mild winter 11/12

[hares ear]

Hi everybody,
It is probably still ok to wish a Happy New Year.
I have got a question to the seatrout experts. From when on can one expect "worm hatches" given the mild winter so far?
I am slowly but surely feeling withdrawal symptoms and perhaps I can steal a weekend and hit the salt,
TL
Florian

[Martin Joergensen]

Florian,

Sorry I'm a ittle late with a reply here, but things have been hectic workwise.

Regarding the worm hatches, I actualy don't think that it's temperature alone, but rather the length of the day and the moon phase in combination with temperatures that has the greatest influence. I have no specific knowledge about when to expect the first clam worms, but here in Denmark we see them in late February and during March, and only after certain circumstances meet.

I personally only experienced a real worm hatch once or twice.

Martin

[hares ear]

Martin,
thanks for the reply, this work thing is geting to all of us.

I have just returned from aone day fly in and out deal to our head office and am hangin out in a hotel because I am going to teach a little about fish to nutritional students tomorow.

Thanks for sharing the worm pattern as well, there are fairly complicated patterns on double hook rigs connected by fishing line or wire which one can get a knot in the fingers while trying to ty them. Yours looks very pragmatic,
TL
Florian

[Martin Joergensen]

Florian,

I never tied or fished any of the double hook/wire thingamajigs. I'd hate tying them and honestly, most of them don't look that convincing once they get in the water because they use pretty stiff wire. I have seen some tied with marabou and spun spinning line (GSP, Dyneema, Fireline type) and they look OK.

The steelhead fly called the MOAL (Mother Of All Leeches) is also pretty convincing. I'm working on an article about the MOAL. I wouldn't probably tie and fish it myself on a regular basis, but it's pretty successful in the northwestern US and BC.

For my own use I stand by the Woolly Bugger style, the Omoe Brush and the zonker pattern that I tied for the first time some years ago.

Martin

[hares ear]

three of your mundane worms are drying at the vice, together with 6 polar Magnus, the itch in the right hand is getting worse....
TL
Florian

[Martin Joergensen]

Florian,

Hope the worms will work for you.

And I know that itch. Mine starts in a month or so, especially if the weather gets mild and sunny. Right now I'm realistic. It's January, howling wind and sleet. No itch in that!

Martin