Spring Fly Patterns

[CampVibes]

Hey everyone,

Hope you all had a great opener, I did not myself but it's only up from here! haha. With the lack of rain and low temperatures to start the spring, is there a specific pattern or fly setup I should be leaning towards, I figured until hatching becomes more prevalent it would be a good idea to stick to steamers, bead-heads and wolly-buggers. But now I'm rethinking them since opening day for me was a bust (this could of also been of a factor due to where I was fishing in the East Tribs).

Thanks!

 

[fortunato]

San Juan worms after a rain,scuds and midge patterns in low and clear conditions,work for me....not always though

 

[rich_ace_G]

yesterday, i used self tied vladi worms (condom worms) got 2 resis on it.

 

[CampVibes]

San Juan worms after a rain,scuds and midge patterns in low and clear conditions,work for me....not always though

Are you Nymphing with them or swinging?

 

[wschinke]

Small, dark brown woolly buggers WITHOUT the woolly part worked for me on opener. Basically a size 8 streamer hook with dark brown chenille and some marabou or rabbit strip sticking out the back. No hackle. Even in cold water, stripping them by log jams will draw out a lot of fish.

 

[fortunato]

Are you Nymphing with them or swinging?

nymphing,swinging is more effective with streamers and soft hackle flies,along with Vladis worm,Walts worm is a Southern Ontario gem..cranefly larvae imitation

 

[[email protected]]

clear waters mean small bugs, especially early on, so size 10-14 hares ear, stonefly, and wooly buggers. also woolly worms!

 

[miles]

Things are hatching early this yr, big stoney hatch the other day, crayfish molting right now too. If ur fishing rezis that might interest you, the single rods don't normally make it in my boat this time of year tho

 

[BERRRG]

Yeah I have been told by a guide in the area that crayfish patterns can be very good. You can use them pretty effectively in eddies by stripping them in 6" at a time. Unfortunately only caught smallies on them last spring but I was a bit late to the party anyway.

 

[CampVibes]

Yeah I have been told by a guide in the area that crayfish patterns can be very good. You can use them pretty effectively in eddies by stripping them in 6" at a time. Unfortunately only caught smallies on them last spring but I was a bit late to the party anyway.

I'm in the Eastern GTA, so I'm assuming that pattern applies to this area as well?

 

[BERRRG]

I'm in the Eastern GTA, so I'm assuming that pattern applies to this area as well?

Well, to be fair, I was on a Huron trib with him. I can't say for sure but I'd imagine crayfish are active there as well. Crayfish patterns can also imitate other fish food. You can swing these patterns as well or dead drift them. I'd give it a shot if I were you - worth a couple bucks. It's a versatile fly.

 

[miles]

I was talking Huron too, so many on some rivers. One time after dark there was an exposed limestone rock in the river that became completely covered in crayfish, like a 1000 on a rock 4 feet wide. $ish was twisted.

 

[CampVibes]

I really need to start fishing Huron tribs, just wish I was closer! Also, is it true that a lot of the popular Huron tribs shorelines are private?

 

[miles]

Some of it is, but there are lots of rivers and lots of places to fish. I prefer to use driftboats, whitewater rafts or something like a kayak to cover water and not deal with trespassing. Lots of guys who don't know go tramping all over people land without permission, big no no in my books, we loose acsess because of it all the time. Lots of the water I fish is only wadeable a very low water if at all as well.

 

[BERRRG]

I really need to start fishing Huron tribs, just wish I was closer! Also, is it true that a lot of the popular Huron tribs shorelines are private?

Today I am fishing up to three west coast Huron tribs, all from public access points. However, I do think the majority of each of these rivers run through private land. If you'd like some info PM me. Don't mind sharing with a fellow fly fisherman.

 

[Brown_recluse]

This last weekend I was working through an East Trib with a friend. The damn trout were right infront of us in the double digits, and we tried everything. I used stoneflies, stonelfy nymphs, peacock nymph, a bunch of other nymphs, bead patterns, worm patterns, hendrickson and BWO dry flies. Nothing took.

I then tried a fly that one of my local angling stores sold to me, saying it was from one of his customers from New Zealand and meant for Browns. That could have been a sell tactic, but the success rate on this thing was absolutely phenomenal. I caught non-stop on it, from browns, to rainbows to Atlantics. I had no idea Atlantics were even in this trib, but apparently they are. Some of the monsters were even in plain sight, but wanted none of it. But for resis and smolts, this thing was pretty much the best producer I've ever had. I can't wait to try it in other conditions on a West trib and see if it works as well...

It just goes to show you that the norm may never really work.

B/R