What PA nymphs ?

[greenhead55]

Guys I am in the process of tying and filling my box but had a question. Since there are so many flies to choose from which do you guys tie to fill your PA box ? I make Pheasant tails, copper johns, hares ears and buggers. What else are must haves ? Midges ? Scuds ? Looking for some help. Thanks !

 

[ryguyfi]

I see you're from the Pittsburgh area... what streams do you usually head out to? If you stay local, then here's my recomendations.

Caddis - Elk and CDC, wets, pupa, cased. Lots of caddis in most streams in the area.

Junk flies - SJW, green weenie, egg.

Terrestrials for summer - ants (dry and wet), beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, inchworms.

Tie up some sulphurs and rusty spinners in a few different sizes (12-18). There's a lot of flies that will look that color that come off of most streams. It might not be exact but you'll be pretty close.

A few other dries would be adams (size 12-18), and griffiths gnat (size 20-24). Adams can cover just about anything, and griffiths gnat covers the small stuff.

You can get more exact as you go along on your fly fishing career, but that's a good start.

2 more months to go before the ice will break free and the fishing will start to get good.


Ryan

 

[MKern]

Anything you have ever heard of as a common fly will work.

My suggestion is to go to a site like orvis or cabelas and look at their fly selections for the east coast and just copy what they sell.

 

[ratgunner]

What ryguyfi said. I would add some blacknose dace streamers too.

 

[joereese]

CADDIS!!!!!!!!


IMO it's better to visit your local shop and talk to the folks there.
Mid atlantic fly fishing guide is another choice.

Flyfishers paradise in State college has a page that has many patterns that work and and have tying instructions for many. if you visit Steve ask about the dozen flies he highly recommends

Orvis and cabelas will show you some very generic patterns that will catch fish, but you'll be more successful copying what the locals fish, especially when the fishing is slow.

Not trying to pick a fight with you Mkern.

 

[MKern]

joe,

I definately agree with you, but I also don't think fly selection is very important at all.
For example, I typically fish a tandem of Caddis Pupa, PT, and midge larva every trip I make.
I've never had trouble catching fish for a couple reasons:
1.) I have different insects
2.) The flies are different sizes and weight
and the most important...
3.) Presentation is key!

I'm pretty sure I could fish any nymph pattern and consistantly catch fish.

I also think when people ask about flies to use it's a sign of someone who hasn't fished for awhile (although I could be wrong) and the focus is more on the flies instead of the technique. I also think that once people talk about their favorite fly patterns that party asking the question still fishes the usuals (PT, Hare's Ears, Buggers, etc.)

But like you said a quality local shop will have variations that should work in the area.
Most shops carry the same patterns because they order from the same suppliers.
Shops like FFP are above normal.

 

[JeffK]

One more I like is the Prince nymph - seems to work everywhere. A small Zebra midge can cover the midges for a first cut.

The local/generic is a great debate and all I can say is to listen to everybody. Local favorites are usually favorites for a reason and the universal nymphs usually got there for a reason too. However, some local knowledge always helps. For example, a size 12 pheasant tail will work OK for Hendrickson nymphs and a size 16 pheasant tail will work OK for a sulphur nymph. However, all these bugs have local variations in color, size, and shape and often there is a local pattern that is much better. Sometimes the difference is small, but other days the local pattern will mean all the difference in the world.

When I travel I like to find local patterns and try them at home. More often than not they work well at home too. Probably every every generic fly started out as someone's local favorite.

 

[joereese]

JeffK is right. So is Mike. I started this stated a different viewpoint.
I carry the generics and the local specific patterns.

At first, I tied generic patterns and they worked. What's nice about the generics is that they work in most places and different types of streams.

I will share an interesting story though. I was in love with a bead head pheasant tail pattern, still am. I was slamming trout with them throughout the year, I love it. I read an article or something from Steve at FFP (on the site?) about how his dark sulphur nymph out performed generics like a pheasant tail DURING the peak sulphur season. I was skeptical (I should have known better than question steve!) because I caught a lot of fish on my BH PT then. However, wanting to experiment, I tried this version of the nymph. Wow, did it out fish my BHPT pattern. Furthermore, it only out fished it during the peak weeks of the sulphur hatch. Outside of the peak, they were equal or the BHPT was slightly better! This has repeated itself three years now.
How do I explain it? Well, I think it is because during the peak weeks of the sulphur, fish see a lot of the natural nymphs floating about and this pattern might look more like the natural. Outside of the peak, they get less selective.