EPHEMERA DANICA :)

AKA  THE GREEN DRAKE

MATT WAGNER,  DAVE FOWLER, GENEVIEVE HEADED HIGH A FEW DAYS AGO IN THE MIDST OF A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM THAT WAS BEARING REASONABLE OVERNITE TEMPERATURES.  I WAS HOPING THE LOW WOULD GET THE GREEN DRAKES MOVING IN THIS BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FREESTONE A LITTLE EARLIER THAN USUAL DUE TO THE LOW PRESSURE AND THE WARMER OVERNITE TEMPS.

THAT WISH AND DIAGNOSTIC WASN'T EXACTLY SPOT ON AS WE ENDED UP WADING, WAITING AND NYMPHING AS THE BUGS LAYED BACK WAITING FOR ?.  CADDIS WERE BOUNCING AROUND BUT OF LITTLE CONSEQUENCE  TO THE TROUT.  PERHAPS ANOTHER STREAM WITH LESS FOOD WOULD HAVE HAD THE TROUT EAGER TO CHASE THE BOUNCY CRITTERS BUT WHEN THERE'S DRAKES IN ABUNDANCE, THE FISH WILL WAIT.....AND THEY DID.

ANYONE WHO HAS HAD THE PLEASURE OF HANGING OUT ON A CLEAR AND COLD FREESTONE RIVER IN THE ROCKIES WHILE GREEN DRAKES TUMBLE DOWN RUNS WITH THEIR DARK WINGS FLUTTERING IN DESPERATION WILL UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE TO FIND THESE PRECIOUS BUGS.  THEY ARE STUNNING IN APPEARANCE; GENEVIEVE LIKES TO CALL THEM LITTLE FAIRIES, AND THEY REALLY DO BRING A SENSE OF MAGIC TO THE RIVER.

GREEN DRAKE WON THIS BAD BOY OVER

TROUT EAT THE SHIT OUT OF DRAKES.  LOVE THEM!!  LIKE JONNY LOVES MUSTARD OR ME CRAFT BEER AND RIPENED CHEESE.  THEY ARE THE T BONES OF THE THE TROUT WORLD AND THERE IS NO STOPPING A CUTTHROAT FROM FEEDING ON THESE BEAUTIES WITH IMPUNITY WHEN THE HATCH IS ON.

THE WINDOW OPENED AND STAYED AJAR FOR ABOUT 2 AND A HALF HOURS AND I WATCHED LARGE HAPPY CUTTS  CLEARING THE SURFACE TO GRAB THE DRAKES MID AIR AS THEY EMERGED FROM THE GRAVEL RIFFLES ABOVE THE DEEPER RUNS. 

IT WAS A LOVELY DAY FOR BOTH ANGLERS AND FISH.  SUCH A GENEROUS BUG.

HUNTING DRAKE HATCHES IS WHAT THE GOOD WALK AND WADE GUIDES ARE DOING NOW AND DEAN RICHARDS HAS BEEN TRACKING THEM FOR THE LAST LITTLE WITH GREAT SUCCESS.  SOME DRAINAGES ARE WARM ENOUGH TO GET DANICA MOVING DURING THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS WHILE OTHERS ARE SO COLD THAT WITHOUT THE PENETRATION OF THE SUN TO WARM THEIR WATERS, THE DUNS WON'T SHOW THEMSELVES AS THEIR PREFERRED HATCHING TEMPS ARE BETWEEN 50 AND 54 DEGREES.

THESE COLDER STREAMS WILL GIVE US DRAKE DUNS DURING AUGUST WHILE THE MID TO LOWER ELK WILL HAVE  LITTLE TO NONE LEFT WHICH MAKES FOR SOME EXCELLENT WALK AND WADE CONDITIONS FOR THE BLUE BIRD DAYS.  THEY ARE NOT SMALL BUGS, WEIGHING IN AS HEAVYWEIGHTS IN SIZES 8-14 WITH THICK BODIES AND LARGE WINGS.  OUR DRAKES TEND TO BE MORE GRAY IN COLOUR WITH PURPLE HUES THEY ARE NOT HOWEVER GRAY DRAKES WHICH ARE BURROWER NYMPHS THAT INHABIT SLOWER, SILTIER WATER.  GREEN DRAKES LOVE THE COBBLY BOTTOMED COLD ROCKY MOUNTAIN FREESTONES THAT WE HAVE HERE IN BC AND ALBERTA AND ARE DEFINITELY MY FAVOURITE HATCH IN THE EAST KOOTENAYS.  

THE HUNT FOR THE HATCH WILL CONTINUE AND WE'VE GOT QUITE A FEW OFF THE BEATEN PATH LITTLE GEMS DIALLED IN, IT'S GREAT TIME TO GET OUT THE BOOTS AND HIKE.

ROSEY CHEEK IN CLEAN CLEAR ROCKY MOUNTAIN WATER

Welcome Back.

It's been a pretty amazing start on the Elk this year after the June 15th opening.  Lots of bugs, big fish and good flows.  An early and steady runoff that began in April allowed fish to feed throughout most of the freshet and the beasts got... beastier (word???).  Most of my pets from last fall were still out in their lairs rounding out their waistlines and putting on some heft.  Really nice to see that they wintered so well.

Happy Ending

The flows on the Elk and surrounding East Kootenay and Alberta streams has been excellent if not perfect in some cases and we may run into some low water conditions by mid August if we don't continue to get the rains we've been getting....who knows for sure and only time will tell.  For now we have it good.....really good.

Golden Stoneflies, caddis, sallies and even some ants on the bright sunny days and the mayfly buffet of drakes, pmd's and bwo's on the cloudy low pressure/rain/stormy/shitty days.  Hard to keep them out of the net really and many of my regulars have felt it's some of the best days they've seen on the Elk.

A Nice Elk River Cuttie Resting in the Brodin Net

I got back to the Columbia which fished tough in late May and early June due to poor weather and heavy pushes of water from the dam.....like 50,000 cfs on the weekends.  Fish were looking a bit haggard but all is good since my return.  Healthy, hot and plentiful fish on top as the caddis drape the water like a brown mist.  It's my favourite fishery at this time of year and still remains limited on pressure.  Always amazes me how many times I'm one of a few or simply the only angler out there.  People really need to see it to understand how good it can be.  Could be one of the best rainbow tailwaters in the country.

Columbia River Redband Adiposing

The Slocan has also been good although still a bit high...pretty much there though...really a gorgeous stream with some incredibly beautiful assortment of water and fish.  About to go on a guiding marathon in Fernie and Alberta starting Thursday.  July still has a few openings as does August, particularly late August.   September pretty much full for the first half and then quite open.

Looking forward to an excellent season after such a great start

Looking Upstream on the Elk River