A dozen top flies for PA trout streams

[afishinado]

(notice I didn't say the dozen top flies...but if I had to select 12 flies, these would be in my box)

After one acquires an 81/2 or 9’ 5 wt rod with matching 5wt floating line and a 71/2’ 3x tapered leader with a spool of 4x and 5x tippet, one can now look at flies.

Sinking flies:

Wooly Bugger – Size 8 in dark olive w/ a black tail is my go-to. Having some black or white ones and a few a little smaller or bigger would be ideal. Fish anytime / anywhere – drift and/or strip.

Hares Ear Nymph – size 10 – 16 w/ and w/o beads. Natural is my favorite, but a few in olive or black would round it out. Fish anytime / anywhere – dead drift

Pheasant Tail Nymph – Size 12 – 16 w/ and w/o beads. Fish anytime / anywhere – dead drift

Green Weenie – Size 12. Fish anytime / anywhere – dead drift

San Juan Worm – Size 12. Fish anytime / anywhere – dead drift

Soft Hackle – Size 12 – 16. Pheasant tail, Partridge and Orange, Partridge and yellow, peacock to name a few popular ones. Dead drift, swing, hang or strip. All will catch fish.


Floating flies:

Blue Wing Olive – Size 14 – 18 (early and late season mayfly hatches)

Adams – Size 10 – 18 (for dark mayflies)

Sulphur – Size 10 – 18 (mid-season light-colored mayfly hatches)

Beetle and/or Ant – Size 14 – 18 (Spring - late summer)

Griffiths Gnat - Size 18 - 22 ( For midges - very small insects - all year round)

Elk Hair Caddis – Size 10 – 18 in Tan, Black and Green for caddis hatches and/or stonefly hatches all season.

Note: Mayflies have an upright wing and look like sailboats on the water.

Caddis have wings shaped like a tent over their body.

Stoneflies have wings that fold flat over their bodies.

 

[dc410]

Afish,

This is a great post for the folks just starting out and not knowing which way to turn as far as fly patterns go. It looks like you pretty well have described the "deadly dozen".

 

[GenCon]

Good list. I think you could catch trout anywhere with that list.

GC

 

[jeremymcon]

Very nice. This question seems to be coming up a lot on the beginner forum lately. Everybody's looking forward to spring, I guess! I like that you included the green weenie, btw. I love that fly.

 

[lv2nymph]

This is a good thought Afish, it's only natural for beginning ffers to wonder what fly they need when. Nice jump start until they get a season or two under their belt.

 

[PAgeologist]

That is a great list. I carry most of those year round. Plus I have one box that I rotate dry flies for whatever mayflies are hatching.

 

[bassfever]

thank you. I did not ask, but this is very helpful

 

[Stagger_Lee]

Nice list Afish ... I would ad a trico to that .. at least on the eastern part of the state which is all I know.

 

[jbummy]

Thanks Afishinado and everyone else !! As a newbie your info is priceless. Please keep sharing !!!!

 

[miltiades]

Great list. Those are my most fished patterns. I tie PT nymphs and hares ears in multiple colors and sizes to match just about every situation.

I would add the prince nymph and the picket pin. Trout love peacock herl.

 

[Keith]

I am heading to cabelas tomorrow. Can all or most of these flies be purchased there by chance?thanks

 

[Keith]

Also as a beginner how many of each would you suggests?

 

[miltiades]

U can never have too many, but maybe 6 each?

 

[jbummy]

Keith as I am on a tight budget I got flies on the web at thebigyflyco also theflyshop. Don't know your budget but they will do better than Cabelas and delivery is fast. Just a suggestion 🙂

 

[lv2nymph]

Keith, I like to have at least four of whatever pattern/color I carry. More when your talking about patterns I use all year. As a tier it's no big deal to do that, just time. I did some quick math here and if you want this list complete on your person going by if you walk into a flyshop figuring there are a possible 63 flies x four of each kind/color/beads/no beads taken into consideration here, you could be looking at a $500.00 dollar bill give or take. I'm by no means trying to discourage you just thinking you're going to want to find a source of cheap but good quality flies. ( unfortunately I do not know of any, if you don't get some ideas in here I'd post the question else where on the forum for some answers. Doing a search on this could prove helpful also )The reason for have that number of flies is you'll surely lose one to a snapped tippet, the bottom, bushes, trees, ect. The last thing you want to do is run out of flies in the middle of a hot hatch.You can only have so many on you at once, and you gotta stop somewhere. But then if you're going out to a specific hatch for a day/weekend the number goes up quite a bit. The above number is really for walking around flies the ones you have on you all the time. Hatch/time specific flies that you only have on you for a given amount of time are different. Hope this helps you somewhat.

 

[Keith]

Thank you both for the information. I will check out the websites you mentioned jbummy. Anywhere I could save a buck I am interested. I just mentioned cabelas because they have a decent sale going until the 12th. Gonna grab a combo and a couple Pfleuger spin reels(not ready to give that up yet). Lv2nymph I guess I will look to begin tieing as well if I get into this. Definately not looking to drop that much cash. I will look for a local option as well as websites and go from there. Thank you both very much.

 

[lv2nymph]

Keith, in case you haven't spotted it yet there's a thread in the gear talk section you might be interested in.

 

[Keith]

If it's the online fly purchasing links I definately checked it. Also I seen a post where you sad as a beginner don't complicate things by having too much in terms of flies. I think I will visit my local fly shop now that I found there is is one in my area I get ideas from them. That 500$ thought was enough to make me quit before I started. Just gonna try to keep things simple for now. Again thanks.

 

[djs12354]

Keith - If you think you can drop $ on rods, wait until you see what tying can do to your wallet! 🙂

 

[lv2nymph]

Keith wrote:
. That 500$ thought was enough to make me quit before I started. Just gonna try to keep things simple for now. Again thanks.

Well, that number was to obtain four of every fly/color on that list. No one that I know has gone out and purchased that many flies at once. The fly shop will be able to hook you up with a good list for your area to have to get you going initially and into fish. Have no fear, it won't be long if you're like most of the ffer's out there that you'll have more flies/patterns than you know what to do with!