how do you guys decide

[hof52]

So my casting knot tying and other basic skills are getting better and i even catch a fish once and awhile but one thing i struggle with is how to pick a fly when i get to the stream. One instance is when i fished a large stretch of stream then a guy gives me a zebra midge and all of a sudden im catching fish well i cant say i would have picked this fly from the start am i wasting my time if i dont use this random midge i would have never thought to use i feel like i should always be using different fly/flies
thanks happy easter
adam

 

[Phish_On]

The seasons have a lot todo with it. I like to do a little rock flipping when i get to the stream. Just to see whats living in said stream. Get confident hooking and landing fish first. Go with something you have confidence. Then work from there.

 

[djs12354]

I open my fly box and either go "eniey, meniey, miney" or "oooh - pretty"


Seriously - there are certain patterns that work almost every where, such as the zebra and other midge patterns, Pheasant Tailed nymphs, wooly buggers, beadhead soft hackles and even the infamous Green Weenie. I'm still a novice, but start with these patterns and rotate through the fly box till I find something that works.

I'm also not too proud to ask another fisherman if one's around.

 

[Kill3ducks1deer]

Being new, I just stick to the solid proven patterns, if they don't work, I cry and then just throw something strange on, it tends to work.

 

[gochs]

I think many guys on the board can agree that the pattern you use doesn't have as much impact on your success as to your technique. If you present a fly to a trout the correct way, it's not going to question the fly because it's two weeks too early for tan caddis to be hatching.

As a general rule for me as far as nymphs go, I start small early early season, then when the weather breaks I jump up to size 12-14 flies. Pheasant tails, hare's ears, copper johns, etc. As the season goes on, I gradually get smaller in my fly selection. There are exceptions, like size 10 or 12 slate drakes that mess up my thought process.

Find out what bugs are on the waters you fish and use them as a general rule of thumb, not a bible. If you go to fish expecting sulfurs and there are caddis everywhere, use a caddis. If there's nothing really going on, just pick a fly that catches your eye, looks buggy, or that you have confidence in. If you fish it with confidence, you'll catch fish!

 

[lv2nymph]

I have hatch charts, books with hatch info in them that I keep track of for what's going on at any one time. But time on the water is the best place, short of that charts and the local fly shop are good places to start. As you begin fishing a few streams season after season you'll get familiar with what's hatching when on them. Then as time goes on believe it or not you'll suddenly realize that you're no longer wondering what bugs are out when and what size they are you're mental chart of hatches will begin to fill in. The charts, and your local fly shop are a good place to get an idea of what size and color flies to go with as well.

 

[FiveWeight]

Always start with the biggest dry spinner ya got!! Bout the size of a seagull. Hahhahh.

 

[Chaz]

All I can say is it's very situational. Every stream is different and hatches come off at different time, depending on many factor, but mostly water temperature and Barometric pressure. Like after a cold front the fishing may be dead for a day or even two. But as the front is coming through action can be fast and furious.
Many folks like sunny days I myself prefer Partly cloudy days after a high pressure system has been over us for a couple of days. Time of year is important as to how long or short the days are also.

 

[hof52]

hey guys thanks for all the great info im gonna have to spend some time flipping rocks today i had two hook ups and landed one on a copper john/ BHPT tandem i just tied it on said this is it and tried not to think about it
adam

 

[hendeylathe]

Start a bad habit and become a dry fly fisherman. Once you catch one on top, you'll never go back.

 

[JackM]

I always ask myself what should be on or in the water. I also use generic patterns when in doubt, such as adams', pheasant tails, hare's ear. But sometimes. you just expect the primary forage to be minnows or terrestrials (Summer) and you go with that. Otherwise I try to match what is actually on the water, or suspected to be underneath and active.

 

[rrt]

Just use beadhead versions of Jack's nymphs in the previous posts, in sizes 12 thru 16 most of the time. When you see flies hatching from the water, try to match them by size and color. Usually, grayish flies will appear early in the season, then tannish ones in May, and yellowish ones in early June.
A book of hatches might help you. I'd recommend the Meck/Weamer collaboration about Pennsylvania hatches. That book ought to be available in most fly shops or online.

 

[Peterm]

I think most important is any fly you have confidence in.... You'll fish it harder and better cause you'll be expecting that strike on every cast.... For me it was royal coachman...... Looks like no bug I've ever seen yet I've caught more on that pattern than all other flys combined... With time you'll start to figure it out....

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Freestoners I usually start w/ the usual suspects. Might use a stimy, EHC, or wulff on top w/ a PT or HE dropped. That's kind of a "searching" set-up for me on new waters until I'm on the stream long enough to pick up on anything else that might be going on. If I'm on a limestoner that I never fished before, I might go for a scud pattern or something typical of spring creeks. If the water is high, I'll go for buggers, sculpins, something like that. Usually the dry-dropper works for me, though. Presentation is the most important aspect, and for new waters, cover as much water as possible.

 

[lestrout]

hof - the fun is in the figgering. Any prior info gleaned from books, magazines, fly shops, or the web (including this one) will give you some idea of what bugs might be around during the season and time you plan to be on the water. When it's warm, looking at what's caught in the webs (spider) will tell you a lot. Looking around in the air, on the water and in the bushes (duns and other hatched out insects layover in the leaves before they return and lay eggs) is helpful, even necessary, especially if you are going dry. You can time the place (riffles vs. meat of the pools vs tailouts) of spinner falls by seeing if swallows and swifts are darting around. Hovering dragonflies key in on midges and the like. And turning over rocks tell you what's in the stream and even what readiness the specific bugs might be in relative to hatching.

Unless you cover a lot of water, count on changing flies a bunch. If only one fly worked all the time, I would quit ffishing.