Favorite small stream flies

[trout_stalker]

Elsewhere in the General Forum is the topic - Super Small Stream Native Fishing. Most of my ff career has been in large waters, like the Delaware system, so my experience on small streams is nil.

Reading and watching the vids got me thinking - what flies and hook size would be on my top 10 list for small stream fishing? Mine would include Elk Hair Caddis, Parachute Adams, ant, and beetle, as a start.

I realize the list would vary depending on whether or not you're fishing a spring creek or freestone, but it would be nice to hear opinions from others.

 

[ryguyfi]

small pale pink SJW. Don't hate till you try it!

I use ehc, hi viz adams, and royal wulffs for dries

sz 14 olive bugger, pink SJW, green weenie, PT, and sometimes heavy weighted streamers like a slumpbuster for sub surface fishing.

 

[buffalo7]

I just got done tying two #18 Elk Hair Caddis and two #16 flying ants before I went on line. I like the parachute adams and Royal Coachman. I also like a wet Black Ant, I useualy use red thread so the head is red or use red laquer on the butt. I also laquer the body, it'll have soft hackle in the middle.

 

[pheasanttail85]

tandem rig elk hair caddis with a flash back pheasant tail.

 

[pcray1231]

Well, if we're talking dries, I don't believe I've ever gone smaller than a 14. Generally size 12, but I'll go to a 10 if I don't feel like hooking the dinks, or to a 14 if I feel like hooking the dinks. Important characteristics are that it floats like a cork and is highly visible to you in low light conditions, and that it dries quickly with a blow, rather than a backcast. Thats about it. Parachute Adams, heavily hackled with a bright post (sometimes I go pink post) is probably my favorite. Everyone seems to get their pet fly. Stimulators, EHC, anything in the Wulff family, and Humpies are also popular and meet the listed requirements well.

Underneath, regular nymphs in regular sizes work just fine. Most of us tend to like a little flash. Beadheads are fine, and metal flies like copper johns. Lots of guys like San Juans, as gaudy colored as you can get em (hot pink!). Weight needs vary widely in different streams, water temps, flow rates, etc. I prefer the dries only, but often cold or high water, or an exceptionally deep hole, require a nymph for reasonable success rates, and I usually go with a dry-dropper rig.

Streamers: Generally you'll catch less fish on em, but you'll get the big ones. I'm more of a numbers guy than a size guy so I don't use em often in small streams, but sometimes I get in the mood. Small olive streamers are excellent for large brookies (you can't convince me that they're not cannibals, I've had large brookies TAKE small brookies during the fight). The olive streamers also often bring out the occasional bigger brown which are present in most of these streams.

 

[tennjed]

humpy and small stimulators

 

[MKern]

For dries I like bent hook emergers. I think it is important to have part of the hook under the surface for how fast the fish explode to get the fly.

For nymphs I have develope my own pattern that is heavy, has no tails and it two-tone (bright too). I can see it; the tails don't push the hook out of their mouths, and will get down fast.

For streamers I use anything that resembles a small brook trout. The largest threat to a 5" brookie is an 8" brookie.

For all I us thin barbless hooks. On my nymphs I uses 2x fines dry fly hooks.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

Royal Wulff and Adams size 12 or 14 for drys. I also use a dry fly called the "Mr. Rapidan" for early season. PT or GRHE for nymphs ,size 14.Sinking ants and floating beetles work well also.

 

[dasofas]

+1 for Royal Wullf size 14. Have a new tie (new to me at least) that has the abdomen band in a bright green rather than the traditional red.

 

[goodfortune]

Stimulators get my vote

 

[CLSports]

You can't go wrong with an Elk Hair caddis. Works in the spring, summer and fall on all small streams. It is the only fly I use on small brookie streams. Floats well and they hammer them.

 

[trout_stalker]

It's interesting to see some of you guys recommending a size as big as size 10. That's a lot larger than the flies you would expect to come across while fishing. I guess the thought process is to present something big for the trout to see and make a quick decision to take. Also, something big enough for the angler to see.

 

[Lonewolve]

Elk Hair Caddis, Parachute Adams,And for greasy slicks Henryville. I usually fish a soft hackle dropper of the dry hare's ear, squirrel,or the partridge and green,orange,yellow .
Tight Wraps & Tight Lines
Rick Wallace

 

[pcray1231]

The last point is most important. These fish aren't picky and will frequently bite stuff bigger than they are, and there's absolutely no need to "match the hatch". And, often, the large size is to keep from catching the 2 and 3 inchers that constantly bite at it but rarely hook themselves.

 

[jdaddy]

Pat what size stream do you have in mind? It seems to me this thread is a brookie thread but are we applying this to all small stream trout? Fertility is a big player here IMO.

 

[buffalo7]

trout_stalker wrote:
It's interesting to see some of you guys recommending a size as big as size 10.

Some people can't tie small flies.

 

[pcray1231]

Pat what size stream do you have in mind?

Oh, there's roughly 1000 of them in this state. But yes, small, infertile brook trout streams. When someone mentions small streams I assume thats what they're talking about, and by the various answers of stimis, humpies and wullfs, I'm not alone. Especially since the OP referenced another thread with a video of fishing such situations.

Yep, the situation changes as fertility goes up, like the brookies in some of the limestoners. But size of stream has very little bearing on fly choice in those situations.

Some people can't tie small flies.

I tie, and use plenty of small flies. I do my share of midging and tricos. Just not on the little brookie streams, not needed there.

 

[bikerfish]

royal wulff

 

[jdaddy]

pcray1231 wrote:
Oh, there's roughly 1000 of them in this state. But yes, small, infertile brook trout streams. When someone mentions small streams I assume thats what they're talking about, and by the various answers of stimis, humpies and wullfs, I'm not alone. Especially since the OP referenced another thread with a video of fishing such situations.

I should have read the OP's opening more closely. I missed it and wondered why everyone was automatically on brookies. Duh.

 

[buffalo7]

jdaddy wrote:

pcray1231 wrote:



I should have read the OP's opening more closely. I missed it and wondered why everyone was automatically on brookies. Duh.

Your right, I was even thinking more about brookies even though most of my small stream fishing involves natives and wild brown trout.