Another day. Another day of rain. Another day with plenty of time to ponder questions about the never-ending rain, and what effect it’s having on our natural world.
Today’s question, offered up by a fly-fishing editor at this paper: Does this extended skein of cold weather and high water have a negative effect on insect hatches?
To be entirely truthful (never a good idea when you’re about to poke fun at your boss), I thought the editor in question was looking to answer another age-old question that I often find myself pondering: Why can’t I catch any fish?
Be that as it may, I took the question he asked (rather than the one he didn’t) and ran to an expert.
That expert, entomologist, University of Maine instructor, fishing guide and author Kevin Tracewski, put my editor’s concerns to rest.
“People probably want to hear a more dramatic [answer],” Tracewski said. “I don’t think it matters.”
The aquatic bugs that fish love to eat aren’t building any arks. In fact, they’re still doing exactly what they always do: Clinging to a rock, or burrowed on the bottom of a stream or lake; hatching; and (eventually) flying away.
No matter how cold it is.
No matter how much water there is.
No matter what.
In other words, if you’ve been having a difficult time catching fish, feel free to blame it on the weather. All of us do that, from time to time. Just don’t blame your fishing problems on the bugs. They’re doing just fine, thanks.
When it’s been raining for a month straight, I suppose the fact our aquatic creepie-crawlers are still thriving qualifies as good news (even if it’s not exactly what you wanted to read about while chomping on your Frosted Flakes).
“Basically, hatches are driven by an accumulation of degree-days, you know, pretty much like water temperature,” said Tracewski, the author of “A Fisherman’s Guide to Maine,” a popular guidebook of the state’s angling hotspots.
“The nature of invertebrates are, they just accumulate heat units, their metabolism is dependent on temperature,” he said. “It’s a little cooler than normal, so that may push back hatches a few days … but by and large, within a bell-shaped curve of a certain range, they’re going to hatch.”
Tracewski has spent plenty of time on the water this summer, guiding clients on a variety of waters. He says there have been few surprises.
“In talking to people and my experience this year, all the normal insects are hatching,” he said.
High flows may dislodge flies from their sub-surface homes, but Tracewski said that poses few problems; those flies will simply flush downstream and find another place to develop and hatch.
Tracewski said a more interesting question may be this: Why can an angler on a particular body of water fish a huge insect hatch one day while another angler on the same water sees no hatching bugs the very next night?
His answer, however, isn’t too helpful: Nobody really knows.
For those avid anglers who want to do some amateur science experiments in order to improve their fishing success, however, Tracewski’s got a handy hint.
“For people who are interested in keeping track of [which insects are hatching], it’s as simple as turning on your porch light at night and checking your door screen in the morning,” Tracewski said.
If you live near the water you’re going to fish, all the better. At that point, if you fish imitation flies that resemble the natural flies on your screen, you’re a step ahead of those who are simply making educated guesses.
Maine Bike Rally on tap
Bicyclists from throughout the country will head to Fryeburg on Friday for the 21st annual Maine Bike Rally. The event will run through Sunday.
According to a press release, the rally includes more than 35 rides, including the Cornshop Hop and the Wicked Hilly Triple Notched Century.
Other rides will take bikers to swimming holes and tourist attractions.
The rally will be staged from Fryeburg Academy. Due to an L.L. Bean sponsorship, cyclists from 17 towns near Fryeburg will be allowed to participate in rides for free.
For more information, call 623-4511 or go to www.BikeMaine.org or the Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s Facebook page.
Maine highpower match set
Some of the state’s top competitive shooters will gather at Hampden Rifle and Pistol Club this weekend for the Maine Highpower Rifle Championship.
The matches kick off Saturday with an NRA 80-round competition. Sign-in begins at 8:30 a.m.
On Sunday, a Garand match will be held first, and will be followed by a 50-round National Match Course competition.
For more information, call 827-6258.
990-8214
