Fly Selection Tips for Beginner's

[Tin Squid]

Fly Selection Tips for Beginner’s

For the person who opts to take up fly fishing for trout, the incredible number of fly patterns available is almost mind-numbing. This piece will attempt to simplify the initial few fly orders to get you in the game. It will also describe the fly types to further simplify what can be a task within itself.

Fly Types: Without going into myriad detail, the fly types are wets, drys, nymphs and streamers.

Wets: Wet flies sink and are usually fished on a tight line with a cross or down and across cast. The anglers “swings” the fly until it is directly below.

Drys: These float and can be seen readily by the angler. You can also see the fish rise and take the fly which is an added bonus.

Nymphs: These are flies that sink and imitate young or underdeveloped stages of flies that hatch and become dry flies for a short time before they mate and lay their eggs and then die.

Streamers: These flies typically imitate minnows/little fish or leeches and they sink. Streamers also are responsible for fooling some of the largest trout every season.

Terrestrials: These typically float and they are land-based bugs that fall or get blown into the stream.

Dry flies for the beginner: Hendrickson 12-14, Blue Wing Olive 16 -20, Adams 12-18, Light Cahill 14-18, Pale Evening Dun (sulphur) 14-18, White Wulff 12-14, March Brown 10-12, Isonychia 10-12, Elk Hair Caddis in assorted colors 14-18, X-Caddis in assorted colors 14-18,

Terrestrials for the beginner: Black Ant 16-18, Black Jassid 16-20, Crowe Beetle 12-14, Henry’s Fork Hopper size 8- 10, Letort Cricket 12, Letort Hopper 8- 10, Cinnamon Ant 18

Wet flies for the beginner: Leadwing Coachman 14, Light Cahill 14, Pale Evening Dun 16, March Brown Spider 12, Olive Soft Hackle 16-18, Hares Ear Soft Hackle 14-16, Picket Pin 10, Light Hendrickson 12-14

Nymphs for the beginner: Light Hares Ear 12-16, Dark Hares Ear 14-18, Pheasant Tail 14-18, Hendrickson 12-14, March brown 10-12, Isonychia size 10-12, Montana 6-8, Yellow Stone 8-12, Black Stone 8-12, Hellgrammite 6, Prince 14-16, Zug Bug 14-18, Sand Caddis Larva 14, Green Caddis Larva 12-16, Tan Caddis Pupa 14-16, Green Caddis Pupa 14-16.

Streamers for the beginner: Olive Matuka 6-8, Black Ghost 6-10, White Marabou Muddler 6-8, Black Woolly Bugger 6-10, Olive Woolly Bugger 6-10, Natural Zonker 4-8, White Zonker 4-8, Yellow Marabou Muddler 6-10, Black Nosed Dace 8-10, Mickey Finn 8-10, Dark Edson Tiger 6-10, Grey Ghost 6-8, Peacock Woolly Bugger 8-10, Black Matuka 6-8

This is a start for those getting into fly fishing for trout. There are many flies that will hook fish consistently. This is a cross-section of some of the more effective and readily available fly patterns for trout here in the East.

Tight lines and good luck!

[AndyS]

Great post Tin, maybe one on poppers for bass for an encore !