Recommended trout fly patterns for a beginner

[taylor16 0]

Just bought a Peak vice. I'm going to make a call to Charlie Craven's shop this weekend to order some supplies for my first flies. I prefer dries and wets when fishing for trout. What would y'all recommend as far as relatively simple flies for me?

[kentuckytroutbum 0]

taylor-

 

Thats an open ended question that will get you a ton of replies. Everyone has several favorites that work for them and will catch trout.

You could be overwhelmed with information on this forum. I would start off with simple flies that are quick & easy to tie. Charlie's book "Basic Fly Tying" is a good reference. Also, I recommend "Essential Trout Flies" by Dave Hughes. You can add to your library later on as you gain experience and knowledge.

 

Welcome to the obsession!

 

Bill

[Piker20 0]

As Bill says, you'll receive a book full of suggestions. I would pick the favourite two dries you fish with now, you know they work. Same with your wets. Now use the forum, net and books to copy those. That way you know you're tying flies that should catch. Once you buy the materials for those it gives you a grounding to build on.

Don't worry if your ties don't look as 'finished' as the shop brought ones. Tidy flies looking lovely in my box never catch as many as scruffy ones on my line

[FishDragon 0]

Hi taylor16

 

Welcome to the wonderful world of fly tying. A hobby that can suck time and money but has so many great rewards. If I remember correctly I asked this same question just a few years ago when I started tying flies myself. I started with the pheasant tail nymph myself but that isn't the type of fly your interested in.

 

I would recommend the Elk Hair Caddis and comparadums, both dry flies. Both are easy to tie and can be made with many colour variations.

 

Goodluck and have fun tying. Keep us informed with your progress.

 

FishDragon

[utyer 0]

While your in the store, pick up a copy of Charlie's book. Then get them to help you with the materials for the first 6 or 8 patterns in the book. Tie them in the order they are presented in the book and tie each one about a dozen times. Take them in the next time for critiques. You couldn't ask for a better book or teacher than Charlie Craven. Your next book should be John Barr's Barr Flies, but not until you finish the rest of the patterns in Charlie's book.

[SilverCreek 0]

Great suggestions by everyone above.

1. Tie basic patterns that will work. Tie flies in basic categories so you have a streamer, dries, nymphs, terrestrials, etc.

Here is my list:

Streamer:

Wooly bugger in black

Dries:

 

Modified Elk hair caddis. Omit the hackle and you can use deer hair. Size 14 - 20, Tie a 16 first

Comparadun Size 14 - 18, tie a 14 and 16 first

Griffith's Gnat - size 16

Nymphs:

Pheasant Tail. Variation would be a flashback PT - Size 14 - 18, tie 14 and 16 first

Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear - Size 12 - 18, tie 14 and 16 first

Prince nymph - Size 10 - 16 if you have stone flies in your river

Terrestrial:

Foam ant and Foam beetle

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

griffths gnat, adams, ehc, and BWO for dry flies

for wets pt nymph, gold ribbed hares ear, and copper John

[taylor16 0]

Thank you all for your quick and thoughtful replies. I enjoy throwing a royal wulff and parachute Adams more than anything and soft want to assume that they would be easy to tie. In fact, I imagine they, specifically, are quite difficult. Thanks again for focusing my efforts at this time.

[utyer 0]

Most all the patterns mentioned by SilverCreek and RRSS are covered in the Craven and Barr books. Once you master all the patterns in these two books, you will be well on your way to being able to tie anything you want to. The key is to work through them one at a time, and master each one before moving on. Too many tiers start by tying one of something an move on before they really master what they need to from each pattern.

 

It won't take that long, there are 18 patterns in Charlies book and just a few days on each will get you where you need to be by next spring. You could be mastering the Black Beauty and fishing it by Thanksgiving. That pattern is a very good one in the late fall.

[kentuckytroutbum 0]

As utyer stated, tie about a dozen of each pattern in one sitting. This establishes hand/eye coordination, and also muscle memory. Tying is a matter of attention to detail. And don't get discouraged if your first few ties look like something the dog dragged in. As piker said, ugly flies work also.

 

A.K. Best, I believe, said that it took him tying a dozen dozen (144) times before he was happy with the results on a new pattern. Keep at it, and please feel free to ask questions on this forum. We'll do everything we can to help you out.

 

Bill

[SilverCreek 0]

Thank you all for your quick and thoughtful replies. I enjoy throwing a royal wulff and parachute Adams more than anything and soft want to assume that they would be easy to tie. In fact, I imagine they, specifically, are quite difficult. Thanks again for focusing my efforts at this time.

 

A Royal Wulff is difficult but I find a Parachute Adams a very easy fly to tie. Whether a fly is difficult or easy depends on tying techniques. Some call them tricks but really they are special techniques that make a pattern a lot easier to master. Charlie Craven can tie a Parachute Adams in 2 minutes.

 

 

[utyer 0]

One way around the difficulties encountered with the Royal Wulff, is to simply tie it as a parachute pattern. Then its just a matter of the three body segments, everything else is just like the parachute Adams. I use a turn or two of yarn, or a little red goose shoulder fibers for my red center.

[flytire 0]

or in a "trude" style. might be even easier

 

[H Dot Verseman 0]

I like Charlie Cravens philosophy as far as introducing fly tying in a technique specific manner vs. a pattern specific manner. In his book Craven's Basic Fly Tying he introduces tiers to different patterns starting with the easiest, working way to the most advanced, and each subsequent pattern builds upon the previous foundation.

 

Let me tell you this from experience- Stop tying one or two of each fly at a time and jumping around to a new pattern. Sit down for a weekend and tie a woolie bugger. sit down and tie 1,2,3 dozen of a particular pattern if possible, through repetition you will find the intracacies of the different patterns and the techniques needed to make it successful. When i find a new pattern, I start on the largest size range possible of that pattern that is recommended. If they say to tie between size 12-18, I start with the size 12 and after a dozen, work my way to a size 14, etc etc etc. This helps to learn the proportionate value of the fly- ie- how long of a tail, how long the tapered body is, hackle length, etc.

 

I also think for a beginner, organization and time is key. Don't rush the process, you are only cheating yourself and the results. A fast fly, is usually a poor fly until you have many years under you. If it isn't right when it is on the vise, it will look 10x worse off of the vise into your box and you'll never tie it on.

 

Just like Charlie, I'd start with a brassie.

[SilverCreek 0]

Beginners make two key errors that lead to poor flies.

 

The first is that they do not know good materials from poor materials. Synthetics are no problem as long as you buy the right synthetic. However, natural materials like hackle and hair are virtually impossible for a beginner to grade without help. So get an experienced tier to help you pick materials.

 

Secondly is proportion and that includes the amount and placement of materials on the hook so the fly is looks balanced in the relationship of the fly elements. This comes with practice.