Adult damsels? Need help!

Wade Rivers

Wade Rivers

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My blue darner game is weak. Can't seem to find a dry damsel pattern that works.

Any patterns you recommend? Any other suggestions for Oregon Cascade Lakes?

Thnx, WR
 
I'm happy to see someone has a dry fly pattern that works. None of mine have ever drawn anything other than a halfhearted strike that never provided a hookup. I know a lake where I'll tie this one up and try it. It seems though that when I see lots of damsels flying, the nymphs work pretty well.
 
Not a direct answer to the question, but may be part of the solution. When the bite moves above surface with damsels, the volume can make it really tough at times to draw much attention. I consider an adult, or any similar dry fly, to be a third of my options; the other two being small emerger and simply staying subsurface (damsel nymph, leech, etc). Most often I'll find best success below the surface.

One other tactic, try also moving into the looser, less dense food and feeding. Like minnows, damsels are just too concentrated a lot of times.
 
Tim L said:
Not a direct answer to the question, but may be part of the solution. When the bite moves above surface with damsels, the volume can make it really tough at times to draw much attention. I consider an adult, or any similar dry fly, to be a third of my options; the other two being small emerger and simply staying subsurface (damsel nymph, leech, etc). Most often I'll find best success below the surface.

One other tactic, try also moving into the looser, less dense food and feeding. Like minnows, damsels are just too concentrated a lot of times.
Click to expand...
I would agree that the adults are probably not the number one choice for the fish. They have to try and catch them out of the air, which is way harder than a bug that is swimming or trapped in the surface film. But catching fish on the surface is a lot of fun when it works.
 
Premature, tan bodied, clear winged, damsels get picked off climbing to the surface. They, "sometimes", get dislodged and can be seen struggling on the surface = icing on the cake for trout! Tan foam body with mangled clear wings given some twitches just might be worth a try.
 
chief said:
I would agree that the adults are probably not the number one choice for the fish. They have to try and catch them out of the air, which is way harder than a bug that is swimming or trapped in the surface film. But catching fish on the surface is a lot of fun when it works.
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Everyday I watch fish leaping completely out of the water going after damsels. Sometimes the fish are larger too. I find it way more enjoyable waiting for the next fish to explode out of the water than trying to catch them with a dry imitation. IMHO emerger or nymphs are way more successful than dries... So why not do both ---> watch leaping fish while fishing an emerger? Best of both worlds :)
 
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WT! said:
there have been times that I have observed trout that seem to "want" to take adult damsels out of mid air and absolutely refuse a realistic adult pattern presented dead drift on the surface. such fish are not game.
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I find with adult damsels a little skitter across the surface from time to time can elicit a response when a stationary fly is ignored. The naturals are usually moving, so I think the fish are looking for that. Another reason I like the foam patterns. They stay afloat and skitter well.
 
I'm a blue braid, black marker and sparse grizzly hackle believer.
I think the reason for this is I usually only opt to fish damsel dries when the water is fairly flat and the fish are slurping instead of jumping. Hookup rate is way better than the circus takes.
I also hate wings of nearly any material in damsels. Many of the wings I've tried get chewed up by the wind or fish and become very weird looking. They also make terrible whistling thru the air. No thanks.
And if the fish are slurping, there's not much flapping of the wings going of so I think wings are over-rated.
The right size, color and low (vulnerable) profile is more important to me.

Good luck!
 
chief said:
I would agree that the adults are probably not the number one choice for the fish. They have to try and catch them out of the air, which is way harder than a bug that is swimming or trapped in the surface film. But catching fish on the surface is a lot of fun when it works.
Click to expand...
It is quite a show when fish are targeting adult damsels.
 
Tim L said:
Not a direct answer to the question, but may be part of the solution. When the bite moves above surface with damsels, the volume can make it really tough at times to draw much attention. I consider an adult, or any similar dry fly, to be a third of my options; the other two being small emerger and simply staying subsurface (damsel nymph, leech, etc). Most often I'll find best success below the surface.

One other tactic, try also moving into the looser, less dense food and feeding. Like minnows, damsels are just too concentrated a lot of times.
Click to expand...
A good friend of mine got into a heavy damselfly scene that he dominated with a Carey Special I made for him. He lucked onto a nymph he was able to do a side-by-side comparison with the Carey. It was a near dead ringer.
 
Ceviche said:
A good friend of mine got into a heavy damselfly scene that he dominated with a Carey Special I made for him. He lucked onto a nymph he was able to do a side-by-side comparison with the Carey. It was a near dead ringer.
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photo example?
 
OK, here's an update on my personal growth...I need to learn to tie better knots now! :rolleyes: Finally rose a pig to an adult damsel and promptly broke it off.

Using the Shane Stalcup deer hair pattern got a couple fish interested. The little wings make a funny noise in the air but don't spin too bad.

www.caddisflyshop.com

Stalcups Deer Hair Damsel

Stalcups Deer Hair Damsel fly pattern is a lightweight realistic damsel pattern. Caddisflyshop.com stocks great flies from Montana fly Company, Solitude Flies, Dreamcast Flies, and Umpqua Feathers Merchants. Orders ship fast and free everyday at Caddisflyshop.com.
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...baby steps
 
I remember getting some damsel flys with a synthetic fiber for the body. I hated those 🤬 flies, they would never stay afloat long, even with floatant. When I tied them I would use a foam body. Much less frustration for me.
 
skyriver said:
I'm a blue braid, black marker and sparse grizzly hackle believer.
I think the reason for this is I usually only opt to fish damsel dries when the water is fairly flat and the fish are slurping instead of jumping. Hookup rate is way better than the oldcircus takes.
I also hate wings of nearly any material in damsels. Many of the wings I've tried get chewed up by the wind or fish and become very weird looking. They also make terrible whistling thru the air. No thanks.
And if the fish are slurping, there's not much flapping of the wings going of so I think wings are over-rated.
The right size, color and low (vulnerable) profile is more important to me.

Good luck!
Click to expand...
I recall some one on the old forum where, after catching enough fish on damsels, just started picking apart live damsels and throwing parts on the water to see what minimum was needed to attract takes. In his telling, just the blue abdomen that day. So just a body and hackle has appealed to me, although I can’t claim any specific success myself, except w sinking.green patterns. Jay
 
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