What are your fav trout fly patterns?

[BobG]

I haven't tied a trout fly in over 30 years, so I might be in need of direction.

What are some of your 'go to' flies? Ponds on the Cape in the spring, rivers in western Ma summer. I'm not looking for any top secret patterns, just something to get me started tying on cold, snowy nights this winter.

[Fin Addiction]

ponds would be streamers of the white marabou variety....Add a bit of pearl crystal chenille for the body and your good to go....Wings of chartreuse have worked very well too...bead head buggers especially in olive seem to always put out....

[BobG]

ponds would be streamers of the white marabou variety....Add a bit of pearl crystal chenille for the body and your good to go....Wings of chartreuse have worked very well too...bead head buggers especially in olive seem to always put out....

Thanks Jeff,

What range of sizes do you tie? I'm sure you see where I'm going with this. I don't want to tie 400 flies, only to find to find later that everyone fishes the same 5 patterns. ;)

[Fin Addiction]

Bob....You want the end product to fall between 1 and 2 inches. I use 8-12's...:brow

[DLWKFW]

For the ponds, go tie up muddler's and woolly buggers. I've also made some gaudy pink/purple flies a la Alaskan design for the rainbows. They are good attractors.

As for streams, other than caddis and some bead heads, I would suggest buying at a shop near the stream a few flies that are working when you go. Bring along your tying stuff and tie a bunch at the campsite or motel at night.

[teflon_jones]

Bob, you have PM. :)

[Jim Miller]

OK Bob.... here goes (for starters). This selection will work for most freestone streams.
Caddis
nymph
adult
Mayflies
nymph
adult/dun
Stoneflies
nymph
adult
Dark & light of each. Size 12,14,16,18
Griffiths Gnat (for midge clusters)
Mayfly spinners
wooley buggers, muddlers (baitfish dull)
baitfish pattern (sparkle) dace,ghost etc.

This will get you a 80 +- percent match...
expand from here as time & patience allows. :-%

LOL .... kinda reminds me of the advice you gave me regarding bonefish patterns. You won't be perfect 100% of the time ..... but you will be in the game! --127-3-

[JohnDe]

Here is one side of a trout box I just did up as a present. It has an assortment that I have had success with in Eastern Mass. To round it out I would add a few ants, bees and beetles. For spring and fall I fish more lightly weighted Wooly buggers in #10 and #12 than any other pattern. The standard chenille body works but peacock herl or seal makes the fly a little different from the store bought ones. I fish a 3wt in confined areas so size accordingly. The prince nymph in #12 and pt in #14 are worth including. If fish are rising then what I call a black caddis (blk body, cdc, elk hair and hackle) usually does the job. The #14 Henryville caddis is a good fly. The #14/#15 Hemingway (not in photo) with the cut wing is easier to tie and just as effective. For dries I threw in #14 and #16 Adams and #14 Coachman and a couple of cracklebacks that I keep reading about. Parachutes and comparaduns would have been nice (maybe next time). For streamers I included a couple Wood Specials, a couple yellow Hornbergs and a couple simple Muddlers. Twenty years ago I fished the Hornberg 80% of the time. It still works but I rarely tie one on. This is a start... Copper Johns, sulphers, #18 emergers, sparrows, and quill duns would be the next tier with the Paul Kukonen's Cardinelle to spice things up. These flies probably would not get a look on the Farmington but fare well both spring and fall on many eastern streams.
http://home.comcast.net/~johndeinnocentis/mix1.jpg

[BobG]

with the Paul Kukonen's Cardinelle to spice things up.

Would you believe it was Paul Kukonen who taught me how to tie flies almost 40 years ago! :brow

[gseries69]

For ponds early season I start with buzzer pupa patterns in sizes 10-14. As the weather warms I go to haresears, whitlock squirel tails and seal buggers. I'm usually off the ponds by early June and hit the rivers if I'm not striper fishing. Up here in Vermont there is a basic rule of thumb that seems to work great as the season progresses. Large to small, light to dark. The insects are usually larger and lighter in early season and then progress to darker and smaller. By September it's size 18-22 pheasant tails to imitate BWO's and Tricos. One exception is Isonychia which is a good size swimmer mayfly we see in Sept. I've been cursed by a dark colored caddis in fall that I can't figure out. Other great attractor patterns include zug bugs and prince nymphs. For dries I keep it simple with parachute adams, light cahills and elk hair caddis with the exception of the big brown drake hatch in June, Hex's in July and tricos in August. If pond fishing in fall, that is the time I'll use streamers. As the season heads towards colder temps it's back the midges and the buzzer pupa. I can't remember the last time I used a dry fly while fishing on ponds.

[Pauper Piscator]

Wooly Buggers. Black. I like a brass bead or cone.

Bead head hares ear nymph - asst sizes.colors. Black and grey or mix in some sparkle dubbing.

Weighted soft hackles. Again - bead head. Copper wire rib.

FLASHY. For VT/NH brookies/bows try a size 12-14 "rock star" hornberg. KISS. Simple thread body. Bushy - oversized hackled head. SILVER TINSEL WING. SKATE it downstream and hang on. If there is a trout in the hole, it will rise.

Good old elk hair caddis. Tricky-ish to tie but not bad when you get in the groove. Also a good skating pattern.

Throw in a few Adams. Skip the wing. Just hackle is fine and EZ-er.

Finally, TONS of blackflies in N. central MA. Size 20-22 hook. Tiny tuft of black CDC. Done.

JohnDe. Nice gift box! Love the princes and royal wulfs.

[hardtail]

JohnDe, Nice flies! That is a pretty box.

[Jed]

Bob,

For the Millers River I like Elk Hair Caddis dry,
Hornbergs
Gold Ribbed Hares Ear
Buggers and Stoneflies

For the Swift
Griffith's Gnats
Brassies
Copper Johns
Tiny prince nymphs

For the Deerfield
a combination of the above.

jed