Stonefly nymphs crawl out of the water to hatch into adults. This transformation occurs on weeds, grass, rocks and anything else handy near the shore line. Are their cases present anywhere? Mayflies molt after they hatch. This also occurs on grass and weeds. Can you find any clues of a recent mayfly hatch?

While you look for clues of a recent hatch, see if any aquatic insects are crawling around on nearby bushes. Streamside brush is a great hangout for aquatic insects that have recently hatched and are waiting their turn in the egg lying cycle. If you see a lot of a certain kind of insect hanging around the brush, you can bet on patterns that imitate that insect when you get to the stream.

Spider webs are a great place to look for clues. Spiders make a habit of catching insects that fly around their web. If the web is loaded with unfortunate mayflies, the fish are probably loaded with them too. Here’s a perfect opportunity to match the size, shape and color of the fly without trying to catch one on the water.

What are the fish doing? Are they rising to flies, and can you see the fly they’re eating? If you don’t see rising fish, it’s not very likely that they’ll eat a fly floating on the surface. If you don’t see them rising, a nymph might be in order. After all, nymphs are available to them all of the time.