Small White Fly

Tinytony

Hi,

Just looking for a bit of help. For the past week on the river there seems to be a serious hatch of a small white fly. It's bigger than a midget but not by much. It has white wings and I havn't been able to get a proper look at the body but some of them seem to have a hint of yellow and other a darker colour.

Had been catching plenty of fish up until these fellas appeared and now I'm getting very little action despite the trout seeming to be feeding even more busily than usual. I've tried a couple of wet flies I had in the box that seemed to be similar to the flies on the water but no joy (sorry I'm not v good with names of flies)! Any idea what it might be?

It's a decent sized limestone river in the mid/south west of the country if thats any help!

Zzippy

Its Caenis, also known as the fisherman's curse! Big hatches of them up here too, I was covered in them the other night.

Tinytony

Zzippy wrote: »

Its Caenis, also known as the fisherman's curse! Big hatches of them up here too, I was covered in them the other night.

Is there a fly to imitate it because the fish seem to love them!

SeaFields

I have had some success with a size 16 Blea and Black when those things are about but that could just have been hit and miss on the occasions it worked.

coolwings

Get a small White Midge, Yellow Midge, or Badger Quill.

There is another fly that comes out about now called the Pale Watery. Not unlike the Caenis but larger, and the trout like it too.
Sometimes you don't have to match the caenis for it's tiny size, provided they trout are feeding oportunistically, they will take both.
But when caenis becomes really numerous, they key in on it, and that's all they will look at for the time it lasts.

Tinytony

coolwings wrote: »

Get a small White Midge, Yellow Midge, or Badger Quill.

There is another fly that comes out about now called the Pale Watery. Not unlike the Caenis but larger, and the trout like it too.
Sometimes you don't have to match the caenis for it's tiny size, provided they trout are feeding oportunistically, they will take both.
But when caenis becomes really numerous, they key in on it, and that's all they will look at for the time it lasts.

I'll take a stroll up to the shop at lunch time and see what they have of the above. It was frustrating as hell the past two evenings, the fish were literally rising a coulpe of feet from me and I was only getting the odd few bites. The previous week there wasn't half the rise and I was getting great fishing.

They are the joys of it I suppose. Everyday is a school day!

experimenter

I find a black and silver midge will work quite well during the summer months, if all that fails, go with you're sedges.

Tinytony

experimenter wrote: »

I find a black and silver midge will work quite well during the summer months, if all that fails, go with you're sedges.

I tried the cinamon sedge and blue winged olive as both had been fishing well but they had no interest in them since these Caenis came along. The black and silver only ever produces mixed results on the river. They seem to love the red spinner though, regardless of what time of year.

coolwings

Caenis

* * *

White Midge, I like the hackle a bit longer
The Yellow Midge is the same white hackle and a yellow floss body. A spread out white tail on both helps floatation.


Badger Quill

Use sizes 16 - 20,
or if you tie your own, a short shank wide gape specimen/carp 16 is the size of a 20, but far stronger

Tinytony

Cheers for photos. Thanks for the tying tips but unfortunately I can hardly tie my shoe laces. I'm lucky my wellies are slip ons!