Fly Fishing Insider Newsletter featuring Aquatic Moth

Aquatic Moth

Throughout the late spring and summer months you will see many tannish colored, delta wing insects perched in the vegetation at the waters edge on the lower Deschutes River. These are adult aquatic moths. They swarm and regroup when disturbed as you walk or wade along the edge of the river. They especially like shoreline grasses along splashy riffles. Here they pass the days in gregarious communities. Adult Aquatic Moth populations will often be mixed with one or several species of caddisflies. You can tell the moths from the caddis. Moths have delta shaped wings while at rest. Caddis

profiles are much narrower. If you catch a moth, it will leave some of its shiny wing dust on your hand. Caddis don't do this. It seems Aquatic Moths are always at play, fluttering to and fro. They are often mote active than caddis through the warmer parts of the day. Knowing this can extend your dry fly fishing period. Trout will key on these moths and snuggle right up to the edge of the river and wait for a moth to land on the water. Strikes are usually authoritative. Moth underside color can vary from tan to cream. Sizes vary from #14 to #16. Early season insects are larger that later ones. It seems that every location will produce hatches of large, medium and small moths. Hatches start at the mouth of the river in June and progress to Pelton dam. There they will trail of in August. Fish can be very selective to the size and color you are presenting. Check the adults thoroughly. The Elk Caddis flies offered here have proven themselves to be convincing Aquatic Moth counterfeits.

Twilight Elk Hair Caddis, Tan Aquatic Moths as well as several species of caddis spend the hot parts of the day in the grasses at the edge of fast moving water. Here there is shade and the cooling effect of the water itself makes a comfort zone for insects that would otherwise die from dehydration. Some of the prime areas become crowed with insects vying for position. This translates to fluttering movement that often attracts trout right to the waters edge. Many of these insects are tannish/brownish in color. Fish upstream along the banks.
Item	Description	Size	Price	To Top
5031-14	Twilight Elk Hair Caddis, Tan	14	3 for $5.25
5031-16	Twilight Elk Hair Caddis, Tan	16	3 for $5.25

However steelhead can ingest and digest food throughout all stages of their lives. They feed only when the capture of food expends less energy than the energy consumed by the capture. All animals feed this way or starve to death.

In the Ocean, steelhead can easily obtain food in big nutrient-rich bites of shrimp, krill and squid. This is high octane stuff. Ocean prey provides enough energy to be worth large expenditures of stored energy for capture. In the Ocean, steelhead are able to collect enough nutrients to store surplus energy as body mass. They grow very quickly. The larger the fish, the larger the prey. The larger the prey the more energy surplus. Growth continues as long as the fish feeds systematically.

Then some hormonal exchange happens and the "feeding mechanism" begins to take a back seat to the "go home and procreate mechanism". Steelhead reproduction can only happen in flowing oxygenated fresh water. Fresh water food organisms are much smaller than salt water food organisms. Can you imagine how many Baetis Mayfly nymphs it would take to sustain a ten pound steelhead. The answer is: more than it could ever catch. It would take more energy to capture the nymphs than the energy they contain in food nutrients. The fish would be going in the hole with every pursuit. It is better to ignore them all together and concentrate on conserving energy.

However, if something the size of a squid or even a krill (or even your fly) came within easy striking distance, then the energy expenditure could be on the positive side and worth a go. When the prey is analyzed and the expenditure meter registers a plus flow the decision is instantaneous. A synapse fires in the pencil eraser size brain and the attack is made. This is because your fly has turned on the memory of something this fish was feeding on out in the Ocean. This memory is called a "search image". This memory fades as the fish remains in fresh water. Eventually it is replaced with a fresh water search image. Some steelhead that remain in fresh water for a long period of time can start to feed like rainbow trout.

The acquisition of food isn't the only reason that steelhead will take a fly.
(to be continued in 07/09 FFS Insider)
Have you looked at: STEELHEADQUARTERS recently?

One-Day Summer Steelhead Fly Fishing School
Take a drift boat ride down the Clackamas River with:
Mark Bachmann, Brian Silvey and Ron Lauzon.

Summer Steelhead fly fishing is very practical if you know how. Being able to find fish and being able to present the fly properly are key factors.
We will show you how.
This is a school that will cover a lot of water and fishing knowledge in one day.
Length of the class is 8-hours on the water. Three student per instructor format. Emphasis will be on giving you a solid foundation of skills to build on, with a high priority given to hooking fish during the class.

We want to give you maximum advantage by having as many fish hooked during this class as possible. Nothing teaches you more about fishing than being where fish are being hooked and landed. Emphasis will be on spey rod casting and sinking-tip line fishing, but will also cover single handed rod techniques. Learn how to locate steelhead water and how to approach it.
Watch an expert guide as he fishes and discloses the secrets and proven methods that put fish on the beach. Get a lot of hands- on help so that you too can be productive.

Bring your own waders, rain gear. Bring your own rod/reel set up if you want to.
A variety of premium quality 2-hand and single-handed rod/reel set-ups will be available for you to use at no extra charge. Flies are supplied.
A hot lunch will be served on the river.
There will be a very short rest period after lunch.
Meet at The Fly Fishing Shop at 6:30am for orientation.  Coffee and donuts will be served.

Arrive back at The Fly Fishing Shop at 6-7:00pm.
What our customers say. A report on a past Steelhead School.
9 students per class only!
First come, first served.

	Temple Fork Outfitters Demo Day Is Coming To The Fly Fishing Shop Saturday, July 31, 9:00am - 2:00pm! Featured is TFO Rep., Dick Sagara who is offering a free half day group fly casting class in the Portland area. This class will be made up of customers who buy a TFO Rod(s) at the Demo Day. You will be able to win a TFO rod at the accuracy fly casting contest and there will be a rod raffle.
There will be special events for children under 14 with plenty of prizes. As usual, a back yard barbeque will accompany this event.

Free Fly Tying Class Sunday Evening: 6:00pm - 8:00pm.
	July 25 Caddis Hatches #16 Elk Hair Caddis #16 Sparkle Pupa
At: The Fly Fishing Shop. All materials provided. Bring your fly tying tools if you have them. Some tool sets will be provided for in house use. First come, first served. Beginners & experienced tiers welcome. Instructor: Trez Hensley.

	*	Search	Catalog	Trips & Schools	Bargains
	Our Waters		Order Info		Events

Green But Skunk	Fly DeJour	Street Walker	Prizm
Green Muddler	Purple Muddler	Black Egg Sucking Leech	Purple Egg Sucking Leech
Purple Flash-A-Bugger	Big Black	Red Rocket	Bulkley Mouse

Elk Hair Caddis, Cream This fly will imitate Aquatic Moths in lighter shades. Theses insects are usually much lighter in color on their undersides. Like the Twilight Wing caddis above, this fly is very easy to see during the bright part of the day.
Item	Description	Size	Price	To Top
5015-14	Elk Hair Caddis, Cream	14	3 for $5.25
5015-16	Elk Hair Caddis, Cream	16	3 for $5.25

Item	Description	Size	Price	To Top
SUMSTSET	Deadliest dozen summer steelhead fly set. 24 flies in all, includes shipping in USA.	Assorted	Set for $45.95