[Richard Tong]

Sandy,

Weird one that...we have great Grannom hatches down here in Yorkshire and the Trout go mad for them. They definitely switched straight on to them at Monymusk as soon as they started emerging. Paul was upstream at the time so missed it and did not see a hatch so it may have been localised.

Oliver Edwards did a good Grannom article in April 1996 in FF & FT for those of you who keep back copies. He fishes 12 miles further down the Wharfe (at Gallogate) than I do and for some strange reason a lot of the flys down there are a lot smaller than generally accepted (BWO size 18,20 and Grannom size 18 etc),so you have to bear this in mind when reading some of his articles. As usual check what the size is that you get on your river(s).

Ben/Sandy,

We saw masses of small black and black/yellow winged caddis at Monymusk last May,generally in the reeds fringing the river. We collected samples and sent them to Stuart Crofts to ID. They were not microcaddis as I had thought and if/when I find his note on what they were I will let you know,

Richard

[Richard Tong]

For those that are intrerested the caddis we sent to be identified were

Silo pallipes
Goera pilosa
Agapetus fuscipes

For any budding entomologists you can look these up for their common names. If/when I get time later I may do this and post here

Richard
 
 

[Richard Tong]

S. pallipes is Black Sedge
G.pilosa is Medium Sedge
A.fuscpes is Little Black Sedge and in some books as Tiny Grey Sedge

Richard

[Sandy Nelson]

Good stuff richard

I think your comment about localised rises is pretty much a fair comment for a lot of the bugs on the Don.
Sometimes the localisation can be very distinct

I have yet to witness a good rise to grannoms on the Don, the odd one, but never a rise.

Nice to know it does happen though. If my memory serves me right the Don grannoms are pretty small too.

Sandy

[Richard Tong]

Sandy,

They looked 'normal' sized to us with a plump 'muddy olive' body. From memory appx a size 14

Richard

[Sandy Nelson]

Doesn't surprise me, richard.
Like you said about the warfe
there can be distinct local variations in species sizes
I know some of the upwings are different sizes and colours
depending on beat. The nature of the river is different
in terms of flow and substrate, so it figures the bugs will be different

all good fun

sandy

[Mike Barrio]

Great stuff Richard

Fishing sedges in a variety of sizes and shades on the Don has always been a good plan

Best wishes
Mike

[Richard Tong]

I have come across an interesting article in an old (Summer 2008) copy of The Grayling Journalwhich I think I have attached. In it he states that "In May and June there is a very important emergence of small grey caddisflies from the family Glossosomatidae,the two most common species that appear on Trout and Grayling waters are Agapetus fuscipes and Agapetus ochripes. These are proving to be very interesting and drive fish mad on the edge of dark when they emerge."

I recall somwhere Ben mentioning small grey caddis emerging in the evening and having great sport when this occured. This could be this emergence I suppose. What did you catch on Ben,size and dressing?

As Stuart has said many times there is a great deal we do not know in the UK about our indigenous species from an angling point of view..and a lot to learn. From what I know I understand that those across the pond and the Europeans are far more knowledgeable about their own caddis

Richard

[Richard Tong]

I mewant to say that A.fuscipes was one of the samples that I sent to Stuart and there was loads of them about last May. If I notice the same this year I want to be prepared and look out for them in the evenings. We did fish one hatch on a day when Ben and Hamish had left Monymusk and there was a good evening hatch of Olive Uprights from 10-10:30pm and we had trout of 2lb 14oz and 3lb 1oz but who knows maybe there were these small grey caddis and maybe we could have done better with an imitation of them!

Richard

[Ben Dixon]

Hi Richard,

"In May and June there is a very important emergence of small grey caddisflies from the family Glossosomatidae,the two most common species that appear on Trout and Grayling waters are Agapetus fuscipes and Agapetus ochripes. These are proving to be very interesting and drive fish mad on the edge of dark when they emerge."

That about sums it up!!  When the hatch occurred it began sometime between 21:30 and 10:30 and lasted for up to about 2 & a half hours, max.  Seemed to peak about 30 mins before the light really began to fade and was pretty much done by 30 mins into proper darkness, edge of darkness sums it up very well.  I was getting about 45 mins of serious activity when I was not sure which fish to cast it but it was worth being on the water for the duration.

The size in the pic looks about right although the colour looks a few shades darker than I remember the flies to be.  I had best success on small klinks, partridge 15BNX, size 20 tied quite short in the body.  Colour was light tan with peacock thorax.

I did try a few adult patterns that I tied up but found the small klink outfished them every time. 

Cheers

Ben

[Richard Tong]

Cheers Ben!

So just a standard Klink then in the appropriate size. This is my 'go to' pattern when it is too dark to see spinner imitations or whatever on the water. Works consistently well and I use a Fluo Yellow post which I find the best colour in the gathering gloom. I seem to recall we had this conversation about Klinks that night at Kintore!! You can fish into the dark when the fish are still going at it-cast into 'silver paper' water and you can see where your fly lands,as it disturbs the surface, and strike at any rises in the vicinity...becomes a bit of a chore trying to unhook fish in the dark,though would not mind if it was a hefty Don fish!

Itching to get up again;just not sure how and when all the snow will have melt and gone, as when this gets into the system everything will slow up!

Richard

[Ben Dixon]

Hi Richard,

Just looked up a picture of Agapetus in "Caddisflies" by Ames.  The fly looks to me to be the same as that pictured on pg 92, listed as Agapetus Pinatus although I am not sure that this particular fly is present in the UK.  Body colour is stated to be "dirty yellow at emergence that turns to dark brown within hours of exposure to air & light".

Cheers

Ben

[Richard Tong]

Nice one Ben, though not familiar with this book or even heard of it! However it is now in my 'Amazon' Wish List. Do you recommend this? Am thinking of purchasing this plus the "Orvis Vest Pocketguide to Caddisflies"...any views on this?

Richard

[Ben Dixon]

Hi Richard,

It is a nice book, Paul told me that there are a few possible inaccuracies in it, think these may have been picked out by Stuart.  It is probably the most comprehensive book on Caddis I have come accross.  If you are thinking about the Orvis book, leave it a few days and I will have a look and see what I can turn up.

Cheers

Ben

[Richard Tong]

Cheers Ben,

Thanks, I look forward to hearing from you on this! I plan to buy both so I can have Ames book at home and the Orvis one on fishing trips to ID (or try to!) some of these caddis. Some are easy and well known but others,to me at least are relatively unknown (such as Agapetus) and look like we should be aware of them because as you are witness yourself, they can provide good sport if you know what to look for

Richard