Flies for Small Streams

[RCFetter]

It's an article titled "The Value of Simplicity" by John Gierach published in Fly Tyers Magazine and it's for Western small streams but I thought it may be of interest to the forum.

Elk-hair Caddis
Parachute Caddis
Hare’s-Ear Parachute
Pheasant Tail Nymph
Flavilinea
Dave’s Hopper
Hare’s-Ear Soft Hackle
Olive Midge Emerger
Hare’s-Ear Stonefly Nymph
Damselfly Nymph

The subtitle reads: North America is dotted with secluded little streams teeming with trout. You need only a small selection of patterns to enjoy these overlooked fly-fishing gems.
by John Gierach


Here's the full article including recipes for the flies:

The Value of Simplicity

 

[bikerfish]

I condense that selection even further, royal wulff, done.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

bikerfish wrote:
I condense that selection even further, royal wulff, done.

I agree and will add one more to the small stream selection, the Adams.

 

[salvelinus]

#16 orange or yellow stimulator for me.

 

[Chaz]

+1 on the Royal Wulff #12, but add a stimulator in a couple of colors. # 12 and larger because the little dinks can't get them in their mouths.
Gierach doesn't fish in PA.

 

[MKern]

I only ever take three patterns with me. A caddis imitation, a emerging dry like a klinkhamer, and a foam terrestrial.

All a really durable and can take on a lot of tiny sharp teeth.

The reason I use a klinkhamer style emerger is because I've missed a lot of fish in dries because the leader gets in the way. However, when the hook point is under the water I hook up more.

 

[troutbert]

I'm surprised he doesn't have Stimulator on the list. That is probably the most commonly used fly on small mountain streams in the west. And it's very good here in PA also.

 

[brookieaddict]

LOL , guys and gals any fly that cathes fish will work on any stream small or large. From a 36 no-seeum to a size 8 plop-n drop.

 

[Swattie87]

My small stream box has whopper ploppers, buzz baits, and 5 inch jointed Rapala's - Brook Trout pattern.

In all seriousness my Gem box has the following. All of these flies are size 14 or so, plus or minus one size maybe on a few of them.

BH weighted Buggers
BH Prince Nymphs
BH Green Weenies
Flying Ants
EHC’s
Wulff Style Dries – Mostly Royals and Grays
Adams Parachutes

Admittedly, of these 90% of the time I’m using either a small Bugger (cold conditions) or a Wulff (warm conditions). The bigger concern is simply getting a fly to the fish more so than the actual pattern.

 

[k-bob]

I like brookie fishing in small mountain streams. Given the acidity in the rain, and the limited buffering of the bedrock on many ridges, the streams are often so acidic that brookies are the only fish. (there are too few aquatic bugs to support baitfish, whose mouths too small for survival on terrestrials.).

With little or no hatch for the brookies to key in on (they just eat whatever bug falls in), it doesn't matter much what dry fly you use. (if you see baitfish and a lot of water weeds, the stream may not be so acidic/infertile.)

I have no idea what a Flavilinea is ... sounds like some artificial sweetener to me

I just use flies I like to cast that I can see well. foam body, some elk hair, bright post. I don't like brown stimulators when water is tannic, too hard to see at distance.

 

[geebee]

i like the Adams Irresistable and a small BH Copper John.

 

[poopdeck]

The list just got longer. Seems like anything will work

 

[geebee]

poopdeck wrote:
The list just got longer. Seems like anything will work

true dat. i know a small stream flyfisher in CT who swears by small Mickey Finns, Picket Pins, Edison Tigers etc.

myself, I am tying a bunch of these mini hoppers up in 16# :

http://azwanderings.com/mini-hopper-tutorial/

i think they'll fish

 

[sandfly]

right now the way the streams are I am using 3-4" ragtime streamers on the small streams

 

[lestrout]

k-bob says: "I have no idea what a Flavilinea is ... sounds like some artificial sweetener to me" - that is a small Western Green Drake, bulkier than the same size Cornuta that we see here in the East. If a trout here in the East eats an imitation, it would be a case of mistaken identity.

 

[Swattie87]

geebee wrote:
i know a small stream flyfisher in CT who swears by small Mickey Finns, Picket Pins, Edison Tigers etc.

Does he have a blog? If so, and it's the one I'm thinking of, it's very good.

 

[geebee]

yes - fantastic photos - Small Stream Reflections, he always ends with pics of his homemade lunch or supper.

like myself, he's a big fan of Rangeley Streamers.

 

[Swattie87]

Yep, that's the one. He fishes, and eats well.

 

[Tiogadog]

Generic parachutes...adams colored, yellow, tan, hare's ear

Garcia's Mini Hot

Polish Wovens

 

[geebee]

FWIW on small european creeks they swear by spiders fished upstream and Klinkhamers - which don't seem to have much of a following in this country, but i've caught many fish on them. more so than on parachutes.

different solutions to the same problem perhaps ?