Favorite Small Stream Brookie Nymphs?

[jordan7982]

My friend and I do a lot of small stream brook trout fishing (Mainly SW PA), which usually entails using dry flies. We've got our dry fly selection pretty down pat for any time/place/weather. I've started using more nymphs though as there's times and places they are just suited better, but I don't have the same confidence patterns as I do for my dries. So far I've noticed attractor/flashy patterns work (which we all know works for brookies very well, dry or wet). I still have limited experience though to say what my top nymphs are. If i walked up to a new brookie stream and had to use nymphs, my only go-to option would be a frenchie.

What's everyone's top nymphs for brookies?

 

[bigjohn358]

Small San Juan worms have always been a go to for me for brookies.

 

[wildtrout2]

I usually go with a dry for natives, but when I incorporate a nymph it's usually a copper john of some sort.

 

[Swattie87]

Just like with dry flies for Brookies, the actual pattern matters very little. It’s about simply getting it to the fish the easiest.

With dries, you probably already know it’s all about the fly floating well, and you being able to see it in fast, broken water, and being able to cast it accurately to a small target from a distance.

With nymphs, it’s all about getting them in the right place and keeping them there. When dropping off a dry, I like something small that won’t sink, or really affect the drift of the dry much. Size 16-18 generic beadheads, whatever pattern is easiest/cheapest for you to tie or buy. If fishing just a nymph rig, I like big and heavy, size 12ish BH Stonefly with lots of weight is my favorite, but anything heavy will work. Get it deep fast and get it to sit relatively still in those deep slow pockets where Brookies like to sit when the water is cold.

Again, the actual pattern matters little. For droppers, my biggest priority is the nymph sinking, but not sinking the dry, hence small beadheads. For nymph rigs I just want the nymph to sink fast and have control over where it stays.

 

[Wild_Trouter]

Small San Juan worms have always been a go to for me for brookies.

Pink are deadly!

 

[tomgamber]

Dries, skittered often.

 

[Bamboozle]

...What's everyone's top nymphs for brookies?

I love fishing nymphs or soft hackle flies on small streams, mainly because the short runs and choppy water often found at those places quickly drowns a dry fly and I hate constantly fussing with them to get them floating again. They also work fantastic.

I fish my nymphs & soft hackles under a small yarn indicator 10" - 12" above the fly and cast directly upstream while working my way in the same direction. If I encounter a deep hole, I'll adjust my indicator accordingly. If the nymphs aren't producing (which is almost never), I'll tie on a dry fly.

For decades my go to nymphs & soft hackle flies (in sizes 18 - 12) have been:

• Bead Head (BH) Prince Nymph
• BH Flashback Gold Ribbed Hares Ear (GRHE) nymph
• BH Copper John nymph
• Partridge & Peacock soft hackle
• Starling & Purple (made with purple wire)
• GRHE soft hackle

However, any nymph will work in a pinch.

Have fun!

 

[wildtrout2]

... mainly because the short runs and choppy water often found at those places quickly drowns a dry fly and I hate constantly fussing with them to get them floating again.

High N Dry (liquid) to the rescue. And forget about it.

 

[pcray1231]

The vast majority of my fishing is dries on those streams. They hit everything you throw if you haven't spooked them first, and you can simply throw dries from further away and have less issues with underwater snags.

Sometimes in the plunge whitewater of a plunge pool, or else that exceptionally deep spot if the water is high and cold, you do gotta go under though. I like small metallic nymphs. Anything with a beadhead works just fine, as do copper johns and the like. As was said, they get down fast, but aren't so heavy as to sink the dry in a dry dropper rig. And they're visible to the fish. A dry dropper rig is ideal because it converts quickly and easily back and forth from "just a dry fly".

 

[Bamboozle]

High N Dry (liquid) to the rescue. And forget about it.

I've tried everything including High N Dry, but after a few fish or several soakings...

These days I mostly use a reasonable facsimile of Frog Fanny because I buy it by the gallon and I like not waiting for fly dope solvent to evaporate. However, all floatants work best on a dry or completely dried fly so it's the getting the fly good & dry again after it gets slimed up or soaked that is the PIA for me.

One thing I do on choppy water that makes my life a little easier: I always grease my leader right up to the fly. This gets me a better pick-up, which keeps the fly from being pulled under and it also keeps parts of the leader from getting pulled under in broken current. On small streams, a floating tippet never seems to bother the fish I encounter.

I like Loon Payette Paste or Otter Butter for the leader greasing.

 

[jordan7982]

Thanks for all the replies and helpful info. Copper Johns are one of those patterns I keep pushing off buying materials for but seems like i need to get on that.

 

[wildtrout2]

I've tried everything including High N Dry, but after a few fish or several soakings...

However, all floatants work best on a dry or completely dried fly so it's the getting the fly good & dry again after it gets slimed up or soaked that is the PIA for me.

I hear you. None of them last as long as we would like, but floatants are pretty much a necessary evil. I've just found that High N Dry has worked the best for me. I find false casting helps with the drying, both before and after application.

Good tip on greasing the leader.

 

[sarce]

I carry two patterns for brook trout subsurface. Green weenie for shallower spots, if for some reason a dry isn't working. For deep plunges and/or larger waterways with a potential for brook trout over 8", I use a golden stonefly nymph.

 

[Bamboozle]

I hear you. None of them last as long as we would like, but floatants are pretty much a necessary evil. I've just found that High N Dry has worked the best for me. I find false casting helps with the drying, both before and after application.

Good tip on greasing the leader.

Orvis used to peddle a floating mono leader which helped and now they have floating poly leaders. Both are helpful as is pre-treating dry flies with Water Shed, High N Dry or Camp Dry, but I'm too lazy for that.

 

[wildtrout2]

I carry two patterns for brook trout subsurface. Green weenie for shallower spots, if for some reason a dry isn't working. For deep plunges and/or larger waterways with a potential for brook trout over 8", I use a golden stonefly nymph.

Yep, the Green Weenie has gotten me out of more than a few slow situations. I have a vast supply of them.

 

[vealboy]

#14 BH Rainbow Prince,I always start with this one.I've done well with this one in muddy and off color water.

 

[turkey]

Dries, skittered often.

This

 

[Tigereye]

If a small PT or GRHE on a dry/dropper combo isn't getting it done, go with alot of bling ie rainbow warrior, green weenies, squirmy or San Juan worm, pink caddilac, royal coachman wet, anything on the gaudy side.

Brookies are usually not that finicky. If no action on, those rethink your position and presentation.

 

[JGR]

I rarely need to use subsurface flies for wild brook trout, but sometimes fish a dry and dropper. The most effective pattern I use is perilously close to a green weenie--just fluorescent chartreuse yarn wound on a #16 or #18 dry fly hook.




They're great for steelhead too.

 

[BradFromPotter]

just put dubbing on the hook shank.