gerridae

[jimmyboy 0]

will fish eat water striders (pond skaters, water skaters) The multiple families include

 

* Rhadadotarsinae

* Trepobatinae

* Halobatinae

* Ptilomerinae

* Cylindrostethinae

* Charmatometrinae

* Eotrechinae

* Gerrinae

 

source:wikipedia

[Taxon 0]

jimmyboy-

 

Actually, the taxa you listed are subfamily names, as each ends with inae. Family names end with idae. This is may be somewhat easier to visualize on Waterbug Taxonomic Structure

 

In any event, the answer to your question is, fish rarely eat water striders. There are two explanations for this, and I believe both may be true. The first and simplest explanation is that water striders taste really bad. The second explanation is a bit more involved. The way it goes is that, water striders are so quick and evasive, that when fish are very small, they soon discover that water striders are nearly impossible (for the small fish) to catch.

 

Hope this helps.

[redietz 0]

In 50 years of fishing, I've seen it happen exactly one time.

[Taxon 0]

Hello redeitz-

 

In 50 years of fishing, I've seen it happen exactly one time.

 

Would appreciate your sharing the details of that one occasion. I assume you witnessed a (4" - 6") trout grab a water strider at your feet in still shallow water. Is that anywhere near accurate?

[redietz 0]

Hello redeitz-

 

 

Would appreciate your sharing the details of that one occasion. I assume you witnessed a (4" - 6") trout grab a water strider at your feet in still shallow water. Is that anywhere near accurate?

 

Pretty close. It was in the Yuba River in CA, circa 1988 (the only time I ever fished that stream.) There was some slack water in front of a rock, with water striders all over it. I was examining them closely because I was bored and I wasn't catching anything. The trout was slightly

larger than you suggest (more in the 8-10" range). I was no more than three feet away at the time.