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B.W.O.'s & Midges: The Early Season in Pennsylvania

by Michael Heck

 

For many anglers, winter is the time to put away the fly rod. It is time to catch up on some reading, tie flies or do some hunting. A few hearty anglers battle the cold and often frozen rod guides through out winter. Most winter fishing is done below the surface using streamers and nymphs. Some days winter fly fishermen may encounter a few midges - or even a rise or two. This is common when Mother Nature spoils us with a warm day.

 

It takes just one warm February day to spark the seasonal fly fishermen interest. They will gather their equipment and head out to their favorite stream to wet a line. Then put it away with the next cold spell.

 

By March, the first of the hatches are underway. Trout are now willing to inhale the floating insects. Of all the hatching insects, midges and B.W.O's are the first to kick off the dry-fly season.

 

All the South-Central and surrounding streams open for fly fishing during February and have hatches of B.W.O.'s and Midges. B.W.O. hatches are light on some and more abundant on other streams. Expect to find light hatches on the Falling Springs, Letort, and Green Springs, but hitting the right day and hatches could be more promising. The Yellow Breeches provides better hatches of B.W.O's without the summertime crowds. All these streams mentioned have excellent hatches of midges and I would have to include the "ditch" at Big Springs for some fine midge fishing.

 

Further away, B.W.O's and midges can be found hatching on Yellow Creek, the trophy trout section of the Little Juniata and Spring Creek at State College.

 

B.W.O's hatch from mid-morning into the afternoon. Nymph imitations fished dead-drift then allowed to swing off the bottom is effective. The Mike's Baetis Nymph in 18's and 16's is a good trout fooling pattern. Trout will feed on the emerging nymphs and floating duns. Be ready with the B.W.O. dun, olive compara-duns and parachutes tied on 20 through 16 hooks. Emerging nymphs can be matched with olive CDC emergers. A few hints: For calm, glassy surfaces try compara-duns; on windy days, skate a standard B.W.O. dun across the surface; or dead-drift a parachute over rising trout.

 

Some love while others hate midge fishing. During the early months, be prepared with a variety of sizes and colors to match the hatches. Hooks sizes of 20-26 and colors of olive, black and gray with a CDC wing or bodies wrapped by hackle will match adult midges. Take time to look at the rise. If the trout's nose doesn't break through the surface, they are feeding on midge pupa. Try my Mike's Midge Pupa, sizes 20-22, for midge pupa feeding trout. Fish these dead-drift with 7X tippets.

 

In some cases, midge larva can entice a strike as the case at Big Springs and the "run" at the Yellow Breeches. Midge larva are mostly imitated by red thread bodies, peacock thoraxes tied on 14-20 bent nymph hooks. Midge larva may be fished anywhere in the drift.

 

The early season gets myself and others in the fly fishing state of mind. For some, it provides them with the first of many rising trout. It is the perfect time to "tune-up" your dry-fly skills. This is only the warm up to get us ready for the hatches of olive caddis, Hendricksons, and sulphurs just to name a few!

 

To get you ready look below at a selection of effective flies for those hatches mentioned. For local or traveling anglers, call me at 717-261-0070, or e-mail at trout@mris.com. I can supply you with flies and guide services for all the area streams and trips to the Juniata.

 

 

Mike's Baetis Nymphs, CDC Olive Emergers Standard Blue Wing Olive (BWO), Olive Compara-duns Olive Parachutes, Griffith's Gnats, Mike's Midge Pupa, CDC midges

 

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