January, February, & March****
Winter trout tend to keep to the bottom of deep pools and become more active during midday. Fish the foot of long shallow runs. Some hatches do occur, for example midges and stoneflies. Try weighted nymphs or slow streamers. Sometimes the most effective nymph patterns imitate the largest nymph in the stream. Try sowbugs, Cressbugs, Egg patterns, Dons’ Sculpin, Crawfish & Wooley buggers.
January
Water temperatures in January usually remain in the low forties. We start seeing concentrations of Snowflies.
February
In early February water temperatures are around forty degrees.
Some hatches do occur, for example midges and stone-flies.
March
The first part of March brings temperatures in the mid forty's and the first Robins of the season.
M=morning; A=afternoon; E=evening
H=major hatch; S=sporadic; P=present
Red=important
PATTERN SCIENTIFIC NAME TIME Jan Feb MarC
Behavior Location
MAYFLIES
Little Blue Quill or Baetis tricaudatus MAE H H
Swimmer flats
Iron Blue Dun Paraleptophlebia MA H
Crawler pools ,flats
STONEFLIES MA H H
Little Black Stonefly Capnia vernalis
crawler riffles, runs
ATTERN SCIENTIFIC NAME TIME Jan Feb MarC
Behavior Location
DIPTERA
Midge, (Al’s Rat) Chironomidae MAE H H H
pools, flats
Craneflies
Orange Crane Fly Tipula bucomis P P
pools, flats, runs
TERRESTRIALS
Leeches Hirudinea P P P
Scuds , Dons Scud Amphipoda, Isopoda P P P
swimmer, crawler pools, flats
PATTERN SCIENTIFIC NAME TIME Jan Feb MarC
Behavior Location
Crawfish Crustacea P P P
swmmer, crawler pools and flats
FISHES
Sculpin Cotidae P P P
crawler, Swimmer pools, flats, run, riffles
Dace, shiners etc. Cypinidae P P P swimmer pools
Suckers Catostomidae P P P
swimmer, rester pools, flats, runs
Trouts and Chars salmondae P P P
Swimmer pools, flats, runs, riffles
****When The Little Lehigh Fly Shop opened I met Terry Donaldson, Ph.D.
Terry, a laid back friendly asset to the cadre' associated with my shop was a practical, friendly, cerebral Doctor Of Bugs.
Being associated with him was a privilege.
Terry was kind enough to provide the fly data and emergence charts for my use.
With the exception of a few additions and comments, this is the work of Terry Donaldson.
The last I heard of Terry he was heading for a career in Asia.
I hope he is hooking fish and checking out the bugs where ever he is.