Multipurpose patterns/sizes for NOT a trout fisherman

[turbineblade]

Hi - I recently fished the dry river, VA (brook trout) and had a blast. I like that you can use mostly attractor dry patterns and general nymphs and catch those little guys. This is good because I am not an experience trout guy and I don't pay much attention to hatch charts and stuff.

My question: I have tied various sizes of PT nymphs, tiny #18 zebra and blood midges, and brassies - are there some "general" nymph patterns that will tend to work underneath of almost any hatch out there?

I know this depends on the specific water, but that's just the point -- I'm looking for a small list of patterns/sizes to carry in my truck to give me a chance virtually anywhere there are hatches (rainbow and brown, not brookies).

Oh, and most hatch charts I've seen always mention the caddis and mayflies, but rarely the midges. Are they usually concurrent but not mentioned? Are they considered less imporant as a food source? Not as sophisticated? I have these tiny #18 midge nymphs and was wondering when to use them....

Thanks -- I know that's a lot of stuff to throw at you .

 

[Rip Tide]

"Matching the hatch" is only important about 10% of the time.
The rest of the time it's a good presentation that catches fish.
Hare's ear, PTs, prince nymphs..... Adams, elk hair caddis...... woolybuggers.. a couple of soft hackles, maybe......
After that everybody has their favorites, but the most important thing is the natural presentation.

 

[billyspey]

A bead head pt on a curved hook in a 16,or 18 with copper bead and wire in natural or olive will work most places.

 

[bigjim5589]

Well, I very much agree with what Rip Tide has said, but don't forget terrestrials. Not something you might use in the colder months, but during warmer times, in one form or another, they're present every where. Unlike aquatic insects, presentation with terrestrials is not always critical, as being land insects, they're usually clumsy on & in the water as they struggle, so trout & other fish know they won't act as an aquatic might. Beetles, hoppers, crickets & worms are eaten by more than just trout.

Also, don't over look baitfish, crayfish & stonefly patterns, as even trout will feed on them when there are no other hatches. I use a large stonefly nymph quite a bit when fishing for Smallmouths. It's the type of pattern that could also imitate crayfish, Hellgrammites, or even a large cricket caught in the water.

I don't fish for trout much, but when I do get the opportunity, the majority of the flies I might use are generic patterns that could imitate many things.

 

[Rip Tide]

, but don't forget terrestrials.

I realized that after I finished my post.
There's a reason why ants are a trout's favorite food. They taste good! Try one sometime..seriously.
The Griffith's gnat makes for a a passable terrestrial or midge cluster.
I'd add that one to the dry fly column.... size 18 would be a big one

 

[noreaster]

Around my parts many different flies work for different fishermen. With a few working for all. Shrimp, leech, green machine, Adams, mosquito, butterfly, to name a few.

I have found fish to be more pickey of color combinations, than actual patterns. For instance, one place I fished produced more fish on lighter, grizzly hackle type flies, with contrast. Light with dark, or dark with light, depending on body to wing and tail. The darkest patterns were typically passed up on. The largest fish I took on a larger dry white miller. I honestly think its colors and combinations that attract the most attention. The lighter earthy tones, green greys, to green browns, to light browns and beige. I really like a little red, and flash added in here and there too. If its the right color and size, and its buggy looking it's probably going to work. Unless of course the fish are very well educated or leader shy.
just me 2 cents worth.

 

[turbineblade]

Ah, griffith gnat! I should tie some of those....forgot about that pattern. That's my kind of dry fly.

I also have neglected to tie any hare's ear nymphs....which appear to be imitative of a lot of nymphs.

Thank you for the tips all! This is helpful stuff to a non-trout fly fisherman (for the most part).

 

[moucheur2003]

My question: I have tied various sizes of PT nymphs, tiny #18 zebra and blood midges, and brassies - are there some "general" nymph patterns that will tend to work underneath of almost any hatch out there?

I know this depends on the specific water, but that's just the point -- I'm looking for a small list of patterns/sizes to carry in my truck to give me a chance virtually anywhere there are hatches (rainbow and brown, not brookies).

Gold ribbed hares ear #12-16, some unweighted and some weighted or gold bead head. For even more variety tie them in natural and olive.

Dave's Red Fox Squirrel #12-16, some unweighted and some weighted or gold bead head.

Pheasant tail #14-20, some unweighted and some weighted or gold bead head.

Zug Bug or Prince, #12-16, some unweighted and some weighted or gold bead head. On the bead head ones, you might also try adding a "hot spot" or fluorescent red or orange behind the bead where you tie off the tying thread. (Simply using flo red or orange for your tying thread achieves this.)

Copper John #14-18.

Gary Lafontaine's Bead Head Twist Nymph, #14-18, in both peacock and pheasant tail versions. Try tying some with a fluorescent red or orange "hot spot" as well as the regular pattern.

Oh, and most hatch charts I've seen always mention the caddis and mayflies, but rarely the midges. Are they usually concurrent but not mentioned? Are they considered less imporant as a food source? Not as sophisticated? I have these tiny #18 midge nymphs and was wondering when to use them....

Thanks -- I know that's a lot of stuff to throw at you .

I haven't had much luck with midges on moving water. I do carry a few, but it's not very often that the fish are selectively keyed in to feeding on them rather than anything bigger. Where they seem to be most useful is in rich, spring-creek or tailwater environments when there is a specific midge hatch occurring. (Others may have had different experiences but that's mine.)

---------- Post added at 11:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:39 AM ----------

Ah, griffith gnat! I should tie some of those....forgot about that pattern. That's my kind of dry fly.

If you're looking for suggestions other than nymphs, then also:

Wooly Bugger #8 or 10

Hornberg dry (but you can pull it under and fish it like a streamer) #10 or 12

Black ghost marabou streamer #8, 10 or 12

Parachute hare's ear #12-16

Parachute Adams or Parachute BWO #16-20

Parachute Light Cahill or Parachute Sulphur #14-18

Royal Wulff #10-16

Ausable Wulff "12-16

Yellow Humpy #12-14

Elk Hair Caddis #12-18, in natural hare's ear, peacock, and olive

Hare's ear caddis #12-18. Can't always find these commercially but they are easy to tie: just a hare's ear body with a mixed grizzly and brown rooster hackle. Fish them dry and skitter on the surface to imitate an adult caddis, or pull them under and fish wet to imitate an emerging pupa or egg-laying adult. Mix a little Antron with the hare's ear dubbing for sparkle if you like.

Leadwing Coachman wet #12-14

English March Brown wet #12-14

Blue Dun wet #14-18

(And I'm not even getting into the soft hackle wets, which can be great as both wet flies and emergers, but not necessary for a basic selection.)

 

[bigjim5589]

There's a reason why ants are a trout's favorite food. They taste good! Try one sometime..seriously.

Dang, I did miss the ants didn't I !

Good call Rip! :thumbsup:

 

[jaybo41]

Lots of good suggestions here that I'm in agreement with. One I *think* was missing is beetles. Crowe beetles are good for selective fish. I like the foam beetles for a dry/dropper setup or simply fished by itself.

 

[moucheur2003]

Lots of good suggestions here that I'm in agreement with. One I *think* was missing is beetles. Crowe beetles are good for selective fish. I like the foam beetles for a dry/dropper setup or simply fished by itself.

Yes, beetles too. Ants and beetles are around all the time in wooded areas, even when there's nothing hatching from the water.

The last time I was on the Yellow Breeches in Pennsylvania a few years ago, the fireflies were out at dusk and there was a guy catching a lot of fish with a floating beetle pattern he had tied with some glow-in-the-dark yarn for a butt. He would shine his penlight on the butt to make it glow, and then float the beetle over fishy looking spots.

A deadly ant pattern you don't see very often is mentioned in the 2nd edition of Ray Bergman's classic Trout. It's just two lumps of black tying thread with a few turns of hackle in between them, but the secret is, you coat the lumps several times with head cement while you are winding them, so by the time they are finished they are thoroughly infused with cement. The cement adds weight and sinks the fly, which should be fished dead drift like a sunken nymph. Bergman's insight is that most ants that fall into the water will sink rather than float, and be carried downstream underwater with the current. Ants come in all sizes; try #12 to #16.

 

[bigjim5589]

When I was tying commercially, there were a few terrestrial patterns I sold quite often & they were always present in my own fly boxes. One was a similar ant pattern to what moucheur2003 mentioned, but a hard bodied version made with 2 lumps of either black or red acetate floss, and about 2 turns of hackle. The hackle could be black, red brown, bright red or a dark red, either rooster or hen. Acetate floss when dipped in acetone hardens. It's not the best procedure due to the fumes, but does make a good fly. Another was made with thread lumps & epoxy coated. The most purchased sizes were 12, 14 & 16.

There were 2 beetle patterns I sold most. One was made with a shell of foam, and micro cactus chenille under the foam. The other beetle was spun deerhair, tied on a nymph/wet fly type hook to get a bit more weight & clipped to shape. Black was the most common color, but I did them in other colors as well. However sizes varied more, from 16 up to 8, as they made great panfish patterns too!

Another pattern that I sold a lot was a deerhair worm. Tied on longer shank hooks, usually nymph/wet fly types, which was nothing more than deer hair tied in at the rear of the hook, twisted some & laid along the hook shank over a thread base. The tying thread was left at the rear of the hook & the body was ribbed with the thread. Then the deer hair was tied down behind the hook eye & the extra hair was clipped to form a bit of a head. Very simple & easy to tie, but worked quite well. I made foam versions too, but they didn't have the same appearance as deerhair. Green (bright green/chartreuse) & natural tan deerhair was the most popular colors, and 12 & 14 the most popular sizes.