Summer Hatches! Trico Edition
Hans Stephenson |
Tricos are the most prolific mayfly hatches of the summer. In the Black Hills the most reliable hatches of Tricos are found on Rapid Creek. Typically the hatches are thickest nearer Rapid City, however occaisionally there are fishable hatches above Pactola in the Silver City area. We also see hatches of tricos on Spring Creek, Crow Creek, and Box Elder Creek. Trico activity takes place in the early morning. Fish feed most reliably during the "spinner fall". The spinner fall occurs as the spent adults fall onto the surface of the stream after mating and egg laying. Thousands of dead trico adults drift downstream for the waiting trout. Due to the number of bugs on the water, trico hatches can be tricky to fish. Focus on getting good drag free drifts, changing tippet sizes, and choosing a pattern that closely matches the profile of the tricos on the stream you are fishing.