Fall flies

[jwatts]

Hello, i am a little new to understanding the right flies to use. My question is,What kind of flies/size should i be using around oct-nov in Northeastern Pa.? Thank you for your time

 

[CathyG]

From A&G Outfitters (****son City) website:

Hatches out now, and heading further into the fall, will be BWO's (18-22), Tan and Olive Caddis (16-20), and Midges (20-24). Brown Stoneflies, Olive Caddis Pupas, Pheasant Tails, Zebra Midges, and others, should all be successful nymph patterns.

Also, check your PM inbox

 

[Suckerspawn]

During fall season, you can't go wrong with egg pattern! 18-20/size.

 

[Fishidiot]

Jwatts,
You can use all types of trout flies in NE PA in autumn. Hatches (emerging insects coming from the water) are not as prevalent in the fall as they usually are in the springtime. Terrestrials work well in the fall, esp before about Nov 1st ("terrestrials" means flies designed to look like land insects such as ants, beetles etc). To be any more specific would require more specific scenarios.

 

[CathyG]

I fished for stockies today in Roaring Brook. They were hitting black and black/olive wooly buggers and an orange beadhead pheasant tail variant(no wing case).

 

[Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah]

CathyG wrote:
I fished for stockies today in Roaring Brook. They were hitting black and black/olive wooly buggers and an orange beadhead pheasant tail variant(no wing case).

Thanks for the report & fly patterns.

 

[jwatts]

Thanks cathy, I was on the Lehigh near Gouldsboro this morn. Not to much hitting. I was using an egg cluster made from diamond braid and then switched to a parachute as it got warmer,but nothing.

 

[zerodrag]

Rainbow warrior, san juan's, eggs, buggers, ETC. Basically any fly pattern will work but why waste the good ones, fish the easiest ones to tie. Don't let anybody tell you one is better than the other. My experience has shown stocked fish don't care one bit.
Good luck

 

[StaggerLee]

I agree!!! Just fish flies you have confidence in and you will catch fish. No need to match anything, Just give them candy flies. LOL

 

[mtangler]

Flies in the fall should target either big pre spawn browns or the baetis mayflies. To target the big browns streamers are hard to beat. Zonkers and buggers will do the trick. The baetis hatch is the most important fall hatch in PA and around the rest of the country (often called the blue winged olive). They are size 18-20 and have grey wings and a greyish olive body. The nymphs are just as important as the duns so nymphing small pheasant tails or grey or olive RS2s or any other baetis emerger pattern can be deadly. In the late fall you are getting back to winter fishing with small stoneflies and midge larva. I just posted on our blog about October fly fishing and include a discussion on fly selection. Good luck!

 

[JohnnyUtah]

Fresh stocked fish are not selective. They will literally eat anything you throw at them. Rainbows are especially easy to catch. Just use any gaudy fly you can find. Good Luck! and Have Fun.

 

[dryflyguy]

I also catch fish on terrestials, slate drakes, and caddis flies in the fall - usually up until november.
After that, most surface activity will be with BWO's and midges

 

[PaulG]

Bill

I caught a couple with those small crowe beetles you gave me, at Big Springs yesterday.

PaulG

 

[Fishidiot]

Some good answers here. Please keep in mind this is the Beginner's Forum and pitch your answers to the level of the OP's questions. Latin names of insects and complex answers using terms like fly names - while suited to the enthusiasts that populate our community - may be too detailed for someone posting in this forum who is new to the sport. It's worth remembering that we all started out fly fishing without knowing all the different names of flies and bugs.

 

[StaggerLee]

Thinking of hitting the Garden State up for some fall stockies after work today.

Would a Mickey Finn be a good choice for them brookies? Or should i just use a black or olive bugger?

Then as for nymphs? Should i use Pt's and Hares E?
Or some hotspot attractor nymphs today?

Well, what would you swing today? Knowing they won't be taking dry flies this week?

 

[dryflyguy]

PaulG wrote:
Bill

I caught a couple with those small crowe beetles you gave me, at Big Springs yesterday.

PaulG

Glad to hear they caught a few for you.
In low clear streams, smaller sizes seem to work better.
I tie them down to #20

 

[Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah]

Can one still use a coffee bean fly on PA streams?

 

[jayL]

Yeah, but I've never been able to figure out how the legality works in FFO or ALO waters.

 

[Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah]

jayL wrote:
Yeah, but I've never been able to figure out how the legality works in FFO or ALO waters.

Yeah, that's why i'm asking. Not that i'm going to fish this fly anytime soon. But i was told it was a great fly on the L.L. back in the day. But you can no longer use it today?

 

[jayL]

There is no reason why you wouldn't be able to use it on open water/ATWs, or anywhere that allows bait.

I can see arguments against it on FFO/ALO. That includes sections of the LL, though I know of the guy that used to use it with success in the kiddie pool.