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ForrestWanderer

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So I started fly fishing about 3 years ago. For the first year the extent of my fly fishing included throwing poppers at bluegill and bass. I have dabbled with fishing for trout with a fly rod and have been successful nabbing some natives on green weenies and the occasional stocked trout on a woolly bugger. The problem is, I have never really had any sustained success with flies for trout (aside from the two flies mentioned above). I will be fishing some streams here in somerset county this fall for some newly stocked trout and then traveling to the Great Smokies early in November. I was just hoping to get some suggestions (both fly and technique) to get me started this fall. Thanks a million!
 
Hi Wanderer,
Welcome to our online fly fishing (FFing) community. We're glad to have yuh.

For the newly stocked trout this fall, you can't go wrong with those green weenies and wooly buggers. I'd add some bright colored egg flies in pink or orange as well.

For the Smokies you'll likely be fishing over wild fish. The same patterns will still work although I'd downsize 'em. For the green weenie for example, I'd stick with size 14 or 16. GW's in this hook size will be in the range of about half an inch in length. Egg flies about the size of a pea or down to a BB will work well on wild trout too. Have some of the basic nymphs in smaller sizes. Also, November is not too late for terrestrials (this means land based insects like ants or beetles). A couple size 16 or 18 ants might come in handy if you find some surface feeding fish that are picky.

Good luck with your trip!
 
I'm a presentation over fly guy, big time. Focus on getting drag free drifts, one of the best easiest ways to see this is to make a short cast with just 2-4 feet of fly line out of the rod. Lift everything except the fly and maybe a few inches of tippet out of the water and watch the fly drift "drag free "as you follow it with your rod tip. There are many strategies and ways to make a good presentation, the longer you fish the more tools you will have in the belt. What Dave said about going smaller over small fish is spot on. I would go down a size or 3 before I would change patterns. I can still hear my father hollering "Ryan, it's not the fly....you suck!!!!"
 
I fish the green inchworms in the small, medium and large sizes and all work. Overall, though, I think the ones that are about 1 inch long are better than smaller ones. Even on small streams, wild trout and low, clear water.

For mountain streams, Stimulators are really great. I fish mostly size 14s, but it's good to have some size 16s and 12 also. The ones with yellow bodies work great. I don't know if you even need other colors, but I've also had good luck with the ones with light brown bodies.

Also great on mountain streams (and other streams) are parachute dry flies. Again light brown and yellow are two very good body colors. Sizes: 14 and 12.

Standard nymphs are things like pheasant tails and Walts Worms. A beadhead Walts Worm, with a copper or brass colored bead is a very good pattern. Sizes 16, 14 mostly. Size 12 when the water is high and chalky.

Elk hair caddis, with a tan body, size 16 especially, but also size 14, are a must. One of the best dry flies ever, IMHO.


 
Thank y'all for the quick responses! Ill have to give some of the suggestions a try.
 
All good advice above. Small streams you will obviously need to approach in a much more stealthy manner. Bigger waters are sometimes easier because you can stand in a good riffle or run and really work it over thoroughly and at very tight proximity to the fish without spooking them. I'm not sure what kind of streams you most often fish but different waters definitely require different skill sets.

I don't use or carry all that many flies with me. I do tend to use many variations of the same flies and I catch a lot of fish. Pheasant tails, Walt's worm, streamers, green weenie, San Juan worms, etc. None of these are particularly glamorous flies but they certainly catch a lot of fish.

If you need some flies and a better selection PM me your address and I'll mail you some flies.
 
Dave_W, thanks for the tips. a few quick questions. Do you fish your woolly buggers with bead heads or no. Also do you usually drift them or strip them? I've had a little success doing both.
 
ForrestWanderer wrote:
Do you fish your woolly buggers with bead heads or no. Also do you usually drift them or strip them? I've had a little success doing both.

Yes to everything. If the water is clear, I use a bugger with weight tied in. In more off color water i'll use a bead. I strip and dead drift depending on the fish want. Usually I do a combination, where I'll dead drift but add a little movement to the fly by stripping once or twice then back to a dead drift.
 
When i began fly fishing, i was taught dry fly casting first for a few years and then got into sub surface fishing with nymphs and wooly buggers this last year.

All of the flies the other fellas are recommending are spot on for how i progressed as i tried new flies and new techniques. When i was dry fly fishing, i tried all different types, but it seemed like a deer hair caddis was always a reliable choice when i wanted to try dry flies. Even when the fish weren't always rising, a caddis would be a safe bet to land one or two fish if i kept at it.

I've used all the nymphs, and wet flies the others have suggested and their all flies that will get you some hits. If you keep your flies small and work on your drifts and presentation i think that is what makes all the difference when you're using proven flies like the ones suggested.
 
You can beat a #14 parachute Adams on small freestone brookie streams.


#14 elk hair caddis or x-caddis is my go to for larger freestones.
 
My best advice is to start indicator nymphing. Catch some fish and then work from there. Fly fishing (especially for trout) can seem super overwhelming and looks a lot harder than it actually is. Keep it simple first and work from there. I’d use one fly rig and make sure you’re getting down deep. I’ve fished the smokies but only in the summer months. I’d recommend fishing the smaller stream rather than streams like the little river etc. they may have bigger fish but are a lot harder to catch and can be super frustrating. I fished the smaller streams and caught 6-13 inch rainbows and had a blast.

1. Griffiths gnat size 12-24, looks super buggy in the water and always produces.
2. Gss emerger size 14-20, if they’re taking caddis pupa gss is your best friend.
3. Zebra midge size 14-24, I think this is the best all around fly in Pennsylvania mainly because it catches fish all year no matter what the circumstances it’s never a wrong choice to have one on. Best fished super deep or under a dry fly!
4. Squirmy wormy size 10-16, looks and feels super realistic and always is my go to search pattern.
5. elk hair caddis size 12-20 floats high good dry dropper fly.
 
Jessed wrote:
My best advice is to start indicator nymphing. Catch some fish and then work from there. Fly fishing (especially for trout) can seem super overwhelming and looks a lot harder than it actually is. Keep it simple first and work from there. I’d use one fly rig and make sure you’re getting down deep. I’ve fished the smokies but only in the summer months. I’d recommend fishing the smaller stream rather than streams like the little river etc. they may have bigger fish but are a lot harder to catch and can be super frustrating. I fished the smaller streams and caught 6-13 inch rainbows and had a blast.

1. Griffiths gnat size 12-24, looks super buggy in the water and always produces.
2. Gss emerger size 14-20, if they’re taking caddis pupa gss is your best friend.
3. Zebra midge size 14-24, I think this is the best all around fly in Pennsylvania mainly because it catches fish all year no matter what the circumstances it’s never a wrong choice to have one on. Best fished super deep or under a dry fly!
4. Squirmy wormy size 10-16, looks and feels super realistic and always is my go to search pattern.
5. elk hair caddis size 12-20 floats high good dry dropper fly.

Spent a number of years on the Gunpowder rarely fishing anything but an elk hair caddis with zebra midge a couple feet back, can't beat, good call Jessed.
 
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