March, the stoke is real. With each day, hope grows for improving weather, improved fishing. The days grow longer. The temps, air, and water slowly climb. Sure, there will be setbacks, but things are looking up. My fishing intensifies, I’m a bit more wired. I expect the fish to increase their feeding, as a larger window of opportunity exists. By the middle of the month, if not before, we should see our first decent hatch of the year, the Blue Wing Olives. For me the first real opportunity for daily surface activity. The time to put away the streamers, at least for part of the day. 

The beginning of March will still be a lot of streamer fishing, but I look forward to that first surface eat of the season. On the watersheds I fish, the Blue Wing Olives get the party started.  The duns can be imitated with a size #16 or #18 pattern (when in doubt, I always go smaller for all hatches).  I find it hard to beat a Sparkle Dun pattern in appropriate shades of color, and I know some (Gary) who fish it throughout the season.  At this time of year, the hatch can be brief, but once it starts, it doesn’t take long for the fish to become accustomed to the daily emergence and are quick to the table.  

Being that the hatch can be brief, one can extend their opportunities by fishing nymphs and soft hackles.  By late morning/early afternoon, I will bounce a #16 short shank bead head Pheasant Tail nymph through the riffles, expecting the fish to be there looking for insect movement. Once I see any indication of fish feeding on or near the surface, I will quickly switch over to a Pheasant Tail soft hackle and start swinging through the riffles and tail outs.  I tend to hold off switching to the Sparkle Dun until I see a number of duns on the water and fish feeding in a steady rhythm on the surface.  

So the Time is getting closer. Winter hangs on, but Spring will start to gain an edge in the yearly arm wrestling match of seasons. 

Time for the first steady Mayflies of the season. 

Time, for the first, as a friend would say, “REAL fishing” of the year”.

Time to switch tactics and take a break from what’s been done for months. 

Time to celebrate this particular bug because on so many watersheds, so many other hatches have been lost. 

Spring.  I’ve been waiting.