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By far, the question I hear most from beginning and inexperienced fly-fishermen (and quite a few experienced ones, too) is, “How do I know what fly I should use?”
A close second would be, “What (or how many) fly patterns do I need to have to be successful most of the time?
Those are both valid queries, and ones which reflect the quintessence of fly-fishing. On the other hand, both of those topics can be exceedingly complex, and hundreds of entire books have been written to answer them. Therefore, tackling such an enormous subject with the limited 700 or 800 words of my allotted weekly space here would be futile.
But so many folks have posed those questions to me in the past couple of weeks that I will offer some basic advice on fly selection. This week, I will discuss nymphs, wet flies and other patterns designed to be fished below the surface and because fly selection is somewhat dependent on time of year, I will focus on those patterns most useful during the first few weeks of trout season here in southcentral Pennsylvania. In a future column, I will look at dry flies.
The most troublesome aspect of recommending nymph patterns to other anglers is there are so few standard nymph patterns. By “standard” I mean flies tied to established pattern recipes that are likely to be found in books or the fly bins of most fly shops. Compared to dry flies, which have hundreds of well-known patterns in circulation, there are only a handful of standard nymph patterns, and few of them I consider to be “must haves” for Eastern anglers. In spite of those limitations, picking the top two nymphs on my list is no problem.
Number one is the Pheasant Tail Nymph. There are many variations of this pattern, but most of them will catch trout most of the time in most places. I believe the Pheasant Tail is so effective because it resembles so many of the abundant mayfly nymphs that are present in most of the streams of our region. I also like the bead-head versions as well. You’ll want to carry Pheasant Tails in sizes 12, 14 and 16.
The other nymph pattern that I always have with me is the Walt’s Worm in sizes 12, 14 and 16. I first tied this simple but deadly pattern back in 1984, and it has been catching trout, and many other species, throughout the United States and Canada ever since. I’m honored to consider my little bug a standard pattern now, since it has been featured on You Tube and several recent books, as well as being stocked in most fly shops in the region. Unkel Joe’s Woodshed in Altoona also stocks an assortment of Walt’s Worms personally tied by me.
The next standard pattern I would recommend is the Prince Nymph in both the conventional and bead-head versions in size 12 and 14. The body material of this fly is peacock herl, the fuzzy, metallic green and black fibers from those long, luxurious tail feathers of the male peacock. This material is the prime ingredient of many deadly trout flies and makes the Prince Nymph a good choice when the fish are looking for a dark fly.
While technically not nymphs, the other subsurface flies I never go fishing without would be the style of wet flies commonly referred to as “soft hackles.” These simple yet deadly flies are plausible imitations of everything from emerging caddis pupae to drowned mayflies and other aquatic insects, which probably accounts for why trout readily take them throughout the year. Most soft hackles are simple, a slender body and a collar of hackle from a soft-fibered bird feather that moves well in the water. There are quite a few patterns of soft hackles available. Get an assortment of soft hackles in light, medium and dark color combinations in sizes 12 and 14.
Whether you tie or buy your flies, the best way to learn about what nymph patterns to have in your fly boxes is to sample the insect life in the streams you fish most often. Pick up some rocks in riffles and runs and see the various nymphs and larvae crawling around on them. Better yet, get a fine-mesh seine and kick up the bottom at different sites and see what is captured in the net. Comprehend the various shapes, sizes and colors of the organisms that you are seeing most often and tie or buy flies that resemble them. That is how I learned what nymphs I use should more than 40 years ago, and I continue to do stream sampling today.
Finally, having the right fly at the right time will do little if you can’t present it to the fish properly. Every good nymph fisherman I know is an expert at reading water, a competent caster and a master at proper presentation. Of course, all those skills take some practice and experience, but with all things in fly-fishing the classroom is a wonderful place. Make your next fishing trip a learning experience and success will follow.