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Troutbum11

Whats your go-to nymphs and dries for PICKY trout?

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Just wondering what everyone's personal go-to fly is for really pick trout. There is a local tail water here in MD that gets a lot of fishing pressure and can't seem to crack the code. I can catch a fish here and there but I know the place is loaded with nice browns and brookies but I'm not having the success I should be. I'm going to do some kick sampling there this summer to see what kind of critters are down there but in the mean time I thought I would start this topic to get the brainstorming started.

 

Thanks Everyone!

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When I'm having a slow day on our local creeks the S.O.S. by Spencer Higa is my Go-To dropper and it usually will save an otherwise slow day.

 

sos_done_top.jpg

 

I've had great luck with this fly in Blue as well...

Blue_SOS.jpg

 

There are a few tutorials out there for it, here is one I did along with a video tie at the bottom. http://azbythefly.com/fly-tying/nymphs-wets/80-spencer-higas-sos

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Are the fish rising and just refusing your flies? Try extremes of smaller and larger.

a bobs bits that sits lower in the film can sometimes work.

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Depends on what the hatch would be at the time one is there...for May Flies, Tracy Petersen's Bat Wing Series - for Caddis, John Barr's Graphic Caddis - for a general, all around attractor, Lance Egan's Rainbow Warrior or Wilcox's Little Green Machine or Nyman's Shop Vac - for Midges - Dorsey's Top Secret Midge, Dorsey's Mercury Midge, or Dorsey's Medallion Midge...

 

...and for some strange reason, Larry Kingrey's Silver Streak just kills for me when Baetis are hatching on the East Walker River, my favorite tail water in the Eastern Sierras:

 

silverstreak_zps7db2766a.jpg

 

 

F.Y.I.

 

From the Winter 2013 Issue: Flyfishing & Tying Journal, “Water Entomology to Fly-Fish By”, Dave Whitlock, ppgs. 16-21…

THE MOST IMPORTANT WATER COLUMN POSITIONS TO FISH AQUATIC INSECTS, IN ORDER OF EFFECTIVENESS:

1. Fly one to six inches above stream bottom.

2. Fly moving upward (emerging) from bottom to surface.

3. Fly resting just under the surface film.

4. Fly resting on the surface film.

5. Fly actively twitching or skittering over the surface film.

 

PT/TB

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My go-to fly for rising fish would be one of these, the first is a midge, second a mayfly cripple or emerger, and the third is a caddis. Depends on what the most prevalent bug might be. Size would vary, but usually a size 20 for the midge, 14 or 16 for the mayfly or caddis.

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Thanks for the info everyone! That SOS does look promising. I think that I need to concentrate on fishing the most effective parts of the water column also as planettrout stated. Sounds like a pretty simple thing to forget but sometimes I think I get so caught up in fly selection that I forget the basics. It seems like may of the fisherman who catch fish consistently are using small flies on this body of water (20's-26's). This may have something to do with what your saying Pike 20r. I have never really fished with flies in this size range but have been wanting to give it a go. I Know flies selection may vary depending on the location of course, but do you guys have any tips on technique for fishing these small flies? I have been fly fishing for about 10 years now but when it comes to this technical tailwater fishing I am a newbie...

 

Thanks for all the help!

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I think that I need to concentrate on fishing the most effective parts of the water column also as planettrout stated. Sounds like a pretty simple thing to forget but sometimes I think I get so caught up in fly selection that I forget the basics.

 

I'm right there with you. When I started fly fishing, I struggled to catch fish. Then I was talking to someone and he told me unless the fly is bumping the bottom, I'm not deep enough. That was for the particular river I typically fish. Now, I have to remind myself that if I think it's deep enough, make it deeper. Sure, losing some flies is the risk, but I've caught a lot more fish.

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McPhail Bug in a size 14 or 16.

 

And for a dry, I have a new one (for me) thanks to Han's Weillenman. I saw his video of the IOBO humpy last winter, and found that fished dry, and even sunk when the CDC becomes saturated after a few fish it is unreal on fish that have seen everything and live in gin clear water.

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