Top 10 +2 Flies to fish for Trout

[afishinado]

Great choices of must-have flies to fish for trout. I have every one of them in my fly box at all times. Two I would add is a Hares Ear and an ant. So if you're a tyer or a buyer you can't go wrong having these flies in your box and fishing them.

 

[Baron]

I do use most of these for Gills and Perch but find the closer in any for a loser for anything but in white for Pickerel.
Hares ear and ants rock.
Thanks for taking the time to find all these beginner vids as I for one find them helpful.

 

[JerryC]

Good thing I fish mostly warm water these days. My trout box has few if any of the flies mentioned.
I do carry
Soft hackle PT Nymphs, sizes 12-20, olive, natural and brown
Wooly Buggers- size 14 -18, White, Copper/brown/orange, White/yellow
That about ends it.
Austin Chicken nymph, don't ask.
Nymphs tied using turkey feathers and a couple tied with parrot feathers.
I dumped the Green Weenie for a chartreuse mop fly in size 12
plus other mop fly nymphs size 12 in olive, gray, brown, black, pink and red, bead head or bead head soft hackle.
The only caddis pattern I carry is the CDC and Elk. I can change the configuration to match stone flies and even super size it to match a hopper.
The Usual, in colors and sizes to match the hatch
Snowshoe Emerger, think Quigley Cripple with East Coast materials
colors to match the hatch. Size 8-14, tied on a TMC 2488
and two midge patterns I came up with.

No wonder I don't get discount cards from Orvis

 

[Baron]

Jerry, I've done well with Gills and giant shiners on you mop flies. But I've been looking for a productive Caddis and Elk pattern to tie. I'd like one that is easy to tie ins sizes from 18-10, maybe even bigger. Do you have one I could tie the fish would use for a Super-Saver Meal Deal?

 

[afishinado]

There are thousands of pattern that work and/or are favorites of FFers.

The idea is to boil things down to the basics for beginners.

The list in the OP is a solid list for beginners (as well as a list of must-have flies for any FFer).

It is well rounded for matching most bugs one would expect to encounter in PA and just about anywhere.

Filling your box with these flies will simplify your fly selection and will jump-start your experience fly-fishing.

 

[JerryC]

Baron wrote:
Jerry, I've done well with Gills and giant shiners on you mop flies. But I've been looking for a productive Caddis and Elk pattern to tie. I'd like one that is easy to tie ins sizes from 18-10, maybe even bigger. Do you have one I could tie the fish would use for a Super-Saver Meal Deal?

I think the CDC and Elk is easier to tie than the Elk hair caddis. It only uses two materials. It's actually misnamed. Hans named it the CDC and Elk as a tribute to the Elk Hair Caddis. It's actually tied with deer hair. Body is a wrapped CDC feather and the wing is deer hair. For me it's tough to tie on an actual size 18 hook. I use the TMC 2488 which is 2XS(extra short). A size 14 has a shank length roughly equivalent to a size 18 dry hook.
You need CDC. Olive, gray(dun) and tan will cover most of caddis hatches around here. Deer hair patches in a couple of different colors. Light, medium and dark.

Google CDC and Elk flytierspage.com This is/was Hans' homepage. It gives you all sorts of information on the pattern and materials.

Plus bluegills and golden shiners love them.

 

[Baron]

Of course you know a trout will generally never see a Caddis I may tie except in Greene river next year. I use these for Gills and am always amazed how large the occasional shiner is. Some have rivaled my largest Gills pound for pound. 10 and 12 would be my choice with larger for June.

 

[Tigereye]

Good list for sure, I have all of them. Plus a Royal Wulff.

 

[Baron]

CDC and Elk hair
https-//youtu.be/siubcX93zjQ

how do you share this as a live link. Perhaps PM me.


All the Wulffs for mid-summer gills

 

[JerryC]

Here you go, Baron

https://www.flytierspage.com/hweilenmann/cdcelk.htm

 

[Baron]

Thanks. Nice and simple.