Stocking a beginners fly box - Looking for some insight

[jeremymcon]

Like a previous comment mentioned, I would definitely add some caddis nymphs. I like a beadhead antron caddis larva - size 14 and 16, tan, olive, chartreuse. A scud pattern may also be a good idea. Definitely add some wooly buggers! Olive at least, maybe black, white, or brown size 6,8,10.

 

[jeremymcon]

Oh also, I hate the muddler minnow too. Just hate it. A streamer that floats. But I guess it could be fished with a ton of split shot, or fish it as a hopper. Adding a tungsten cone may make them more useful as a streamer, but I'm not sure - never tried it. Other than a wooly bugger my go-to streamer for trout has been the slump buster. It's probably easier to tie than the muddler minnow, and it actually sinks.

 

[FishInPhilly]

http://www.orvis.com/p/20-most-popular-selection/76tk

Get that. its a killer for the price.

 

[Cold]

Oh also, I hate the muddler minnow too. Just hate it. A streamer that floats. But I guess it could be fished with a ton of split shot, or fish it as a hopper. Adding a tungsten cone may make them more useful as a streamer, but I'm not sure - never tried it. Other than a wooly bugger my go-to streamer for trout has been the slump buster. It's probably easier to tie than the muddler minnow, and it actually sinks.

Run it on a short sink tip or an x-fast sink poly leader.

 

[jeremymcon]

Cold wrote:

Oh also, I hate the muddler minnow too. Just hate it. A streamer that floats. But I guess it could be fished with a ton of split shot, or fish it as a hopper. Adding a tungsten cone may make them more useful as a streamer, but I'm not sure - never tried it. Other than a wooly bugger my go-to streamer for trout has been the slump buster. It's probably easier to tie than the muddler minnow, and it actually sinks.

Run it on a short sink tip or an x-fast sink poly leader.

Yea I have a sinking poly leader, but have yet to use it. It's just too much work to change my whole leader just to fish a streamer. I generally just cut off the 4x or 5x I was using for nymphs and dry flies and tie on some 2x or 3X to my tippet ring and start fishing.

 

[Cold]

Depending on the knot you use to attach tippet, I'd think changing leaders would be at worst less than a minute slower, and quite possibly faster (and with less waste) than clipping & retying tippet.

Usually I start out with the sinking leader attached and only switch if I see fish rising, but even with your nymph rig, using some shot should get your muddler down just fine.

 

[boogeyklat]

Wondering if any northeast/southeast anglers can add some of their go to nyphms and dries. The sizes are a big hang up for me. I have been having luck with #16 ants this fall.

I have no idea how to fish those really small sizes. I have a hard time tracking my fly in faster water. Seems like you need some serious Jedi skills to be a superior fly fisherman with small dry flies. Hopefully by the time my son is old enough I will be able to pass down the skill.

 

[afishinado]

boogeyklat wrote:
Wondering if any northeast/southeast anglers can add some of their go to nyphms and dries. The sizes are a big hang up for me. I have been having luck with #16 ants this fall.

I have no idea how to fish those really small sizes. I have a hard time tracking my fly in faster water. Seems like you need some serious Jedi skills to be a superior fly fisherman with small dry flies. Hopefully by the time my son is old enough I will be able to pass down the skill.

Don't sweat the patterns.

For nymphs, a simple hares ear and pheasant tail in various sizes work well in all streams.

A wooly bugger can't be beat as a streamer or large nymph imitation.

For dries, a beetle and ant in the summer and fall, and I'll add a Blue Winged Olive dry in size 18-20 and a light and dark dry caddis pattern.

You should be set. With the above flies, you will be able to catch trout in any PA stream.


For nymphing skinny water, try tying on a more visible dry fly on tie on a 20-30" tippet to the hook bend of the dry (called a "dropper") or you can use a small indicator to see strikes.

Small dry flies are difficult to see on the water. You can tie two dries on a dropper as above with one being larger and/or more visible. You can also apply paste floatant to your tippet leaving the last 12" free of floatant and watch the leader and tippet for strikes.

Good luck.

 

[boogeyklat]

Afish,

Thanks for the advice. I know the dropper rig, I am just not that great at casting two flies but practice makes perfect.

I was Easton today for work and had a couple hours afterward to hit the local stream. Nothing was rising and I wasn't sure what to do. I put on a nymph but my skills with them are marginal. I also put on a #10 ausable bugger but had no luck. I am self taught so my learning curve is huge. I live in the city and do not know anyone that fishes.

The funny thing was after I gave up and decided to take a break I walked over the edge of the stream and ended up right in front a deep pool with about 15 browns and a giant palomino. I froze. Obviously as soon as I moved I spooked them all. IT was a tough day for me but a really beautiful one on the water.

I am going to really hit it hard this winter and was hoping for a must have size/selection for fall/winter. I have been reading a lot about midges but I would love some advice for flies the northeast in the fall/winter. I don't want to wait for spring.

 

[wrighter00]

Your list looks good. Most of the info has been covered.

Dry Flies - size 16-22
Cahil
Caddis
Adams
Olives
Gnats
Mosquitos
Stimulators - as big as size 10
Ants
Hoppers

Nymphs - size 14-20
Pheasant Tail (covers a lot)
Hare's Ear
Midge
Zug Bug
Prince
Copper John
Stonefly
Scuds

Streamer/Other
Buggers
Zonkers
Conehead Muddlers
Eggs
Sucker Spawn
San Juan Worms
Weenies

Never underestimate dry/dropper. Works great as an indicator, and a lot of times a fish may go for a Stimulator or PMX or something over the nymph. Or the dry may get the attention, and even if they turn on it instead of rising sometimes it will trigger them to go right for the nymph.

 

[SteveG]

For fall/winter fishing I think many nymphs are either small or large. The smaller nymphs would be the offspring of this year's hatches, while the large ones would be stoneflies that have a multiple year nymph stage.

I've been doing great on simple biot bodied flies and the Rainbow Warrior. I haven't even bothered with stonefly patterns yet.

Trying to learn on your own is admirable, but tough. If you can fish with someone, or hire a guide for a day, you might learn in a day what could take years on your own.

 

[boogeyklat]

Thanks for all the great advice. I have been doing well ants and dead drifting small woolly buggers. Just ordered some nymphs based on this thread. Hoping to gain some confidence with them over the fall/winter as soon as scratch my smallie itch for the season.