Fly boxes with interchangable
liners offer the ability to change
types of flies without changing
the fly box.
liners offer the ability to change
types of flies without changing
the fly box.
Flies: (Choosing the Right Fly)
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| ............................. .Fly Fishing Yellowstone National Park |
Our"Perfect Fly",the
Blue-winged Olive Spinner
Blue-winged Olive Spinner
You shouldn't select a fly by its
looks rather what it imitates.
looks rather what it imitates.
The most often asked question in fly-fishing is
"what fly do I use"? Trout in Yellowstone or
anywhere in the World for that matter, do not feed
on feathers, hair and metal hooks. They feed on
insects, crustaceans, fish and other food that is
available in the streams. Often when anglers
select flies they begin to think, act and
sometimes appear to actually believe that fish
recognize and feed on such things as a Royal
Trudes or Adams Mayflies.
Selecting the Right Fly:
When you are selecting a fly to use in Yellowstone
or anywhere else you should first ask yourself
"what are the trout most likely eating".
Hatch Charts:
Print a copy of the hatch chart of the stream
(included within this website) you are fishing and
see what insects should be available for the trout
to eat at the particular time you are fishing. If you
don't see the insects that should be hatching on
the water, in the air or on the banks of the stream,
it doesn't necessarily mean that they are not
there. Are you in the right type of water or section
of the stream for the preferred habitat of that
particular insect? Is it the right time of day for the
hatch, spinner fall or egg ovipositing? Has the
hatch been delayed by cold weather or has it
already ended?
If you don't see a substantial amount of insects
in the air or observe trout feeding on insects on
the surface of the water, then you could rightly
assume that they are eating something below
the surface. This most likely would be pupae or
larvae of aquatic insects, fish or a few other
things found in the water. Bead head hair ear
nymphs would not be one of them. So, your first
choice, if you are interested in catching trout
more than you are casting for them, should be a
nymph, larva or pupa imitation of an aquatic
insect, or maybe a streamer that would imitate a
sculpin or baitfish. If you know how to read a
hatch chart (how to read a hatch chart) then this
would be by far your best clue as what fly to use.
Examine the Water:
If you don't have a hatch chart, or you don't see
the insects shown on the hatch chart, then
carefully examine the bottom of the stream and
observe what insects you find in abundance.
Remember that mayfly swimmer type nymphs
(such as blue-winged olives) are going to spook
like minnows and are difficult to see. Clinger
nymphs stay hidden down between and below
the rocks on the bottom and are usually present
although you don't see them. Many of the insects
that trout feed on such as midge larvae and
pupae, small mayfly nymphs, and small caddisfly
larvae and pupae are very difficult to observe.
In many streams, anglers would pick up rocks
from the stream bed and observe the insects that
attach to them.
Check the surface of the water for emerging
mayfly nymphs or caddisfly pupae. The small
ones are very difficult to see. The best way would
be to use a small skim net to catch whatever is in
the surface film. Check the surface for spinners.
They are difficult to see because they usually fall
in low light situations and float flat on the surface
or in the surface skim.
Check the Banks:
Don't fail to check the banks, trees, bushes and
grass. Are there any terrestrial insects such as
hoppers, ants, beetles, etc., there in abundance?
By the way, do not harm any of these insects or
pupae and larvae found in the water and do not
collect them. It is illegal and does not do the
stream, fish or animals any good to do so.
No Hatch to Match:
Most of the time you are not going to observe
insects very easily. Most of the time they are not
any hatches underway. The "no hatch to match"
condition is common. It would not be common for
you to find no insects in the water. If it is late
summer or during the fall season, you will not
find as many large ones as you would in June for
example, but you should still find plenty. Midge
larvae and pupae are not very visible but most
likely they are there. Don't forget or overlook them.
They are a very important part of the diet of the
trout in Yellowstone. If you don't find any aquatic
insects, then you better get out of there and find
some place trout can exist. If there is no food,
there are no trout in the stream you are fishing.
That is a fact.
The key is to use a fly that matches the larva or
pupae stage of what the hatch chart shows; or to
match the most abundant insect you can find on
the stream or in the water that trout may feed on -
with a fly.
Matching the Hatch:
If you are lucky and you observe mayflies,
midges, stoneflies or caddisflies hatching, then
match the appropriate stage of life of that insect
with a fly - an emerger, dun or adult, or spinner/.
Choose the fly by first matching the size, then
shape and finally shade of color of the natural at
the stage of life you are attempting to imitate.
Remember, choosing the right fly is only a part of
it.
Copyright 2009 James Marsh
"what fly do I use"? Trout in Yellowstone or
anywhere in the World for that matter, do not feed
on feathers, hair and metal hooks. They feed on
insects, crustaceans, fish and other food that is
available in the streams. Often when anglers
select flies they begin to think, act and
sometimes appear to actually believe that fish
recognize and feed on such things as a Royal
Trudes or Adams Mayflies.
Selecting the Right Fly:
When you are selecting a fly to use in Yellowstone
or anywhere else you should first ask yourself
"what are the trout most likely eating".
Hatch Charts:
Print a copy of the hatch chart of the stream
(included within this website) you are fishing and
see what insects should be available for the trout
to eat at the particular time you are fishing. If you
don't see the insects that should be hatching on
the water, in the air or on the banks of the stream,
it doesn't necessarily mean that they are not
there. Are you in the right type of water or section
of the stream for the preferred habitat of that
particular insect? Is it the right time of day for the
hatch, spinner fall or egg ovipositing? Has the
hatch been delayed by cold weather or has it
already ended?
If you don't see a substantial amount of insects
in the air or observe trout feeding on insects on
the surface of the water, then you could rightly
assume that they are eating something below
the surface. This most likely would be pupae or
larvae of aquatic insects, fish or a few other
things found in the water. Bead head hair ear
nymphs would not be one of them. So, your first
choice, if you are interested in catching trout
more than you are casting for them, should be a
nymph, larva or pupa imitation of an aquatic
insect, or maybe a streamer that would imitate a
sculpin or baitfish. If you know how to read a
hatch chart (how to read a hatch chart) then this
would be by far your best clue as what fly to use.
Examine the Water:
If you don't have a hatch chart, or you don't see
the insects shown on the hatch chart, then
carefully examine the bottom of the stream and
observe what insects you find in abundance.
Remember that mayfly swimmer type nymphs
(such as blue-winged olives) are going to spook
like minnows and are difficult to see. Clinger
nymphs stay hidden down between and below
the rocks on the bottom and are usually present
although you don't see them. Many of the insects
that trout feed on such as midge larvae and
pupae, small mayfly nymphs, and small caddisfly
larvae and pupae are very difficult to observe.
In many streams, anglers would pick up rocks
from the stream bed and observe the insects that
attach to them.
Check the surface of the water for emerging
mayfly nymphs or caddisfly pupae. The small
ones are very difficult to see. The best way would
be to use a small skim net to catch whatever is in
the surface film. Check the surface for spinners.
They are difficult to see because they usually fall
in low light situations and float flat on the surface
or in the surface skim.
Check the Banks:
Don't fail to check the banks, trees, bushes and
grass. Are there any terrestrial insects such as
hoppers, ants, beetles, etc., there in abundance?
By the way, do not harm any of these insects or
pupae and larvae found in the water and do not
collect them. It is illegal and does not do the
stream, fish or animals any good to do so.
No Hatch to Match:
Most of the time you are not going to observe
insects very easily. Most of the time they are not
any hatches underway. The "no hatch to match"
condition is common. It would not be common for
you to find no insects in the water. If it is late
summer or during the fall season, you will not
find as many large ones as you would in June for
example, but you should still find plenty. Midge
larvae and pupae are not very visible but most
likely they are there. Don't forget or overlook them.
They are a very important part of the diet of the
trout in Yellowstone. If you don't find any aquatic
insects, then you better get out of there and find
some place trout can exist. If there is no food,
there are no trout in the stream you are fishing.
That is a fact.
The key is to use a fly that matches the larva or
pupae stage of what the hatch chart shows; or to
match the most abundant insect you can find on
the stream or in the water that trout may feed on -
with a fly.
Matching the Hatch:
If you are lucky and you observe mayflies,
midges, stoneflies or caddisflies hatching, then
match the appropriate stage of life of that insect
with a fly - an emerger, dun or adult, or spinner/.
Choose the fly by first matching the size, then
shape and finally shade of color of the natural at
the stage of life you are attempting to imitate.
Remember, choosing the right fly is only a part of
it.
Copyright 2009 James Marsh
Click on the Types of
Flies below for our
recommendations.
Mayflies:
Caddisflies:
Stoneflies:
Midges:
Streamers:
Terrestrials:
Flies below for our
recommendations.
Mayflies:
Caddisflies:
Stoneflies:
Midges:
Streamers:
Terrestrials:
Click on the Hatch
Charts above for
Hatch Times
Charts above for
Hatch Times
Our"Perfect Fly",the
Blue-winged Olive Emerger
Blue-winged Olive Emerger
Our"Perfect Fly",the Super
Swimming Nymph
Swimming Nymph
Our"Perfect Fly",the
Blue-winged Olive TS Emerger
Blue-winged Olive TS Emerger
Our"Perfect Fly",the
Blue-winged Olive Dun
Blue-winged Olive Dun
Our "Perfect Fly", Drake
Our "Perfect Fly", Emerging Dun
Our "Perfect Fly", the Super
TS Emerger
TS Emerger
A Firehole River Raibow Trout
Our "Perfect Fly", Drake Spinner
Our "Perfect Fly", Super
Crawler Nymph
Crawler Nymph
Our "Perfect Fly", the Crawler
Nymph
Nymph
Our "Perfect Fly", the
Blue-winged Olive Nymph
Blue-winged Olive Nymph
Our "Perfect Fly", Beetle
Our "Perfect Fly", Marabou
Sculpin
Sculpin
Our "Perfect Fly" Brown Ant
Our "Perfect Fly" Spotted
Sedge Pupa
Sedge Pupa
Our "Perfect Fly" Green
AdultMidge
AdultMidge
Matching the Behavior of the Insect:
More importantly, you should match the
behavior of that particular insect or other trout
food. Your fly must not only look like the
natural, it must act like the natural.
This gets down to the presentation of the fly.
Presentation is almost always more
important than how well the fly matches the
natural.
In order for you to make the proper
presentation of any insect at its various
stages of life, it is necessary that you know
how it behaves. This means where it lives in
the nymphal stage of life; when it is available
to the trout; how it emerges; when, where
and how the adult stages of the insect are
subject to being eaten by trout; when, where
and how the females deposit their eggs; and
when, where and how they die.
If caddisflies dive to deposit their eggs on the
bottom, you need to know it and how to
imitate that behavior. If mayflies emerge on
the bottom of the stream rather than the
surface, you need to know it and how to
imitate it. These are examples of numerous
activities that you should be familiar with if
you are going to successfully imitate aquatic
insects. If you don't, you are relying on pure
luck to catch trout rather than knowledge.
Perfect Flies:
The “Perfect Flies” we are recommending, for
those that tie flies, are our own patterns. By
“perfect fly”, we simply mean one that
catches fish. The name “Perfect Fly” is not
meant to imply that they are perfect in reality.
The patterns are usually, as most patterns
are, modifications of other very successful
patterns but in many cases, with colors and
materials that more accurately imitate the
natural.
Difficulty in Tying and Fishing:
The Perfect Fly patterns are not necessarily
the easiest flies to tie and in some cases,
they may not be as durable as other flies.
Some patterns, especially those utilizing
CDC feathers, are designed to be presented
in smooth flowing water where the insects
are most likely to be found and should not be
presented in rough, turbulent water. If you are
having problems with the fly floating correctly
or seeing it well, it may be that you are fishing
it incorrectly or in the wrong
types of water.
More importantly, you should match the
behavior of that particular insect or other trout
food. Your fly must not only look like the
natural, it must act like the natural.
This gets down to the presentation of the fly.
Presentation is almost always more
important than how well the fly matches the
natural.
In order for you to make the proper
presentation of any insect at its various
stages of life, it is necessary that you know
how it behaves. This means where it lives in
the nymphal stage of life; when it is available
to the trout; how it emerges; when, where
and how the adult stages of the insect are
subject to being eaten by trout; when, where
and how the females deposit their eggs; and
when, where and how they die.
If caddisflies dive to deposit their eggs on the
bottom, you need to know it and how to
imitate that behavior. If mayflies emerge on
the bottom of the stream rather than the
surface, you need to know it and how to
imitate it. These are examples of numerous
activities that you should be familiar with if
you are going to successfully imitate aquatic
insects. If you don't, you are relying on pure
luck to catch trout rather than knowledge.
Perfect Flies:
The “Perfect Flies” we are recommending, for
those that tie flies, are our own patterns. By
“perfect fly”, we simply mean one that
catches fish. The name “Perfect Fly” is not
meant to imply that they are perfect in reality.
The patterns are usually, as most patterns
are, modifications of other very successful
patterns but in many cases, with colors and
materials that more accurately imitate the
natural.
Difficulty in Tying and Fishing:
The Perfect Fly patterns are not necessarily
the easiest flies to tie and in some cases,
they may not be as durable as other flies.
Some patterns, especially those utilizing
CDC feathers, are designed to be presented
in smooth flowing water where the insects
are most likely to be found and should not be
presented in rough, turbulent water. If you are
having problems with the fly floating correctly
or seeing it well, it may be that you are fishing
it incorrectly or in the wrong
types of water.
Click on the Types of
Flies below for our
recommendations.
Mayflies:
Caddisflies:
Stoneflies:
Midges:
Streamers:
Terrestrials:
Flies below for our
recommendations.
Mayflies:
Caddisflies:
Stoneflies:
Midges:
Streamers:
Terrestrials:
Click on the Hatch
Charts above for
Hatch Times
Charts above for
Hatch Times
