A Primer on Basic Insect Identification for Fly Fishers

Ben Sittig, a.k.a Huge Fly Fisherman, stars in this informative and humorous video, making use of his Fisheries Biology degree to offer a primer on the kinds of aquatic insects most important to anglers. Fear not: he doesn’t use Latin names or engage in arcane discussions about subtle differences among specific species.

Instead, he focuses on the big picture, explaining how to tell a mayfly from a stonefly from a caddisfly. He’s not a fan of midges, but they get some air time, as well. At the heart of this video is an important truth: you don’t have to be an expert on aquatic entomology to catch trout. Sure, it might help, but don’t let your unfamiliarity with the minute details of taxonomy keep you from getting out on the water. The trout don’t care if you can tell the difference between Baetis tricaudatus and Baetis bicaudatus.