Dry Fly Fishing on the Gunpowder during nice Blackfly Hatch

The upper Gunpowder has provided some great dry fly fishing the last few days with good numbers of small blackflies hatching.  This is a common occurrence each early Spring.  The trout feed steadily on the small flies as they are one of the first aquatic insects to appear in good numbers on the stream.  The flies are imitated easily using small dry flies sizes 20 or 22 with back or gray bodies and sparsely tied wings of cdc or hackle.

These nice trout fell for small size22 blackfly patterns fished on top.  Stacy Smith caught this nice bow, a solid 17", on a peacock hurl pattern with a small dark hackle.