The stillwater fly fishing techniques best used to imitate quick darting underwater insects are stripping a nymph, leech, or woolly bugger, or using an indicator and imparting motion with a twitch. When planning a trip to fly fish Montana don’t overlook the great fly fishing opportunities presented by the State’s stillwater. The bugs are numerous, the fish are large, and the fly fishing techniques used are exciting.
The Joys Of Stillwater Fly Fishing
Stillwater fly fishing offers unique opportunities at large trout that aren’t available to the moving water angler. A stillwater consists of a body of impounded water, also known as ponds and lakes. These water bodies are rarely influenced by runoff and, as long as they are not frozen, offer terrific fly fishing possibilities. The clear water combined with the feeding behavior of fish in stillwater environments present exciting situations. In moving water trout use the current to convey food to them, while in a stillwater habitat fish must hunt down their meal. The combination of cruising fish, clear water, and abundant insects requires anglers to adjust their techniques to meet the demands of matching the stillwater bugs while casting longer distances with accuracy.
Abundant populations of aquatic insects exist in healthy ponds and lakes. They posses the same general shapes as their moving water counterparts, but have developed additional skills to cope with the challenges presented by impounded water. Water that tumbles over rocks and flows down stream becomes infused with additional oxygen that is used by both trout and insects. Due to the lack of current, stillwater bugs have evolved with additional gills in order to process more oxygen from the water. The additional gills along with a need to forage for food also makes them competent swimmers. Thus, the pond fish must chase down these bugs in order to feed.
Longer casts and applying the correct amount of “twitch” are both important parts to the success of the underwater game.
The techniques best used to imitate the quick darting underwater insects are stripping a nymph, leech, or woolly bugger, or using an indicator and imparting motion with a twitch. Longer casts and applying the correct amount of “twitch” are both important parts to the success of the underwater game. A longer cast enables the angler to cover more water and show the imitations to more fish. It is very interesting to play with and master the different underwater methods; however, most anglers think of lake fishing as involving only these techniques.
Many of the underwater bugs go through the following life cycle. The insects hatch from an egg under the water, live underwater for an extended period of time while they grow and develop, morph into an adult insect, mate, and then return to the water to lay their eggs and die. For the angler, the exciting phases are “morph into an adult insect” or “hatch” and “return to the water to lay their eggs and die”. In both instances the bugs are extremely vulnerable to predation from birds, larger insects, and fish. During a “hatch” the bugs swim themselves to the surface and emerge into flying insects. Before they are able to fly they must float around on the surface waiting for their wings to unfold and dry. Trout key in on the activity and actively cruise around hunting the waiting insects. The second exciting part happens during the laying of eggs. Depending on the species it can take from 12 hours up to days for the females to return to the water to lay the eggs. Mayflies present the most predictable egg laying event which is known as a spinner fall. The spinner fall happens 12 to 24 hours after the mayflies hatch and during the summer months is usually a daily occurrence. During the spinner fall the females hover over the water and bounce up and down as they deposit their eggs on the water. After the eggs have been deposited the female expires on the surface of the water. Fish never miss an opportunity at an easy meal, especially one as predictable as the mayfly spinner fall. With expired mayfly spinners on the stillwater surface, trout will actively cruise with an open mouth as they suck down the stationary insects. The challenge and fun for the angler involves matching these insect life stages with an artificial imitation as the trout gorge themselves.
The techniques used to catch fish during a stillwater hatch require more skill than the underwater methods.
Matching the hatch, specifically the stage of the hatch, coupled with clear water and the constant movement of the trout makes for exciting sight fishing scenarios. The techniques used to catch fish during a stillwater hatch require more skill than the underwater methods. First, the angler must be familiar with lake bugs and their behavior. It’s helpful to check with a local fly shop about what insects are hatching for the specified time of year. Next, it’s important to be proficient at casting longer distances accurately. Mending and concerns with the right drift are not as important as the accuracy of the cast. Lastly, the fly must be presented to the fish so they will see it. Identifying where the fish will be before casting the fly is part of the fun and adds to the challenge. It’s truly a satisfying feeling when the cast takes the fly to the desired location, and the angler watches as the trout and artificial fly intersect followed by the explosion of the hookup.
Other insects of special concern to the angler during warmer summer months are terrestrials. Terrestrials consist of insects that go through their life cycles on land and are not water born. The adult phase of terrestrial insects are of the most interest to the angler. It is common to find land bugs struggling on the surface of the water in late summer as they mature and their numbers become numerous. Trout recognize the value of a big meal and take advantage of helpless ants, beetles, and hoppers as they twitch on the surface.
A favorite technique to use during terrestrial times involves adding “twitch” to a large attractor dry fly. In order to effectively apply this technique the angler should make a long cast and then slowly twitch the bug back to the rod. The twitch is done enough to move the dry fly, but not pull it under. It’s best to apply the movement with the rod tip and not a stripping motion. As the fly is worked back, the angler moves the rod tip quickly with enough force to move the dry fly, but not sink it. The slack created by the twitch is then stripped in until the angler is again tight to the fly. The sequence is repeated until the fly has made it back to the angler. The method is a great way to search for fish during summer months or attract attention from cruising fish. A nymph can also be added behind the large attractor in order to attract more attention from the trout.
When planning a trip to fly fish Montana don’t overlook the great fly fishing opportunities presented by the State’s stillwater. The bugs are numerous, the fish are large, and the fly fishing techniques used are exciting. At Nelson’s Guides and Flies we’d be happy to arrange a guided stillwater trip for you and show you around the local lakes and ponds. Come stay with us at Nelson’s Spring Creek Lodge and we’ll set up a stillwater tour or a Montana sampler involving the numerous different lakes, streams, and rivers around the area. If you’d simply like some suggestions on which stillwaters to fish and patterns to use contact us at the S|N Fly Shop.
