Picking a fly pattern

[Ronnie z]

When it comes to flyfishing ,picking a fly to use may be a varied topic.How many times have you went fishing and asked the guys stream side what they were using.I have fished for years and have never had one day were everyone was using the same type of fly.IF you were going out to fish for trout,what types of flies would you use in the beginning of spring?

[troutdoorsman]

I try to do a seine before I tie up on every trip. That tells me what is in that stretch of water so I know what they are eating.

[MoscaPescador]

What Pack said! Also you can pick up some rocks from the stream and look under them to see the bugs.

How's your entomology? Can you tell the difference between a caddis, mayfly, and a stonefly in both juvenile and adult stages? If you can't, learn them. Click here to read a bunch of articles written by bug guru, Ralph Cutter.

If you can find a hatch chart for your region, that would be a big help for your fly selection.

In regards to your trout fly selection, keep it simple.
You need big flies.
You need small flies.
You need light colored flies.
You need dark colored flies.
When in doubt, just throw a bugger or a San Juan Worm.

MP

[fish_gypsy]

Depends on where I am, what I'm fishing for, and what we're calling the beginning of spring.

There's lots of information already out there- I'd try researching the places you plan on fishing- call some local flyshops, see if you can find any books or websites which may have hatch charts or pattern recommendations. If you have a local chapter of Trout Unlimited or Federation of Fly Fishers, I'd go to a couple meetings and pick people's brains on what they use.

[mcnerney]

Pack and MP are right on with their advice, the only thing I would add is that most fly shops will post a hatch chart that will give you a clue as to what bugs you might expect to see at any particular time of year. When I'm planning on fishing a new river I will stop at the local fly shop and ask for advice and have them recommend some flies which I buy out of courtesy for their advice.

Larry

[Kerry Pitt]

Or if you were fishing stillwaters I would use a leech pattern, probably a dragonfly nymph as well, right after the ice went out.

[flytyer_neal]

a small crawdad....sculpin pattern also

[Ronnie z]

So I was correct in saying picking a pattern was going to be a problem..........seems like everyone will pick a different fly

[JoJer]

If I don't get a hint from what's flying or by checking under rocks, I go with an old tried and true: Pheasant Tail or Hare's Ear on the bottom or a small Elk Hair Caddis or Stimulator on top. Sometimes, I just want to loosen up the casting arm in the spring and chuck as much line as I can. Then it's a red bead head black bugger- tossed up, tumbled down, stripped back. My two cents.

[raindogt]

It's been said that dynamite will work when little else will....

I make it a point to always have dynamite in my vest. Haven't figured out how to cast it with my 5 wt. yet, though.