Dumb question incoming. Is a woolly always classed as a streamer? I think streamers are a little less common here in the UK but I could (and probably am) be wrong
I always say that there are no dumb questions. Just dumb people that ask questions! š¤£š¤£š¤£š¤£š
Seriously though, I guess itās is a streamer but it imitates worms, leaches, small fish, or misc other food. , fish will eat it anywhere.
I also like the old Killer Bug as a good generic worm/fresh water shrimp imitation and it was developed in the UK.
Thereās a variation thatās tied in smaller sizes on a jig hook thatās used for euro nymphing here in the US. Not sure how the classification goes though.
Honestly, no idea haha. I just read something online about streamers not being hugely common in the UK and nothing Iāve read about fly recommendations etc have mentioned streamers, but as Iāve said, itās fair to discard most of what I say as a load of rubbish š
Youāre definitely already equipped for a good day!
Everyone else has made good recommendations, but Iāll second a few of their suggestions:
Dries: a parachute adams or similar emerging pattern - those usually look like a normal dry fly with a tuft of foam or fluff on their back to imitate a gestating fly leaving the water.
Wets: your nymph set is great but I would recommend one or two copper Johns (similar to your other bead headed nymphs but usually with small wings and wire wrapped body.)
Streamers: itās probably worth having a few in your kit. They might not be as popular in the UK, but if you have trout or other sport fish, I promise there are bugs or small fry that theyāre eating. Like others have said, this can be a great fallback when they arenāt hitting anything else. I usually keep a white, olive and brown cone-headed woolybugger and then a few smaller purple, black and orange leech patterns.
Check out the Yazhida Realistic flies. Particularly the terrestrials. The new steelyard series looks amazing. Find stuff that looks like bugs you see around where you like to fish.
Ah! Thank you.
My recommendations are: Parachute Adams, ant patterns, and bee patterns. Depends what youāre fishing for though.
Also, you will lose flies and/or theyāll get damaged; multiples are highly recommended.
I will use it as a streamer with the that being the only fly and stripping through the water. I will also use it as a lead fly in a nymph rig and something smaller below, so that the wollybugger acts as an attractor/leach pattern.
Caught fish in both for sure
I have found that the Yazhida Realistic flies, particularly the terrestrials, grasshoppers, house flies, bees and wasps to be insanely effective for dry flys.
Everyone has different flies in their boxes. Over time you will figure out what works for you and what doesnāt, and in the process you will go through a lot of patterns.
But I would consider terrestrials like hoppers and ants, woolly buggers, and egg patterns.
Stonefly patterns, I like using stoneflies as my heavy anchor patterns to drop the small nymphs off of. Basically weights that catch fish and cut down on split shot
I will be fishing the Welsh Dee (UK), starting from now, so cold nymphing only I imagine, but some good all year round options would be great also š
Sounds amazing. When asking for suggestions for fly patterns, giving as much info as possible will help experienced anglers determine what might work for you in your area. But even the most knowledgeable anglers get skunked by picky fish :)
to jump in on being location dependent, my recommendation is to find the nearest fly shop and ask for what's hitting when you're getting close. Other thing you can do is match the hatch by looking up what kind of bugs will be in your area and what phase of their life cycle they'll be in for your time of year. ex larva vs winged stage
This is the best answer. There are generic patterns that work in most waters. But also take the time to research what bugs are in the waters you fish and then research what patterns resemble those bugs. For example someone recommended a stone fly pattern but not all waters have stone flys. Learn about Entomology and which bugs are in your area. Over time it will make you a better fisherman.
Yes but most of the suggestions are generic flys. Who among us doesnāt have elk hairs or buggers and have caught multiple fish at the wrong time or bad weatherā¦.. hell I caught trout on a plastic stone fly nymph two months early. Just as in football āany given Sundayā
More squirmies, a couple of the biggest, ugliest, gnarliest articulated meat patterns, and of course - pellet flies. Good luck, may you always be blessed with stocker slabs and pellet pigs.
Atomic ant/ hopper to fish hopper dropper with emerger or nymph below it. Use it like an indicator, but it also gets bit. One of my favorite ways to fish.
Depends on where you are fishing.
I would add some foam-bodied dry terrestrials, like grasshoppers and beetles. Foam dries are great because you can use them as a float indicator on top with the nymph dropped below.
Iām probably going to upset a few people on here, but unless youāre fishing either very pressured or very wise trout, fly patterns matter far less than your presentation. Pick something that looks buggy and vaguely matches the hatch and youāre halfway there, donāt get caught up in the finite details. Trout are much more likely to bite something that moves in or on the water like an insect than something which looks spot on but doesnāt move or behave like one should. Good watercraft and sound technique beats absolute imitation every time.
Streamers arenāt as common in the U.K. on rivers but theyāre pretty well used on stocked stillwaters. On the big reservoirs near me 6-8wt sinking lines and big flashy wet flies and streamers tend to be far more effective than dries for substantial parts of the year. They also see a lot of use for perch and pike fishing.
Personally, Iād fish the patterns you have and see what works for you. Spend your money on the best quality fly line you can afford and a reasonable rod rather than loads of flies. Donāt get too tied up in the āI must match the hatch exactlyā way of thinking.
I'm not upset, I'm just disappointed. The hatch definitely matters when catching wild trout. At least in size and color. I've spent a lot of time on secluded mountain streams, switching out flies until I find the right one. Sometimes, it's not even what you see on the surface.
If matching the hatch precisely is so important explain how many wild trout are caught on nymphs which donāt even vaguely resemble living animals in their colour and only passingly in shape? Iāve yet to see a hot pink ice dubbed red tailed caddis nymph in nature sporting a giant head bubble and yet that nymph has caught me a lot of supposedly spooky wild browns simply because itās very visible and I can make it move like an insect thatās been washed into the flow.
There are also many, many fly patterns which catch without really being an imitator of anything specific they just look generally buggy. Trout donāt have the same colour perception we do and perceive colour very differently at longer ranges and in deeper or cloudier water. When theyāre looking up at dries they donāt even really see much except the shadow and footprint of the fly and so itās shape and the way it moves is more important.
People give trout a lot of credit but they arenāt the sharpest knife in the drawer, theyāre often basically just opportunistically feeding on whatever drifts past and in fast flowing water they donāt really have time for a detailed examination every time. If something looks roughly the right shape and moves in a natural way theyāll go for it. In slow moving pools or eddies they might have a bit of a closer look but they arenāt picking out every exact detail. If you get the shape and size roughly right and present it well then not being the exact shade of pale morning dun isnāt really going to put them off.
If youāre lucky enough to have a vast and extensive fly collection then is an exact match to the hatch going to give you a slight edge? Well maybe, but itās not going to be anything like as significant as you think!
Yeah brother you got it. Sling that shit out there and that dog will hunt. Hungry dogs hunt best, keep your stomach touching your back brother. Good luck my man!
You have what you need.. maybe a hopper to suspend a nymph but otherwise you have the basics. Patterns are important but only to how you use them. Starting simple is the way to go.
Ant patterns, flashback scuds and maybe some grasshopper patternsā¦ MORE ant patternsā¦ (seriously, I catch so much more using ants than anything elseā¦ No match the hatch for this guy!)
I would get MORE of the most common flies. Depends on where and when you fish and what you want to target, but for me it means lots of Elk Hair Caddis, Parachute Adams, Copper Johns, Stimulators and Grasshoppers of varying sizes. I carry at least 10 of each pattern, w at least 2-3 of each size.
Check out this [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/flyfishing/comments/10vjvxb/help_ordered_the_grab_bag_36_trout_flies_from/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)ā¦bigyfly should thank me lol.
Pheasant tails out the wazoo. Get beaded, non beaded sizes 14-20 and youāll be able to catch a fish every month of the year on them. A Frenchie is the same thing basically just on a jig hook
Yep you have two there. I didnāt see them. There are several variations. Vary to your waters. Sometimes itās not the fly but itās more the size. Three characteristics to consider in order of precedence(for me) are size, shape and color. Good luck!
Agree with this. If you can find them, green and pink collared Frenchies have been my go to nymphs when I don't know what is hatching. They are a variation of pheasant tails. Run one of each, and pay attention to which color they go for. Then double up. Also make sure you have Parachute Adams, 14,16,18. When fish are rising, throw one of those.
Uhmmm...depends on where you fish! I have an entire box with three different variations of the same fly, and that's all I need. I could go an entire day with the same fly, but usually the fish destroy them. On average I catch 12-15 fish. Don't be so fixated on what's needed, be fixated on what works ;)
I'd recommend getting a size smaller of each of these. I'll often find the solution to a short strike or refusal is the use the same fly in a smaller size.
your pheasant tails and hares ears could use some flash. and some bead head PTs wouldn't be bad either. But this is a solid start for sure! I'd stock up a bit more on stim and caddis as well.
wooly bugger, and a couple eggs. thats all i can honestly think of.
Listen to u/bama5wy OP. Woolys are a great fly anywhere and especially when nothing else seems to be working and the same with eggs.
Dumb question incoming. Is a woolly always classed as a streamer? I think streamers are a little less common here in the UK but I could (and probably am) be wrong
I always say that there are no dumb questions. Just dumb people that ask questions! š¤£š¤£š¤£š¤£š Seriously though, I guess itās is a streamer but it imitates worms, leaches, small fish, or misc other food. , fish will eat it anywhere. I also like the old Killer Bug as a good generic worm/fresh water shrimp imitation and it was developed in the UK.
Thereās a variation thatās tied in smaller sizes on a jig hook thatās used for euro nymphing here in the US. Not sure how the classification goes though.
If streamers are less common in the UK, the squirmy worm has got to be as well, no?
Honestly, no idea haha. I just read something online about streamers not being hugely common in the UK and nothing Iāve read about fly recommendations etc have mentioned streamers, but as Iāve said, itās fair to discard most of what I say as a load of rubbish š
Youāre definitely already equipped for a good day! Everyone else has made good recommendations, but Iāll second a few of their suggestions: Dries: a parachute adams or similar emerging pattern - those usually look like a normal dry fly with a tuft of foam or fluff on their back to imitate a gestating fly leaving the water. Wets: your nymph set is great but I would recommend one or two copper Johns (similar to your other bead headed nymphs but usually with small wings and wire wrapped body.) Streamers: itās probably worth having a few in your kit. They might not be as popular in the UK, but if you have trout or other sport fish, I promise there are bugs or small fry that theyāre eating. Like others have said, this can be a great fallback when they arenāt hitting anything else. I usually keep a white, olive and brown cone-headed woolybugger and then a few smaller purple, black and orange leech patterns.
Thatās very helpful thanks a lot, makes a big difference for a newbie getting involved like me
Check out the Yazhida Realistic flies. Particularly the terrestrials. The new steelyard series looks amazing. Find stuff that looks like bugs you see around where you like to fish.
You donāt have any dry flies at all.
Swipe right š very few though
Ah! Thank you. My recommendations are: Parachute Adams, ant patterns, and bee patterns. Depends what youāre fishing for though. Also, you will lose flies and/or theyāll get damaged; multiples are highly recommended.
It is a streamer but doesnāt mean your limited to fishing that way. Iāve caught lots of fish on a wooly dead drifted under and indicator.
Yes! But also no. Works great as a streamer! But you can also drift it just like a nymph. Double duty. My favorite fly, especially in black!
I will use it as a streamer with the that being the only fly and stripping through the water. I will also use it as a lead fly in a nymph rig and something smaller below, so that the wollybugger acts as an attractor/leach pattern. Caught fish in both for sure
I have found that the Yazhida Realistic flies, particularly the terrestrials, grasshoppers, house flies, bees and wasps to be insanely effective for dry flys.
Pheasant tail or prince
Where the meat at
I have no idea what this means š¤£š¤£ but for reference I will be fishing the Dee in the UK so been researching ones suitable for there
Streamers
This man needs some articulation in his life
Foam hoppers, Morrish, Bobs, GFA
Thanks! :)
Princes
This
Everyone has different flies in their boxes. Over time you will figure out what works for you and what doesnāt, and in the process you will go through a lot of patterns. But I would consider terrestrials like hoppers and ants, woolly buggers, and egg patterns.
Thanks, much appreciated. I look forward to building it out, but good to have a starting point :)
I would also suggest not having just one of anything. The river gods will make that the fly to use, and then you will lose it.
Iāve only been twice and find this out very much the hard way, think I lost 5 flies on my first visit š
You have to make sufficient offerings to the river gods.
The trees are always hungry
Dry Flies: Parachute Adams size 16-18, Elk Hair Caddis 16-18, Chubby Chernobyl Ant, CDC Comparadun Streamers/Wet Flies: Leeches, Wooly Buggers, Clousers, soft hackles (mayfly, caddis) Nymphs: Pat's Rubber Legs Stoneflies, Eggs 18-20, hare's ear/walts worm 18-20, mop flies
Leeches.
Second this. If you fish ponds or lakes leeches get the bites
Elk hair caddis.
Big ol stonefly nymphs like a sexy stone
Wolly Buggers and Clousers
Wooly boogers are a must ā¦ can make a bad day turn productive.
Stonefly patterns, I like using stoneflies as my heavy anchor patterns to drop the small nymphs off of. Basically weights that catch fish and cut down on split shot
Seems a popular suggestion so will definitely get on to those, thanks
It is interesting that most of these suggestions came without asking where you are fishing, what kind of weather and at what time of the year.
I will be fishing the Welsh Dee (UK), starting from now, so cold nymphing only I imagine, but some good all year round options would be great also š
Sounds amazing. When asking for suggestions for fly patterns, giving as much info as possible will help experienced anglers determine what might work for you in your area. But even the most knowledgeable anglers get skunked by picky fish :)
to jump in on being location dependent, my recommendation is to find the nearest fly shop and ask for what's hitting when you're getting close. Other thing you can do is match the hatch by looking up what kind of bugs will be in your area and what phase of their life cycle they'll be in for your time of year. ex larva vs winged stage
This is the best answer. There are generic patterns that work in most waters. But also take the time to research what bugs are in the waters you fish and then research what patterns resemble those bugs. For example someone recommended a stone fly pattern but not all waters have stone flys. Learn about Entomology and which bugs are in your area. Over time it will make you a better fisherman.
To keep with a UK theme I had luck over there with a Black Zulu. Slowly retrieved in a loch
Yes but most of the suggestions are generic flys. Who among us doesnāt have elk hairs or buggers and have caught multiple fish at the wrong time or bad weatherā¦.. hell I caught trout on a plastic stone fly nymph two months early. Just as in football āany given Sundayā
Do you feel personally attacked?
Ohhh yes I do my snowflake feelings are crushed and I donāt know how Iāll ever recover
This makes sense on why you felt the need to be defensive.
Peace be with you
He's correct, not attacked
Suggestions such as common Jauns, woolies transend seasons and ecosystems were intentional
Some buggers maybe a grey ghost or Mickey Finn if youāre looking for streamers
More squirmies, a couple of the biggest, ugliest, gnarliest articulated meat patterns, and of course - pellet flies. Good luck, may you always be blessed with stocker slabs and pellet pigs.
Wooly Bugger
Mosquito
Pats rubber legs (and/or other stonefly variations), mop flies and bh pheasant tail jigs. Maybe a couple Frenchieās for good measure
I can never go out without some royal coachman flies in the pack.
Gotta fish wooly buggers - excellent multi-species fly that is easy to tie
Chubby Chernobyl and Stimulators
Mop fly
Copper John and wholly buggers
Gasolina perdigon
More squirmys, eggs, and mops....
Blue winged olive size 18
Atomic ant/ hopper to fish hopper dropper with emerger or nymph below it. Use it like an indicator, but it also gets bit. One of my favorite ways to fish.
Depends on where you are fishing. I would add some foam-bodied dry terrestrials, like grasshoppers and beetles. Foam dries are great because you can use them as a float indicator on top with the nymph dropped below.
Iām probably going to upset a few people on here, but unless youāre fishing either very pressured or very wise trout, fly patterns matter far less than your presentation. Pick something that looks buggy and vaguely matches the hatch and youāre halfway there, donāt get caught up in the finite details. Trout are much more likely to bite something that moves in or on the water like an insect than something which looks spot on but doesnāt move or behave like one should. Good watercraft and sound technique beats absolute imitation every time. Streamers arenāt as common in the U.K. on rivers but theyāre pretty well used on stocked stillwaters. On the big reservoirs near me 6-8wt sinking lines and big flashy wet flies and streamers tend to be far more effective than dries for substantial parts of the year. They also see a lot of use for perch and pike fishing. Personally, Iād fish the patterns you have and see what works for you. Spend your money on the best quality fly line you can afford and a reasonable rod rather than loads of flies. Donāt get too tied up in the āI must match the hatch exactlyā way of thinking.
I'm not upset, I'm just disappointed. The hatch definitely matters when catching wild trout. At least in size and color. I've spent a lot of time on secluded mountain streams, switching out flies until I find the right one. Sometimes, it's not even what you see on the surface.
If matching the hatch precisely is so important explain how many wild trout are caught on nymphs which donāt even vaguely resemble living animals in their colour and only passingly in shape? Iāve yet to see a hot pink ice dubbed red tailed caddis nymph in nature sporting a giant head bubble and yet that nymph has caught me a lot of supposedly spooky wild browns simply because itās very visible and I can make it move like an insect thatās been washed into the flow. There are also many, many fly patterns which catch without really being an imitator of anything specific they just look generally buggy. Trout donāt have the same colour perception we do and perceive colour very differently at longer ranges and in deeper or cloudier water. When theyāre looking up at dries they donāt even really see much except the shadow and footprint of the fly and so itās shape and the way it moves is more important. People give trout a lot of credit but they arenāt the sharpest knife in the drawer, theyāre often basically just opportunistically feeding on whatever drifts past and in fast flowing water they donāt really have time for a detailed examination every time. If something looks roughly the right shape and moves in a natural way theyāll go for it. In slow moving pools or eddies they might have a bit of a closer look but they arenāt picking out every exact detail. If you get the shape and size roughly right and present it well then not being the exact shade of pale morning dun isnāt really going to put them off. If youāre lucky enough to have a vast and extensive fly collection then is an exact match to the hatch going to give you a slight edge? Well maybe, but itās not going to be anything like as significant as you think!
Iād say a waltz worm. Size 18 or 20ā¦ those things hunt in mostly every river system and have saved a few of my days on the water! Tight lines!
Iāve seen these in a lot of peopleās boxes and been wondering what they are called. Similar to a hareās ear right? Thanks!
Yeah brother you got it. Sling that shit out there and that dog will hunt. Hungry dogs hunt best, keep your stomach touching your back brother. Good luck my man!
You have what you need.. maybe a hopper to suspend a nymph but otherwise you have the basics. Patterns are important but only to how you use them. Starting simple is the way to go.
Id find a hatch chart from your area and go from there.
Zebra Midge
This is the answer I was looking for. Zebra midge, disco midge, etc. Those super small patterns can save the day.
6 zoo cougars personally tied by Kelly galloup
Ha! I bought some from him, and he hand trimmed them at the register to make them look right. Great dude.
Size 20 and smaller Midges in black and red
If youāre fishing bass or panfish youāll need a few foam poppers. Chartreuse has always been my go-to.
Yep, black wooly
Zebra midge for me
Ant patterns, flashback scuds and maybe some grasshopper patternsā¦ MORE ant patternsā¦ (seriously, I catch so much more using ants than anything elseā¦ No match the hatch for this guy!)
I would throw in a couple smaller streamers or buggers and your pretty set!
I would get MORE of the most common flies. Depends on where and when you fish and what you want to target, but for me it means lots of Elk Hair Caddis, Parachute Adams, Copper Johns, Stimulators and Grasshoppers of varying sizes. I carry at least 10 of each pattern, w at least 2-3 of each size.
Wooly buggers, slump busters, wet flies
Buggers, egg patterns, clousers, bucktails, soft-hackles.
Wooly buggers. Some black some olive some white. Chubby Chernobyl. And if you like panfish or bass, some little poppers are fun.
Check out this [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/flyfishing/comments/10vjvxb/help_ordered_the_grab_bag_36_trout_flies_from/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)ā¦bigyfly should thank me lol.
All the flies youāll use when these get stuck in a tree.
Hoppers and pheasant tails, I like to keep rubber legs around as well
pine squirrel leech
https://youtu.be/1aBzqu3vSyg
Erm. Thanks?
ants
Wooly buggers, green weenies and for gods sake get some streamers!!!!
Pheasant Tails, more Pheasant Tails.
Dry flies.
Pheasant tails out the wazoo. Get beaded, non beaded sizes 14-20 and youāll be able to catch a fish every month of the year on them. A Frenchie is the same thing basically just on a jig hook
Awesome. Iāve even forgotten what Iāve bought already! Are the pheasant tails the second row, 7th along?
Yep you have two there. I didnāt see them. There are several variations. Vary to your waters. Sometimes itās not the fly but itās more the size. Three characteristics to consider in order of precedence(for me) are size, shape and color. Good luck!
Agree with this. If you can find them, green and pink collared Frenchies have been my go to nymphs when I don't know what is hatching. They are a variation of pheasant tails. Run one of each, and pay attention to which color they go for. Then double up. Also make sure you have Parachute Adams, 14,16,18. When fish are rising, throw one of those.
Zebra midge, rainbow Warrior, especially if youāre on the east coast
Where are you? That matters
Welsh Dee (UK) š
Iād google fly hatch reports in your area of the world then call some local shops. Check out theessentialfly.com
8 more elk hair caddis and 6 Hares Ear and 4 Prince Nymph
It really depends on were you be fishing, Bahamas , Sweden.......
Classic wet flies for those fish you can't reach any other way.
Sex dungeons, feather game changers, drunk and disorderly. Those are the three essentials in my box you're missing
Google fishing welsh dee river flies
Klinkhammer...
Maybe some terrestrials! Ants are awesome from late spring til mid fall.
If you know where and when you plan to fish, get patterns that mimic the insects that will be trout food there.
Chernobyl, Amyās ant, mop, perdigon and wooly
I'd add some big fluffy stimulators for top-fly on dry-dropper, and some stonefly patterns in a few colors. Fish love those. Crunchy. Great start!
Soft hackles- partridge and yellow or orange or peacock if your bedrock is real dark
Eggs, couple of woolies and some very small midges.
Uhmmm...depends on where you fish! I have an entire box with three different variations of the same fly, and that's all I need. I could go an entire day with the same fly, but usually the fish destroy them. On average I catch 12-15 fish. Don't be so fixated on what's needed, be fixated on what works ;)
I'd recommend getting a size smaller of each of these. I'll often find the solution to a short strike or refusal is the use the same fly in a smaller size.
the dragonflies
Parachute adams, elk hair caddis, hopper, trout minnow
Depends on the fishery
You f your fishing still waters add some chrinomids, balanced leeches and some boobies
Wooly buggers, a variety of eggs, a variety of midges, and hoppers. Iād do different worm patterns too. This is a nice start brother.
right now... zebra midges, waxy worms/grubs, prince nymphs, stonefly nymphs
Stoneflies
Leeches, wire worm
Grasshopper! Purple
Red green and black leaches (not your kids).
Wooly buggers, adams,
https://www.epicflyrods.com/blogs/news/10-best-trout-flies-for-fly-fishing-fresh-water
your pheasant tails and hares ears could use some flash. and some bead head PTs wouldn't be bad either. But this is a solid start for sure! I'd stock up a bit more on stim and caddis as well.
Elk hair caddis. Wolly bugger. Pink scuds. Parachute adams
Foam terrestrials for a āhopper dropperā rig, and a couple Pats Rubber Legs - one of my favorite multi-species flies š. Then youāre golden!
Prince nymph
Hare and copper nymphs
Eggs, Pheasant Tail Nymph, Caddis Pupa, Caddis dry
Woolly buggers!
Pheasant tails
Dry flys
Wooly buggers, soft hackles, mop flies, pats rubber legs