First Little Black Stoneflies of 2011!

[Troutfisher]

I live a mile from the Wallkill River and saw my first 2011 Little Black Stoneflies today. Also today, the spring peepers have started singing their chorus in the swamp behind my house. I'm officially done with winter and just ran the gas out of my snowblower!

On the down side, the redwing blackbirds didn't return this year which leads me to believe they were among the 5,000 killed in Alabama.

[tim_y]

I was up on the Beaverkill 2 weekends ago and the little black stones were showing up. Another Wallkill fisherman - I wonder if we've run into each other before.

[Chris Smorul]

Haven't seen any robins yet but i can hear them singing at dusk and daybreak. Definitely been seeing little stones down at the little creek.

[dooberhoopa]

I've seen some stones at the river at my house as well. They've been all over the place the last two days. It's only making me go more crazy waiting for the first!!!

[Troutfisher]

Hi Tim: Although I live a mile from the Wallkill, I haven't fished it since the 1960's. The last time I remember getting a nice brown and a smaller rainbow that were feeding on terrestrials in a backeddy below the Rt. 94 bridge. I travel extensively and mostly fish a circle within 3 hours from here.

My reason for posting the sighting of the stoneflies was to alert those with cabin fever that things were happening and this was a good excuse to make use of the nice weather and dropping water levels we've been experiencing. I'm sure the stones are hatching in decent numbers on all our streams. Fishing a string of stonefly nymphs, or maybe even a surface imitation if the trout are looking up, is the perfect cure for spring fever!

With all the signs of spring, I'm completely tuned out of winter and am looking forward to the fishing and insect activity that is yet to come. Bet you I'm not alone!

[tim_y]

Andy,

I grew up near the chapel on Rt. 52. Browns and rainbows - you had it really good back then. I've heard of trout in there, but where I live It's a great warm water fishery now. I fish there a lot for smallmouth in the hot summer mouths, the streambed is crawling with crayfish and there are hellgramites the size of your pinky - plenty for those fish to get fat on. Big carp as well as some nice catfish in there. Used to nightfish there with my buddies when I was younger, beer and a campfire.

[AaronJasper]

The stones were out at the stream that I fished after work today! There were also midges and a few olives out. I saw some fish rise and even took a few on larger caddis that worked as a substitute for the stones. Truth be told, the little wild browns and rainbows in this stream were near suicidal Just that way I like it...

[frankm205]

The Farmington was loaded with them yesterday.

[passinthru63]

the stones were out in my neck of the woods as well. Also had a dozen robins in the yard the other morning. No peepers yet. Not ready to run the gas out of the blower just yet but it won't be long.

[Gregorygob]

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