Pellet Pattern

[laszlo]

I know I know it's sacrilegious, but has anyone tied a pellet pattern? The stockies are looking for pellets not nymphs the first couple weeks. And it's all about catching fish isn't it. and we all welcomed the green weenie with open arms, didn't we?

 

[BrookieChaser]

Just spin deer hair on a hook and trim to shape.

 

[nfrechet]

try a couple warps of chenille

however i think theyll adapt to insects if theyre hungry enough

 

[lv2nymph]

BrookieChaser wrote:
Just spin deer hair on a hook and trim to shape.

^^This^^

 

[sandfly]

honey bug pellet fly !
new color !

 

[Chaz]

Wrap a little wire around the hook and then peacock herl, I use a #14 egg hook.

 

[FGSIII]

Brown glow bug material or Mcflyfoam trimmed to shape.

 

[mattofcarlisle]

There's really no adaptation to insects that we've observed. The Brookies we're raising in my classroom as part of the Trout in the Classroom project have been reared on pellets & are now on #2 size, which is about 1/8" in diameter. We placed a few nymphs and freshwater shrimp we got from the Breeches - the larger (4") brookies ate them within a few seconds of chasing - makes for a great lesson on instinct.

 

[KeithS]

"There's really no adaptation to insects that we've observed"
"We placed a few nymphs and freshwater shrimp we got from the Breeches - the larger (4") brookies ate them within a few seconds of chasin"

These comments seem to contradict each other.
Are the 4" brookies still ONLY eating pellets, or are they also eating the nymphs and freshwater shrimp?

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I caught about 15 stockies yesterday afternoon on my local wild (but stocked...) stream. All took a HE.

 

[mattofcarlisle]

The comments don't conradict each other. The 4 inch Brookies will eat the pellets when provided (which is every Monday, Tuesday, & Friday), but will chase & eat any nymphs we place in the tank within a matter of seconds.
Adaptations, learning curve, etc. - doesn't seem to apply. From our experience, they will eat whatever is available.

My students are amazed at the stuff they'll inhale, then promptly exhale - food bits, excrement, doesn't matter. The speed at which they determine what is and isn't food is suprising.

 

[sandfly]

honey bug pellet

 

[KeithS]

Matt,
Thanks for the clarification.

 

[mattofcarlisle]

No problem.

 

[miltiades]

Ive tied pellets with deer hair. If you really want them excited, throw a small handfull of gravel in, then cast your pellet. Note, small gravel and a small handful, otherwise u can spook em.

 

[BrookieChaser]

Pelletheads are conditioned to look up. The throwing of the pebbles is akin to what the bell was to Pavlov's dog.

 

[StarvinMarvin]

Pellet flies, imo stink. use an egg or nymph, it doesnt take weeks for them to adjust. something, like sandflys honey bug will prob do the trick as well.

 

[scotto]

GREAT, pellet flies and chumming with gravel - just use powerbait instead.

NO it is NOT all about catching, there are many more important aspects.

The green weenie resembles inch worms and caddis larva.

 

[sipe]

I'm no purist by any stretch, and I'll throw a San Juan worm, globug, or greenie weenie any day....but I gotta say the pellet fly or bread fly might cross even my minimum standard. I won't tell YOU not to use it, but I think I'll stick to more natural patterns. Maybe
That's why I never catch anything...

 

[BucksFly]

I've really played around with this pattern. Tiers always say to use the spun deer hair but i really don't think its worth the effort especially when the trout just rip it apart when the literally fight over it. The pattern I use involves tying two strips of brown foam, one on the top and one on the bottom pointing backwards at first. Then I wrap the straight of the hook with a fine brown dubbing, building it up to about the size of a pea. Then tie off the dubbing and pull forward the two strips of foam and tie them at the front. Use A LOT of head cement or super glue because the teeth of the trout really do work to the thread. But this pattern lasts alot longer and will float perfectly on top of the water all day. Happy Flying.