Common names assigned by fly anglers

Started by Mudwall Gatewood 3.0, September 30, 2020, 10:43:49 AM

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Mudwall Gatewood 3.0

I'll start.

If someone, a stranger, tells you there's been an amazing late evening hatch of Pale Evening Duns at your local hotspot, how would you interpret and prepare?  What questions would you ask this bearer of potential great news to determine if he or she was indeed knowledgeable?  Or do you really care; it is a hatch and that is all the info you need.
"Enjoy every sandwich."  Warren Zevon

The Dude

The answer is always: Show up to the stream with Para Adams in sizes 12, 14, 16, and 18.

But, to be honest, I've always felt that emergers are the way to go during a mayfly hatch.

Full disclosure, very rarely have I fished a prolific evening mayfly hatch.  They don't really happen on most of the small, higher elevation wild streams I fish, and I'm usually on the road driving back home while they are happening anyway.  So I am a total amateur when it comes to that style of fishing. 

I was born by the river in a little tent, And just like the river I've been running ever since, It's been a long, long time coming, But I know change is gonna come.

Aka

The correct response is: "Hey there feller, you're not from 'round these parts are you? How's about you get your fancy rig back in your shiny pick up truck and go on get back to Nancy Pelosi land". Said under breath while looking for anything in the fly box that is light enough to work, "pale eavning duns' my ass, them's cahills you stupid sonbitch".

Big J


Mudwall Gatewood 3.0

Dude, I can respect your 'go-to' Adams parachute!  I have an entire box of Adams – located somewhere.  I can locate my new cheap Noodle golf balls but have no idea of where some of my fishing gear is located.  Damn, I am screwed up!!

My response to this particular scenario has changed over the years.
 
In the younger years (~25-45 years old) I would have immediately warmed to the good news and its deliverer.   I would have questioned the specific color of the duns' thorax, wings, and abdomen, the exact time of the emergence, the rise forms (emergers, high riding duns, etc.) and an estimate of numbers.  I would have inquired on their use of the common name Pale Evening Dun, what species of Ephemerella it represented, and broached the 1935 writing of Preston Jennings (A BOOK OF TROUT FLIES).  If he or she was familiar with Jennings, depending on their gender, I would have offered a reach-around or a gentle boobie massage. 

Now, I would simply reply with "Interesting".  And sulk off, remembering all those wonderful evenings of fishing the PED hatch. 
"Enjoy every sandwich."  Warren Zevon

Dougfish

Quote from: Aka on September 30, 2020, 11:03:52 AM"Hey there feller, you're not from 'round these parts are you? How's about you get your fancy rig back in your shiny pick up truck and go on get back to Nancy Pelosi land".

I resemble this remark.
"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here?
 Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change? "
Kelly's Heroes,1970

"I don't wanna go to hell,
But if I do,
It'll be 'cause of you..."
Strange Desire, The Black Keys, 2006

itieuglyflies

My response to this stranger might be "Did you by any chance leave a nice pile of rocks in the stream to mark the spot?"

Mudwall Gatewood 3.0

I really like the responses, but it is apparent that you guys really could give 2 shits about common names.  Shit fire and save matches, neither do I, but I used to be obsessed.  Used to stubbornly preach on labeling the hatch by the first common name assigned in the angling literature.  I never convinced anyone of the value of the practice.     
"Enjoy every sandwich."  Warren Zevon

Yallerhammer

Women want me, doughbellies fear me. - Little Debbie Prostaff

Big J

Quote from: Mudwall Gatewood 3.0 on September 30, 2020, 14:57:19 PMI really like the responses, but it is apparent that you guys really could give 2 shits about common names.  Shit fire and save matches, neither do I, but I used to be obsessed.  Used to stubbornly preach on labeling the hatch by the first common name assigned in the angling literature.  I never convinced anyone of the value of the practice.     

You sound like someone who would of enjoyed guiding.

Mudwall Gatewood 3.0

Quote from: Big J on September 30, 2020, 15:17:11 PM
Quote from: Mudwall Gatewood 3.0 on September 30, 2020, 14:57:19 PMI really like the responses, but it is apparent that you guys really could give 2 shits about common names.  Shit fire and save matches, neither do I, but I used to be obsessed.  Used to stubbornly preach on labeling the hatch by the first common name assigned in the angling literature.  I never convinced anyone of the value of the practice.   

You sound like someone who would of enjoyed guiding.

Don't go there, you peckerwood!  You know good and well that guiding was, for me, pure hell!

Back when I was not a dick and used to communicate often with other hatch-hunting anglers, the connection on what I thought were correct common names was very important to me.
"Enjoy every sandwich."  Warren Zevon

Woolly Bugger

yeah when Rhody and I were out on the madison one evening some old geeser, not unlink Mudwall, offered up the hatches of the day in latin... we nodded  politely and then, after he left, tied on an Elk Hair Caddis and slayed the fish.. 

ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Mudwall Gatewood 3.0

#12
Quote from: Woolly Bugger on September 30, 2020, 17:42:45 PMyeah when Rhody and I were out on the madison one evening some old geeser, not unlink Mudwall, offered up the hatches of the day in latin... we nodded  politely and then, after he left, tied on an Elk Hair Caddis and slayed the fish.. 



Yes, very common experience, particularly out west, where in my experience the fishes seem less picky.

My examples:

1. Biggest rainbow I caught on the flats of Henry's Fork was on a black beetle during a mayfly hatch
2. No trout were caught on DePuy spring creek during a PMD hatch until I tied on one of Harry Steeves' monstrosities – a huge black UFO
3. In prep for my first trip to a fork of the Little Laramie I studied every hatch chart for the area I could find.  No hatch when we arrived so caught a few very small browns on an Adams.  Discouraged I decided to try a sized 12 Royal Coachman.  Bingo!  Biggest browns in the stream loved this fly.  No freaking idea why and it pissed me off.  The next year we were prepared with what I would call off-the-wall patterns – Royal Wulffs, big Humpys, Steeves' Los Alamos ants, and even a huge pink foam abomination (purchased on-line, pic below) we called the Tampon fly.  All these patterns worked great.

Now on the eastern tailwaters I have fished, matching the hatch was more in demand.  At least for me, back when I was fanatical with collecting, IDing, common names, and trying to perfectly mimic.  Those days have long passed.  Now I am more than satisfied with a nice fat squirming worm on a sized 8 eagle claw.   

I would never have provided valid info to you, Rhody, or any other swinging dick.  I might have lied my ass off, like we used to do on the spillway reach of the Jackson tailwater.  Back when we were experimenting with the patterns for black fly larvae, emerging adults, and adult dries, we were successful, and patterns were very fruitful.  Tons of fish caught without moving more than a few meters and the lie to observers was always the same, "small PT nymph, that's what we're using".  The untruth worked so well that the dude running the Bait Place downstream sold out of PT nymphs.  I am glad there is no hell for me to go to.

I did communicate with other anglers, but never strangers drinking pretentious brews, or driving sporty vehicles with out-of-state tags
"Enjoy every sandwich."  Warren Zevon

Al

If you're not fishing an Allieworm backed up by a zebra midge under it - all suspended by a Simulator or yarn indicator you're probably not a serious trout fisherman.

troutrus

I would disregard the stranger on the assumption that she or he is full of shit as are most anglers.
I would then rig up with an AP nymph or one of Al's Allieworms under a bobber, and hope for the best.