The Hendricksons will all be here…

A fly fisher’s variation on the lyric in the Beatles’ For the Benefit of Mr. Kite.  The Hendricksons – Ephemerella subvaria – have arrived throughout the lower Deerfield.  Look for birds feasting on the prolific hatches above the river.  The trout will take them as nymphs, emerger, duns and spinners.  The action on top of the water is very exciting – it is the first substantial feeding frenzy on local waters.  I like to fish a wet fly imitation that passes as an emerger,  crippled dun, and submerged spinner.  This is one of the hatches that challenges the angler to successfully compete with the  enormous amount of naturals in and on the water.  Last night I fished for a short time with my friend, Jeff J, during the hatch on a part of the Deerfield not far from town.  I often have success dead-drifting the wet fly along with a more heavily weighted nymph as an anchor, but this was not the case last night.  When I shifted to a traditional down and across wet fly presentation I had immediate success.  Come on out and experience the thrill of the hatch!

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