Favourite fly, and why.

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

I'm only a year and a bit into the whole fly thing. So far, my favourite fly is the clouser minnow and variations of it. Reasoning is that it mimics bait fish, and all fish like baitfish. The eyes help get it deep, and it can easily mimic a baitfish feeding in the bottom if you want as well. Also the elk hair caddis, it floats high, is easy to see, and sure works. Those 2 have stood out to me so far, and I'm sure this will change as time goes on.

[johnr 47]

I am 45 years in. Been "trying for 45 years". Tried every year for 45 years. Have been brutal at it for 45 years. Ok ....I would love to have stayed with it and probably might even know what I need to know if I had stayed with it...... but never got to the point where I didn't wish I had a spinning rod to actually catch all the fish I was missing. Having said that, a royal coachman or a muddler minnow caught fish despite me hanging around at the other end.

[Guest mud trout]

FF, if you enjoy dry fly fishing you may never change your mind about the EHC. It is my favourite fly. I fish many creeks and smaller rivers for Brook trout in the TBay area. I see caddis much more then any other type of aqautic insets. I rarely have to match a mayfly hatch but there is usually at some time during the day a few caddis skittering around. The EHC is my go to fly when I fish dries. Tie them in different caddis and stone fly colours and a few different sizes. If you want them to set flush in the surface just trim a little hackle, or leave the hackle full for skating accross the current. Brookies love em!!

John R, When I started fly fishing I had to force myself to leave the spinning gear at home time after time. That first summer was the leanest summer I had ever experianced. But I am glad I did it becasue once I figured a few things out and with much practice the catching came as well. Now I fly fish almost exclusivly. I out fish the spinning guys some days, thay outfish me some days, but i think I am having more fun.

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

My first season (2013) with the fly rod was amazing. Must have caught hundreds of fish from bass to walleye, perch, pike, to specks salmon and steelhead. Nothing huge aside from some nice steelhead, but even still, what a season. I still sometimes bring the spinning, but I do have more fun fishing the fly. Your right Mud trout. My love for the EHC will probably never change.

[brookiebuster 117]

My favourite streamer would be a wooly bugger. It can represent many different things such as nymphs and baitfish. Its also very effective for every fish in my opinion. Just change the size/colour and you can catch anything from small stream brookies to 20lb pike. My favourite dry fly would be a stimulator dry fly. They work deadly for brookies in lakes or rivers during mayfly or caddis hatches IMO.

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

The bugger is also up there for me. First fly I ever tied was a pink and purple bugger. Got me a steelie before I lost it. I've tied a ton since, and always have a few on me.

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

I forgot one. The scud. I must have caught 40 walleye on it this past summer river fishing in town. Size 8-12. Biggest was about 14 inches, but even still. Got a couple perch and smallies on it too. What an effective fly/bug. I actually made my own dubbing for them by trimming a couple of my sons old stuffed animals. Some of the best dubbing I've used for scuds, but I'm out of it and those stuffed animals are gone. I can get pretty innovative when materials run low. And am always looking for ways to save a buck without sacrificing effectiveness.

[Squaretail 38]

I'm only a year and a bit into the whole fly thing. So far, my favourite fly is the clouser minnow and variations of it. Reasoning is that it mimics bait fish, and all fish like baitfish. The eyes help get it deep, and it can easily mimic a baitfish feeding in the bottom if you want as well. Also the elk hair caddis, it floats high, is easy to see, and sure works. Those 2 have stood out to me so far, and I'm sure this will change as time goes on.

On many occasions fishing with a friend I spin fished in the aft with jig fly in 25 feet of water targeting monster lakers. While my friend was fly fishing with a salt water clouser creation of his. To my one fish was his ten. No lie. With his sink tip and fly creation the presentation was spot on. I'll try to get a pic of the fly.

[Freenorth20 6]

I'm pretty new to fly fishing, but I hit some of the small rivers and streams pretty hard.. I found the elks hair caddis worked really well but I also had great results on small green and red wired copper johns with white biot tails.

[flybum 95]

im a streamer guy at heart... ill have to go with the clouser.

[Squaretail 38]

For the creeks around here size 14 royal coachman. Specks and bows love em. Peacock hearl is a must on any trout fly.

[Guest Beamer]

Streamers are my favorite, with the strip leech being my go to especially my smelt version I use for brooktrout and steelhead

[Squaretail 38]

Can't beat a well tied sculpin pattern for nipigon brookies. Especially when the bite is slow.

[hookset 18]

I'm going to say a stone nymph is my favorite. On top for me would be a humpy. They seem to stay ontop of fast water pretty well.