Ahh, yes. Trico time, the time of year accomplished fly
fisherman throw down their rods in disgust. Take up the golf
clubs, repaint the house, design the ninth wonder of the world.
Anything but test their patience and skill against the dreaded
Tricos and the super selective trout that feed on them. Called
the ‘White Winged Devils’ in the gentlest of circles, these tiny
micro hatches can infuriate the most skilled of the fly fishing
angler. Huge lunker trout hunker down in feeding lanes slurping
up every Trico spinner except the pattern you are offering to
them. And after several hundred tedious passes, after you have
lightened your tippet, after you have changed your position
after you have done everything but jump in the water and grab
the fish with your bare hands, you give up in disgust, and wait
for something larger and more tangible to come off the water. A
nice Salmonfly hatch would be the ticket. But, alas there are
ways to improve your catch rate during these prolific hatches.
About the Trico:
The Tricos are prevalent in a majority of great trout fly
fishing streams from Pennsylvania to the west coast. They
primarily hatch in the morning, and primarily in the summer.
Although the streams of Arizona and New Mexico can have hatches
in February. The Trico is tiny, this adds to the frustration of
many fly fisher’s, it can be as small as size 26 hook, although
they primarily are in the 18-22 range. Besides their diminutive
size, they can be recognized by their lack of hind wing.
On many rivers the Trico hatch is multigenerational lasting
several months into late summer or early fall. So trout see a
lot of them, and a few fish get caught, making them even more
selective. By far the easiest Trico fishing is the actual
spinner fall. After the laying of the eggs, the females die in
swarms and fall into the river, and then the males closely
follow. Hatching usually takes place early in the morning or
late at night. With the spinner falls shortly after daybreak to
mid-morning.
Flies:
As we stated above, spinner falls are more important than the
actual hatch for fly fishing. Spinner falls happen in clusters
and trout crowd into feeding lanes, and can open their mouths
and inhale a multitude of flies. Here at The Big Y Fly Co.
(http://www.bigyflyco.com) we carry Parachutes and Spinners, in
both male (black) and female (cream) colors. The Parachute with
their white posts are easier to see, and can be used for the
hatch and the spinner fall. They also are more buoyant than the
hackle-less spinner.
The Spinner pattern has the advantage of being easier to fish
below the surface. During the fall, the Trico’s drown and fish
often slurp up these delicacies below the surface, for safer
feeding. Trout are less selective sub-surface and thus it makes
for easier imitation as well.
Fishing:
Most fish caught during the Trico hatch are taken fairly close
to the angler, twelve to twenty feet. Accurate casts are
required especially during the spinner falls when fish
congregate. If casting accurately isn’t your forte, then fishing
the actual hatch is probably your best bet. Using slower action
rods often enhances casting accuracy, and absorb much of the
shock when fish strike to protect the tippets. To learn more
about rod selection read:
http://www.bigyflyco.com/choosingaflyrod.html.
As mentioned earlier light tippets are the rule. Fishing tiny
flies requires a drag free drift, and once hooked fish will need
to be finessed or they will break your fly off. Try to lead your
fish out of the feeding lanes by pointing your rod tip down and
forcing them to shore, thus spooking less fish, and getting your
fish into slower water will ease its landing.
Since the Trico hatch is long in many areas the trout become
more and more selective. During the spinner fall they will often
feed on females (cream color) first and males (black) second. It
often pays off to switch flies during the fall, it is often
difficult to rationalize, to take the time this requires, when
fish are rising everywhere. If you are fortunate enough to have
two rods handy, rig them up before hitting the water.
If you are having no luck, try forcing your pattern sub-surface.
This works especially well for the Trico Spinner pattern. Fish
are often more vicious feeders under the water and less
selective. It is often the way fly fishing novice’s catch their
first trout during the Trico hatch.
Summary:
Perhaps more than any other fly fishing experience, the Trico
hatch teaches us patience, perseverance, and the joys of
catching fish. Summer is a glorious time to be on the water, and
the Trico hatch gives us an excuse to let that paint fade just
one more year
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