Fishing The Soft Window And The Blood Midge Dry

Today at Lake Davis I experienced a phenomena that does not happen all the time, sighting trout in 6"-3 feet of water eating Blood Midge emergers.  It's not a game of numbers but rather stalking your prey and seeing the take right in front of your eyes.  When the fish are in this skinny of water they are right off the bank ranging from 3-20 feet out.  Sometimes so close, that you have to be on your hands and knees just to make a successful cast and not spooking them by your profile.  Today was not just another day, today was magic! 

The wind came up slightly out of the east and the fish adjusted to the soft window off the bank.  What is the "soft window" you may ask?  Whatever direction the wind blows at Lake Davis you can always find a group of willows on a high bank that shields the water in front of them.  This creates flat water for x number of feet.  The trout will eagerly come into to this water as they can see emerging bugs more clearly.  Most often they will sit on the fringe of rippled water and the soft window, a good place to targets casts when risers are not present.  The image above is a prime example of the wind blowing left to right, the soft water, and the fringe.  But today I had plenty of targets, and the fish did not stray far when rising, they had their beats and cruised them freely.  The wind, now more powerful, switched to the south east and I had to find another productive bank to find fish.  Sure enough I found a pod, far from the crowds of the north lake.  I hooked 6 on the dry, landing 4, 16-18", clean and colorful, and full of fight.   This is a must experience for any stillwater fly angler, It's more than just trolling around in a float tube and a sinking line, or fishing an indicator.  This game is hunting, and the trout know your there every time because they sense you, and it's not easy.  A Lake Davis rainbow caught on a dry is a highly prized fly angling feat, in fact...... It's magic.