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Freshwater flies (Trout, Bass & Panfish):
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The flies
highlighted below in
blue will catch an array of fish,
however they are predominately used to catch
smallmouth bass and panfish.
Recommended trout flies are listed further
down this page. Pay close attention to
the Go2fly
mark.
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Flies designated
as "Go2Fly" are
flies that consistently perform and as such
are part of the Go2Fly (G2F)
Series. These are flies worthy of a
permanent fly box location.
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I routinely fish
two flies with success. For bass, I
fish a large popper or heavily hackled deer
hair fly as the top fly and incorporate
either a
Paddler,
Hellgramaniac
or caddis larva as the bottom fly. For
trout, the popper is replaced by a
Stimulator or floating caddis and the
Paddler or Hellgramaniac by a caddis larva.
Occasionally, I'll fish two caddis larvae in
tandem.
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DOUBLE
DROP RIG - The dropper I fish
consists of attaching the bottom fly to the
top fly via an improved clinch knot to the
bend of the hook of the top fly. The
tippet length between flies is adjusted to
facilitate a snag-free drift. This
straight line approach reduces the
likelihood of tangles while doubling your
odds of catching fish. Tangles are
further reduced if casting is kept to a
minimum. I predominately use a braided
leader in conjunction with fluorocarbon
tippet for most freshwater fishing.
Specific leader construction is described
here. IGFA rules on dropper
rigs - "Only a single fly is allowed.
Dropper flies are prohibited."
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MORE
RECOMMENDED FLIES
- A majority of my freshwater fly fishing
occurs in the streams and rivers of eastern
Pennsylvania. I've found the following flies below to be
very productive.
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† - Fly
histories provided by Dick Surette's Trout
and Salmon Fly Index, reprinted with
permission by Stackpole Books.
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Recommended bass poppers:
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Click to enlarge
Gaines Bass
King - size 4, black, yellow and
yellow/green. A good choice to use as
the top fly in a double drop rig. This
fly floats high and provides plenty of
splash. I've used it to catch smallmouth
bass from the Conodoguinet Creek to the
Susquehanna to the Delaware River.
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Recommended
trout dry flies:
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Click to enlarge
Black Beetle
Go2Fly - size
16, tied Crowe-style using black deer hair,
fat bodies work best! This is an
extremely productive terrestrial and can be
slapped on the water to elicit strikes.
The slapping imitates a beetle falling from
the over-hanging brush. I along with
Mary Dette (an original Catskill style fly tyer)
prefer deer hair to foam.
Additionally, I've also noticed less fish
caught using strike indicator dots.
Again, either tie or buy beetles with fat
abdomens.
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Click to enlarge
Gray Fox
- size 16, traditional tie. A
versatile
pattern with coloring that matches many
hatches. Preston Jennings first
originated this fly. "In the 1920's
Mr. Jennings worked out this pattern and for
the lack of any formal name he called it the
Gray Fox. It is actually the
Stenonema fuscum which hatches along
with the Stenonema vicarium or March Brown
but is smaller. This fly like the
March Brown has wings that slant backward in
an unusual manner."
†
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Tan Wulff
Go2Fly - size
16, excellent producer. This is a fly
that floats well and can be used either by
itself or as a top fly on a double drop rig.
As a high floater, consider using in riffle
water towards evening when changing flies
becomes challenging. "In 1929 Lee
Wulff worked out the dry flies that are
named after him. One of America's
veteran anglers, he traveled far and wide in
the pursuit of trout and salmon. This
fly should be tied full and bulky, so to
present a tasty morsel to the fish. A
good floating fly especially for the fast
rock strewn rivers on the salmon rivers of
the north country. This is a durable
and dependable fly that has been a proven
fish producer for many years."
†
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Click to enlarge
Light Cahill
- size 16, traditional tie. An
excellent summertime fly. "A fishing
railroad man, Dan Cahill of Port Jervis, N.Y.
first originated this fly. Later the
light-colored fly was tied by Theodore
Gordon and then adapted to today's pattern
by William Chandler on the Neversink in
upstate N.Y.. Dan Cahill first evolved
this pattern in 1880's. The present
day pattern is very light in coloration as
compared to earlier versions."
†
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Click to enlarge
Tan or Cream
Comparadun - size 16 and 18, tied with a
Z-lon or similar sparkle tail. The
sparkle tail gives the appearance that the
fly has hatched and is attempting to free
itself from its trailing husk. Flies
in this state are vulnerable and make an
easy meal.
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Click to enlarge
Tan, Brown or
Olive Elk Wing Caddis - size 16 and 18.
This is an effective caddis pattern that
floats well. It can be used by itself
or as the top fly on a double drop rig.
I've found CDC tied bodies to be more
productive.
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Click to enlarge
Stimulator
- size 14 and 16, olive, yellow or orange,
color is less critical. This fly is
effective because of its silhouette and high
floating nature. Again another dropper
potential.
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Click to enlarge
Midges -
size 20-26, cream, olive, reddish brown and
dun, all four colors recommended.
Small cream midges are an excellent
summertime choice for fishing either the
Little Lehigh or Spring Creek in State
College, Pennsylvania. Small reddish
brown midges are sometimes hot on Clark's
Creek in the summertime as well.
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Recommended
trout subsurface flies:
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Click to enlarge
Oliver
Edward's Hydropsyche Larva
Go2Fly - size
16, excellent fly. Used by itself or
as a bottom dropper. This fly will
produce in most Pennsylvania streams as it's
one of the most prolific caddis flies.
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Click to enlarge
Barr's Bead
Head Net Builder Larva - size 16, olive,
excellent fly when a little flash or weight
is required. Used by itself or as a
bottom dropper.
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Click to enlarge
Oliver
Edward's Rhycophilla Pupa
Go2Fly - size
16.
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Olive Scud
- size 16. I usually fish this by
itself. Look to use these in limestone
streams.
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Krystal Flash
Olive Woolly Bugger
Go2Fly - size
10. When fishing for trout I prefer no
bead heads, however this changes when I'm salmon or steelhead
fishing. I
also prefer a reddish brown hackle.
Fish with an erratic retrieve.
Extremely effective.
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These are not
the only flies I use, but over the years
they've been proven winners. Again,
experience is based mainly on Pennsylvania
streams and rivers, however the above
patterns have produced in other parts of the
US.
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