It has been quite a while since i have fished on the Kings river in Wicklow so over the weekend i decided to make a journey over the mountains to check it out. There had been some rain fall during the previous week so i thought the fresh water in the river would make for some good fishing. It was a warm breezy day with some light rainfall, some sunshine and cloud cover. The air temperature was expected to reach twenty two degrees Celcius. I arrived at the river at about 2.30 pm and had my usual look around to see was there any fish or insects moving. Looking downstream through my binoculars i could see several fish steadily rising but i could not make out what they were rising to.
Rising Fish
I set the rod up to fish a dry fly, but which fly to use? I sneaked down to where the fish were rising to see whether i could make out what the fish were busily feeding on. On my way down i noticed that i was disturbing lots of small creamy coloured white moths from the bracken and grasses. There were literally hundreds of moths flitting about everywhere. On getting to where the fish were feeding i was amazed to see that they were greedily taking the same moths as they were blown onto the waters surface. I must have sat and watched the trout rising and snatching the moths for a good half an hour. It was the first time i had observed trout taking down so many moths in daylight. A new experience for me.
Agriphila straminella
As i had no idea whatsoever as to the identity of the moth i took some photos and some live samples . I later had these moths identified as Agriphila straminella (thanks to ‘MOTHMAN’). He also informed me that they were a micro species that has no common english name. Back to the fishing and what imitation to use. Looking through my fly boxes i came across a creamy coloured foam sedge and as this was the nearest imitation to the moths that i had with me, i tied it on to try out. I fished with this for about twenty minutes and only caught one fish. Time to change tactics. I decided to move downstream into the valley where the river was more sheltered.
Kings River
When i got down into the valley it was like being in a different river. There was no breeze, no moths on the water and no signs of any fish moving. As it was more broken water with fasters riffles and runs i decided to set up with a team of North Country spiders i.e. Black spider, Snipe & purple and a Light Woodcock. I tied on the Light Woodcock as i had seen a few needle flies flying about. Fishing the spiders across and down it was not long before i had fish on.
Needle Fly
As i headed downstream fishing all of the little pools runs and riffles, i was catching small wild brown trout in most of them. Some of the fish were taking the Black spider others went for the Snipe & purple while the most of them fell for the Light Woodcock. It always pays to have a good look around for whatever insects are about on the day. The water temperature was at a nice sixteen and a half degrees celcius. A good temperature considering the altitude of the river, about two hundred metres above sea level. Finishing the day with a total of seventeen wild little brownies all safely returned to the waters of the Kings river. Along with it being a great day out it was also another school day for me.
Wild Brown Trout
After observing the trout of the Kings river feeding so actively on the moths i will be tying up some kind of an imitation to have in my fly box should i ever again see wild brown taking these moths. Perhaps i will add it to my Flytying page whenever i find the time to get it up and running. It is still a work in progress!
its funny how a hatch of fly of a specific species of insect can
trigger a rise of fish in a certain area and change the conditions
or move down stream and using the same fly nothing ,change the fly to better suit the condidtons ie spider paterns with water that is a bit cooler or as in this case faster makes perfect sence to me it’s
what makes fly fishing so interesting and fun when I lived and fished in the north of Scotland I fished spiders more than conventional wet’s another very interesting topic I think I enjoy your outings more or at least just as much as you do
thanks again and tight lines
Bobby
Another great report, and very interesting too, I reckon the more we think we know our quarry the more they teach us to the contrary!
Late to the party here, but i do enjoy these reports, very well done.
Regarding these little moths – not gone to the bother of such precise ID tbh, but there are a lot of some such creatures on my own stream, and I’ve always suspected that is one reason the simple sedge pattern that I fish is so successful…. that is the elk hair wing with a body of sparsely dubbed cream seal’s fur blended with a little yellow over brown silk.
But hey – who knows? Lol!
Thanks Andrew. I was trying to put a pattern together to try out next time those little moths are abundant. I will tie up a few to your suggested pattern.