heya

some people may remember a previous post of mine ("success but why")where the lake i was fishing was alive with fish on the surface (sipping, splashing and head and tailing) but i could not catch anything on the surface or just below until i tried a white bodied montana. I went to the same place yesterday and it was exactly the same but this time i could not tempt a single fish trying everything i could think of and a few that other people recommended in my other post! A local guy came past and said that the trout were often like this and that the were not feeding but "cleaning their gills". I have never heard of this before and the number of rises would suggest that they were feeding on something but that i was not successful in finding what it was...i even tried a "popper" to no avail.....has anyone ever heard this explaination before??

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Job done.

I know exactly what you mean,

I spent the morning at Selmuir and the best I got was a couple of pulls. Tried loads of different patterns. The most frustrating bit was that I could see the fish just lazily swimming past but were not interested in anything I had on my line.

I guess some days they just don't buy what your selling!!

Sometimes ,like after a flood or heavy rain,fih gills do get filled up some with silt and they look like they are feeding but are actually clearing their gills ,a bit like when we have dust in our noses,we need to clean them out.
On the other hand maybe the problem was they were on something that you just couldnt see and when this happens and fish are only wanting one certain thing ,copying it and the right size is key.
The old addage of something simaler wont do ,it needs to be exact.yes the odd fish will catch but not as much as having the exact fly on.
thats my idea

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Kevin

I have seen this a few times and I always find it happens when the lakes have been stocked that day. But I don't know for sure

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Hard work never hurt anyone...but im not taking the risk

At this time of year I would think that they are feeding on small snails as they float up to the surface.

Frank

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Frank Williams APGAI

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Hi', Frank. That is a very likely explanation, as some snails are air breathers --pulmonates -- and snails, I was once informed, migrate by attaching themselves, by their 'foot', to the surface film, while the surface movement carries them hither and thither, in search of pastures green. The clue is very gentle dimpling, with no sign of a flying or floating insect on or over the water. I associate this behaviour with mid September to October, when there are fewer naturals about. Incidentally, if you are sure that snails are the cause, a fair copy is a fat, short bodied Black and Peacock, with the hackle ginked up.
A dark grey or blue dun hackle works, and you may use a hook with a longer shank to give better point exposure, and to act as a keel.
TerryC
PS If you can't see your snail fly, you can tie in a bit of material as a marker, pointing forward over the eye of the hook. A bunch of game red cock hackle barbs would do.

Sorry to take a very different view but I would suggest a very different approach. I am pretty confident I can catch visible and moving fish but I would seldom start with a dry.

My first attempt, merely because it gets a very rapid response would be to try lures of various colours on a long leader on a floater - blob, cat, black taddy, twiddled or pulled through the moving fish. I would try each of them in turn for 2 or 3 casts and half the time they will be on it like a tramp on a pastie. If you don't get one in ten casts that is not going to work, as they have clearly seen the flies.

Next try would be something equally visible but more imitative, like a damsel or daddy. Again a few casts is plenty.

If nothing has worked by then, I would look at nymphs or dries in smallish sizes or a combination of the two to keep the nymphs high in the water.

Overall, it's possible none of these will work, but in 90% of situations, if they are genuinely moving to feed, one of these approaches will work.

Charlie

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Sonik Sports Team Pitsford Pirates