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ElkHair
05-07-2004, 04:00 PM
All the talk about stones on the LR and BSF got me thinking about an experience I had on the Logan in January about 6 years ago. I used to fish the Logan religiously, having cut my dry fly teeth on it's beautiful browns and cutts. While I didn't spend much time there in the winter, I happened to be there one January day with a co-worker who was a newbie. It was cold, but not too cold - about 35-40 degrees. With the howling wind it felt like 20. I know, I know, balmy for the Logan. I set him up with a standard nymph rig and he managed to catch a few before high-tailing it to the truck to get warm.

I headed up to a run that always produced for me during the summer months using small dries and surveyed the river. About this same time a little snow started to fall and the sky became completely overcast, the wind stopped and the wind chill temp rose enough that I only had to break ice off my guides every 15 casts instead of every 5. Suddenly, there were rises everywhere in this pool - from it's head to tail. I started looking for bugs, having not seen any so far. Flying around and landing on me were what I could only describe as a black stonefly with gray wings, #16 to #14 in size. Are these what are referred to as snowflies, maybe the Logan Snowfly (Utacapnia logana)?

chanceb
05-07-2004, 05:46 PM
My guess is hallucinations, probably induced by the previous night's activities..hehehe

ElkHair
05-07-2004, 06:59 PM
You just kill yourself, don't you - juice head.

I went the rounds on alt.rec.fishing.fly with just about everyone - nobody could explain what the bug was. I'd think somebody would have experienced this hatch and know what the bug was.

I bet Crosby has seen them - if he'll admit it. It was his link that got me thinking about it again.

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/insects/sfly/ut/toc.htm#pteronarcy

Crosby
05-07-2004, 07:08 PM
Yes- I have seen them- though I matched the latin up with them (Moni nome scume) thats 9th grade Latin or as the old goat always told me.:dumbasses stupidacus. They are a stone- I do fish in the winter with a fly of some sort of resemblence on the BS. just a grizzley hackle, dubbed black or brown body and a goose biot for a layed down wing.

ElkHair
05-07-2004, 07:15 PM
Ok, chanceb - pay up. Crosby even gave the type of fly he uses in the open forum.

Well, it was an amazing hatch. I imagine it occurs only under very specific conditions and varies greatly from year to year. Aren't all winter hatches that way?

Thanks Crosby.