There are external things that need to be evaluated before fishing such as weather, water flow, clarity and season. We are going to discuss the food that trout eat here. It is hard to remember what each bug is, but important to learn for success.
The bugs on a trout stream can be found by turning over rocks, looking in bushes. Skim the surface with a small aquarium net to catch anything floating by. Finding the bugs is the first step in determining what the fish are eating and making a good choice in what fly to tie on.
The life of a bug in a trout stream goes through several stages. From larvae and puppa to nymphs and emergers and finally adults. Tying on a fly that matches what the trout are eating is essential for your fishing success. Try and catch what you see and compare it to the flies in your box. Look for size and color as well as the overall look.
To identify the bugs you find look for these clues. Mayfly adults have curled tails. As nymphs they will have 4 legs and 3 tails. Stoneflies nymphs have 6 legs and 2 tail sections. Adult stoneflies will have 4 wings. Stones are a pretty large fly as an adult. Caddis nymphs have a wing case and 6 legs. The adults have 2 wings and 2 antennae. There are often grasshoppers, ants and beetles around. These are great to imitate.
Once you know what you’ve got the next stage is to pick a fly that will match. Not all the bugs and flies look alike so it helps to know what the flies are as well. Hold the bug you are matching to your fly box and compare. Match size and color as well as overall look. If it looks good to you it will look good to the fish. Matching exact hatches is only really needed during a major hatch where there is abundant food for the trout to choose from.
When selecting your fly remember that trout are looking up at it and you are looking down. Turn the fly over before picking it. Smaller is usually better if the exact size cannot be matched. Trout will usually go for a smaller imitation and shy from a larger offering.
Follow these steps to better fly selection and watch your catch rate improve.
The food chain is constantly changing, so it is a good idea to check the stream regularly.
Best of Luck and tight lines
Check out our pocket size guide for on the water references that will help ID the bugs you find.