Favorite patterns for trout opener.

[bjshaffr]

Just wanted to get some input out there of peoples favorite patterns they fish for or around the time of the opener. Just list the name of the pattern and where you are located (or fishing.)

 

[bam]

for freshly stocked fish anywhere... white flashy bugger, sucker spawn in various colors, san juan worm, bead head PTs and HEs.

 

[bowhunter0131]

anything brite colored stockies like anything flashy. i use buggers egg patterns and pt. sometimes i use brite colored scuds and streamers to. i fish in the anf usally around tionesta.

 

[pngsolduc]

Nightcrawler pattern

 

[PaulG]

pngsolduc

Good choice but I prefer those little red wigglers

PaulG

 

[PennKev]

Same stuff I fish any other time. Perhaps move up a size or two larger than normal. Stocked fish will eat "junk" flies, but they will just as soon eat something with a natural look. I limit my "junk" patterns to a few light colored sucker spawn.
I've never had any trouble catching fish in stocked streams on hare's ears, caddis larve, caddis pupa, PT's, etc. Even fish that are just stocked will take these patterns pretty well.

Kev

 

[shipnfish2006]

A gold estaz bugger is on my line 80% of the time during the first month of the season. Other than that, egg patterns, prince nymphs, over sized caddis larva, and various brightly colored nymphs make up the other 20%.

 

[Fishidiot]

It's been a tradition for me to hit stocked "open" water on opening day. So, for freshly stocked trout in a stream that is probably flowing pretty well and slightly stained, fifty degree range....
The same stuff mentioned in earlier posts: junk flies and generic nymphs. A favorite of mine, esp if the stream has a lot of stocked brookies, would be a white marbou muddler fished dead drift then stripped. Have some technical flies with you as you may see a hatch. A few years ago there was a blizzard of caddis on opening day and I had a blast catching fish on dries while bait guys went skunked. However, most years, it's low and slow with something that gets their attention.

 

[brianb]

I don't know much but a hook with a lot of brown thread wrappings seems like it would work haha.

 

[bowmandjk]

for stocked trout maggot balls are usually deadly and small estaz buggers also san juan worms will be all you need

 

[Festus]

 

[Festus]

Just for the record, I really truly do catch quite a few early season stocked fish on Blue Egg(Blueberries) flies. I'd suggest them. Another one that incorporates blue is the Atherton nymph series. I do fairly well on those as well.

 

[TroutBuster]

McFlyFoam Eggs are all ya need

 

[wgmiller]

Hot pink or purple buggers (chenille or estaz)!!! :lol:

 

[STONEMAN]

Take a look April's Field and Stream Mag p 37. Researchers in Arkansas pumped trout stomachs and found that the diet of newly stocked fish was similar to stream bred trout. The most common food found were stonefly nymphs followed by mayfly nymphs!

 

[BlkLgbEaDheAd09]

i actually just read that same article a few hours ago stoneman, and im not at all surprised. ive been fly fishing for trout since i was a kid, and years ago when my dad and i used to keep stockies we would find our fish FULL of cased caddis and other naturals in the stream.

 

[FarmerDave]

If i decide to fly fish the opener (not likely), I'll use a buckeye fly.

It's something I invented and named. It's a hook with a stick on strike indicator. Freakin freshly stocked trout don't know what natural food is yet and will hit it over a well presented nymph or dry. A cigarette butt will work in a pinch.

Almost caught a trout on a small stick bobber once on opening day. No, I mean literally. It got wedged in his mouth for a few seconds. That was on the 5th or 6th hit.

I'll probably use spinners of bait for the opener. I usually have good luck with spinners. Besides, it is easier with the crowds.

 

[jayL]

Yep. Spinners for me too. After lunch, when the crowds leave, I'll get a box of san juans out with the 4wt.

 

[PennKev]

True story: I once caught a 15" stocked bow with 5 crayfish in it's stomach during the first week of the season. Another fish had two large minnows in it. Both were caught on the same day only a few days after the opener. I'm sure if I kept fish with any regularity this would not be uncommon.

Kev

 

[Russell123]

dark brown buggers