they want to expend as little energy as possible in satisfying their hunger. So, they park themselves in their lie and wait for food to come to them. Now for instance, if there is a hatch in progress, say some type of Mayflies, they key in on the size, shape or silhouette, and color. Since the trout want to eat the easiest way possible, rather than chase a bug already ON the surface that is about to take flight; many opt for insects in the film, or even partially under the film. Partially in the shuck, or just out of it. Why?? In my estimation, it is because the trout see thousands of bugs per week, they become conditioned to knowing that, this stage of insect is not going anywhere too fast!!
That's not to say that all emergers act in the same manner, they don't. For example; Stoneflies, Isonychia and a few other species crawl out on logs or rocks, whether in mid-stream, or along the bank. Most species of Caddis rise through the water column fairly quickly, and once through the Meniscus they're gone. Other Caddis species rise through the water column, and then drift for fairly long distances, ie. Hydropsyche, commonly known as the Spotted sedge. Certain Mayflies, also drift fair distances, in attempting to escape their nymphal shuck. A few (Ephemerella subvaria) Hendrickson's - even tease the trout with their behavior, by wiggling their way through the water column, and then hang in the film as they split their shuck While the hatching insects are important, oftentimes, the diving - egg laying caddis (re-emergers) are overlooked. There are several species in our watershed( Chimarra being one) that dive underwater to oviposit to insure next years brood. In connection with this behavior, in recent years (although I have not witnessed it) it has been observed that certain species of Blue Wing Olives crawl down rocks or logs to deposit their eggs underwater. When finished, these too release their grip and into the flow they go!!
Then we move on to the Cripple crew. In making an educated guess, I would venture to say that nearly all species of insects that emerge in our watershed, have a pretty fair percentage of cripples!! With my neck on the line, I would make a guess that anywhere between 10 to 15 % of the insects coming off at any given period, are in some form crippled.
How does all this translate into good fishing??? We need to determine which stage of the insect, or insects; the fish are interested in. Some may be taking emergers, others might be keyed in on cripples, still others may be focused on the colony of ants that your buddy( 200 yards up from you) just knocked out of the log and into the water, as he was trying to get into the stream. This requires Patience!! As Henry mentioned in one of his articles, the key is to put your rod down, sit quietly on the bank and OBSERVE. This can be quite the little test of endurance, especially if the fish are rising, but it yields tremendous results. There were several times this past season, because of doing this very thing that I was able to immediately identify what was coming off and then use the proper emerger. And this was amid the confusion of two other people standing in Garcia's pool, one yelling to the other " Small Tan Caddis coming off " The reason for their erroneous observation? They saw the caddis flying through the air with the sun on it , and so made the call. In reality, after standing streamside, I was able to nab one of these as it landed on a tree, and lo and behold - green body with a dun wing!!!! So much for making the call in the air.
Once in the water, observations begin in earnest. Look down at the surface film just upstream of you, I mean really look- Stare at it- Give yourself a good minute or two. Ah!! you saw the fish sipping, and you wondered what they were taking. (hoping against all hope, it wasn't Midges), Now you realize, by staring at the surface, there are little rusty colored spinners all over the surface, another form of cripple - if you will. The right imitation will yield big results here!!
So that brings us to the main course. So many styles of patterns - so little time. There are many factors in choosing a style of pattern that will catch fish for you. First, obviously, is one that mimics what the trout are looking for, and secondly, something which I think is often overlooked- Use a style of pattern that you have confidence in!!! I believe, that by having real confidence in a particular pattern, we fish it to the best of our ability, we put maximum effort into fishing it, and so generally catch more fish with it. And there are so many emerger/cripple styles to choose from. Parachute emergers, Wet flies, Soft hackles, spent wings, spinners, CDC and Elk, Klinkhammer style, Simple CDC emergers, Ants, Beetles, Deer hair emergers, LaFontaine's Emergent Sparkle pupa, Jens Pilgard cripple mayfly, wing forward cripples, unweighted nymphs with floatant, ( yes they do work), and the list could go on and on. It's no secret that one of my favorite style patterns is the KLINKHAMMER SPECIAL. I especially appreciate the way it hangs it's little abdomen under the film, just wagging it in the current, teasing the trout and saying - " Easy Meal, come and get it!!!" Henry likes the Frustration Pool Emerger. He catches a fair amount of trout with it - why? Because he believes in that pattern, and in so doing, he puts in his time with it-- attached to the end of his tippet. Understanding the pattern and what it's supposed to represent to the trout, can make a big difference.
And each stream seems to have it's own likes and dislikes. What I mean is this: Certain types of styles work better in some streams than others - " FOR ME " -- -- (your mileage may vary!). For example; Cinnamon Ants seem to work better ( for me) in the Bath Tub on the East Branch, than on the West Branch. On the West Branch, Black ants, and Al Copeland's Yellow Butt Beetles work well for me. Small soft hackles seem to work better on the Amawalk than on the East Branch etc., etc. Of course, knowing the stream, where the fish generally lay, etc. is a definite advantage. But I'm fairly sure that you'll find some who would contradict those findings, and if those style patterns are their favorites, they very likely would have differing results. The key is Fish the pattern you believe in!!
So, be a kind soul, just think of those poor trout, constantly fighting the current, always having to compete with one another for those small bits of food that drift down to them. Never knowing when their next meal might be!! Yes, I think we'd all agree, offering the trout an Easy Meal might very well please a few of them -- and thee
Tight lines/ Tight wraps
Craig