230 likes | 576 Views
Insects of the Stream. An overview of the insects important to the successful fly angler. Why know the bugs?. Insects are the fishes main diet! Certain insects thrive during specific times Insects hatch during specific times Insects go through life cycles
E N D
Insects of the Stream An overview of the insects important to the successful fly angler
Why know the bugs? • Insects are the fishes main diet! • Certain insects thrive during specific times • Insects hatch during specific times • Insects go through life cycles • Even having a beginners knowledge about insects will greatly increase your success on the water
Life Cycle Idea • General idea of the lifecycle • Very similar among all insects, with some differences that can be studied later on
What this means… • Is you can fish with different techniques targeting not only different types of insects, but their different stages of life • Adults, nymphs, etc…
Major groups Mayflies Caddisflies Terrestrials Other • Stoneflies • Midges
Mayflies • Usually 3 tails on both adults and nymphs • Adults have large upright wings • Nymphs have gills on their abdomen
Stoneflies • Usually 2 tails on the nymph • Adults have large wings laying flat against the body • Nymphs have gills on their thorax, sort of in their ‘armpits’
Caddisflies • Adults have large wings laying over back in a tent style • Nymphs live in self built cases of different materials, some are free living w/o a case
Terrestrials • Terrestrials represent any insects living on land that my fall or fly onto the water where they may be fed upon • These include beatles, ants, hoppers, etc…
Midges • Midges can be mistaken as mosquitoes • They are tiny, two winged insects • Larva looks like small worms • Craneflies are bigger
Include hellgrammites and fresh water scuds Other insects
Other aquatic life • Other aquatic life exists that fish feed on. Not limited to insects… • Worms, leaches, snails, slugs, crayfish, etc…
What you can learn more about • Specifics on species • BWOs, Sulfurs, March Browns, Drakes • Hatch Charts • Know what time of year/day to expect them • http://www.lycoming.edu/orgs/flyco/streams.html • Every single insect doesn’t have a specific fly pattern. The gold-ribbed hares ear pattern mimics a wide array of insect nymphs thriving in the water