Beginners

[evanmart]

Hey guys, i know youve seen alot of topics for beginners, but i really need some help. I am 17 and really into trout fishing, the past 2 years i have caught over 150 trout each year. Last year i got a fly rod and started using it some. I am pretty good at casting, and caught several trout on it last year. My biggest problem is fly selection. I caught alot of fish on wooly buggers, and muddler minnows. I know you have to match the hatch, but can you help me with flies that would work in all conditions? Plus any other help you have for me? i love native brook trout fishing, and loving fishing slate and cedar runs. Pretty much any advice would be appreciated.

thanks, Evan

 

[David]

Welcome Evan!!!

I think that matching the hatch is most of the fun. For universal patterns, though, you have a good start with the wooly bugger and muddler. Probably want a hare's ear nymph and pheasant tail nymph for underneath. For surface flies, terrestrials (ants and beetles) are almost year round, midges are typically good all the time (although can be difficult to fish), and the adams is a good generic dry fly that can produce just about any time.

Most of those will work well for your brookies...slate and cedar probably will require more "match the hatch" flies to be successful on a consistent basis because those fish have seen it all.

 

[Chetty82]

Click on the hatch chart and it tells what some of the hatches are here in pa I like you am starting out and enjoying the sport of ff'n everyone here is real helpful. But click on the PA Hatch Chart and like I said it gives you a small list of hatches throughout Pa or stop by your local flyshop and ask questions they will be more than helpful and it helps if you say where you plan on fishing. I am sure alot of people in here have already been to that stream at one time or another. I myself might go to the little j on wednesday evening and try my luck wth some wild browns. Try this link out if you are tying flies as well found it helpful as well. Also try to see if your local flyshop has a website mine does and they post the hatches for the non-stocked streams that work just as effective on the stocked trout.



http://www.flyguysoutfitting.com

 

[shakey]

prince nymph.

 

[Squaretail]

I'll second the terrestrials in a couple weeks, would probably work now to an extent. Hoppers, crickets, beetles and ants. You'll be able to use them all the way to October atleast.
Welcome to Paflyfish.

 

[Padraic]

evanmart,

I sympathize with the feeling that fly selection is your toughest challenge. It is for all flyfishers of all skill levels. Perhaps all the moreso when you develop your casting and stream reading skills.

So your question has such a huge answer, I don't know if it can ever be satisfactorily answered in a message board. I can point you to a really good book No Hatch To Match by Tom Rosenbauer. Your local library may have it. It's a well written book that's full of great strategies and fly patterns for when you aren't trying to match the hatch. Which is what I guess you are going for when you talk about "all conditions".

Oh, and you can catch a ton of fish on nymphs, even when the trout are taking dries. So get some of those pheasant tails. Or learn to tye them: http://www.troutflies.com/tutorials/pt/index.shtml

 

[gfen]

To start, you can get some easy patterns that don't really match any one species, but are broad spectrum: Pheasant tail nymphs, ear's hair nymphs, prince nymphs. Green weenies or honey bugs can make due for caddis patterns, or you can find an actual caddis larva pattern. San juan worms round out this end of it.

I'd probably buy sizes 14 and 16, a few in 12 and 18 where it looks applicable (ie, smaller HEs and bigger worms or princes). I'd also consider both bead head and not.

To the top of the water... "Terrestial" time is coming up. Letort's Cricket, Letort's Hopper, some foam beetles and some ants. Lots of ants!

I'm no expert on matching hatches, but I do know its not as hard as you might think. Find a hatch chart for your general area, or your home stream, and see what's there. Baetis, or Blue Wing Olve, mayflies are a pretty common mayfly through the end of the year and would be a good one. Elk hair caddis covers your caddis flies.

Also, you can get by with some generic attractor patterns and probably be fine as you just watch the insects and get a feel for what they might be. Adamses, Royal Wulffs, Royal Coachmen, Humpies, and Stimulators.

I'd buy my dries in 16-18, maybe some 20s and a few 14s.

There's also wet flies, and I again claim ignorance on this front.

Why isn't there a beginners FAQ on this site/in this forum, and why isn't this question in it?

 

[evanmart]

Hey guys thanks for the feedback. Anybody here familiar with Hay creek in Berks County?

 

[jayL]

evanmart wrote:
Hey guys thanks for the feedback. Anybody here familiar with Hay creek in Berks County?

I grew up in birdsboro, and learned to fish on hay and the manatawny.

You a boone guy? Class of '03 here.

 

[JackM]

gfen wrote:

Why isn't there a beginners FAQ on this site/in this forum, and why isn't this question in it?

Here's an idea: someone could search the site, find threads of general interest that answer these types of questions, copy the link to the thread into a document, Title the thread links by the questions being asked and answered, and arrange the whole into a FAQ document that could be cut and pasted into a sticky thread. No extra work for the site host and the desire for helpful content fulfilled. Who should step forward and volunteer?

 

[gfen]

JackM wrote:

gfen wrote:

Why isn't there a beginners FAQ on this site/in this forum, and why isn't this question in it?

Here's an idea: someone could search the site, find threads of general interest that answer these types of questions, copy the link to the thread into a document,

I nominate you.

 

[JackM]

I didn't ask for nominations, rather volunteers. Wasn't this your great idea for an addition to the site?

 

[tomgamber]

I think he's worried about getting his monies worth... :lol:

 

[gfen]

JackM wrote:
I didn't ask for nominations, rather volunteers. Wasn't this your great idea for an addition to the site?

I dunno, you seemed to formulate a vision and a plan right quick. I wouldn't want to steal from your glory, plus, you need a better hobby than being ornery and arguing with everyone.

This'll be productive for you!

 

[JackM]

So, you are just an idea man, then?

 

[gfen]

More of a leg man.

 

[JackM]

Just not "legwork" though....

 

[pete41]

"I dunno, you seemed to formulate a vision and a plan right quick. I wouldn't want to steal from your glory, plus, you need a better hobby than being ornery and arguing with everyone."

I have seen anarchy on forums-I think this one is doing as well as any outdoor forum I have ever seen-
That's what moderators are for-reasonable control
This is Pa. fly fishing forum-but they tolerate deviants rather expansively IMHO[keep that up and i can hang out my shingle.]

 

[pcray1231]

For native brookies, I only need 2 flies. A parachute Adams, size 14 or 16 for surface work and a beadhead prince nymph underneath.

I use the Adams first, unlike most dry fly fishing you don't have to be seeing rises before trying it. Move upstream, and cast up into a likely looking holding spot. Stay as far away as possible (this is tricky in tight quarters). If the fish is there and you haven't spooked him first, it'll come up for the dry. If the waters high or off color, or your fishing under logs and such a lot, I use the nymph.

 

[gfen]

JackM wrote:
Just not "legwork" though....

What is this work you speak of?