High summer, hot and muggy with the majority of hatches done for the season many lakes have the appearance of pea soup. No reasonable fly fisher would be out on the water right? Wrong! Algae is one of a number of key cover components for stillwater trout. Algae are photochromatic and depend upon sunlight for their existence. Occupying the upper 1-2 meters of water algae absorbs and diffuses light while providing a thermal blanket of sorts to the trout patrolling below. Seek out water deeper than 12 feet and probe those reaches just below the extent of the algae. Use fast sinking patterns and lines to spirit the offering down to the depths and avoid unnecessary fouling. Many rich, mud bottomed lakes in south central British Columbia undergo seasonal algae blooms that coincide with some of the densest chironomid hatches of the season. Large five eighths inch pupa elevate and wriggle ascend to the surface to emerge. When the bite is on fly-fishing borders upon offerings challenge the premise of the soft near impossible takes associated with chironomid fishing fantastic. Chose large pupal dressings featuring stark white beads imune to algae staining and hang on as takes to these can be savage.