Frederic M. Halford, 19th-century English fly tyer. Credit Mike Cline – Extracted from Public Domain PDF version of The Dry Fly Fisherman’s Entomology- Mosely (1921).
I will never know as much about fly fishing for trout as many of you
Henry Clement, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, August 2023.
By Henry Clement
There will always be someone who is more knowledgeable than you or I about specific aspects of fly fishing for trout, such as particular techniques, fly tying, or fishing in certain locations and times. Additionally, we should be cautious of those with a Dunning-Kruger mindset, who will always overestimate their own understanding in these areas. The internet is loaded with misinformation.
Having only fished for trout in the Adirondacks, Alaska, Argentina, Iceland, New Zealand, Pennsylvania (year-round), West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Quebec, North Georgia, Western North Carolina, and Virginia, I would like to humbly provide a list of flies that resemble or are exact replicas (as best as I could recall) of flies with historic characteristics. All of which have been stawarts no matter where I have fished for trout.
Tube flies are extremely adaptable
Hook measurements do not govern tube flies’ sizes. Too, the outcome with tube flies, when applicable, catches more ‘fish’ than simply sticking with the hook called for in recipes. Also, having hook-tied flies can render them unusable after one encounter, which isn’t very satisfying. For ‘moi,’ a tube fly is a no-brainer choice in most situations.
Note: Ruben Martin continues to significantly impact anglers and fly tiers exploring the world of tube flies. He, along with a growing cadre of Scandinavians and some Brits, now routinely fish for trout and other regional game fish with tube flies.
Ruben Martin
Ruben Martin is a world-renowned fly tier. For decades, he has treated anglers and fly tiers to the nuances of his trade. Over the past decade, he has encouraged his followers to advance their skills and catch stats using tube flies. It is now common to see a tube Caddis dry fly attracting audiences of brown trout, rainbow trout, and brook trout throughout their kingdoms.
The trout I am familiar with consistently yielded favorable results with the flies at the previously mentioned destinations. However, there will always be ‘homey’ flies. I leave out killer patterns that must be fished in a specific drainage system or that only work during a peculiar event in a unique fixed location.
Mercator projection of the Earth. The image is from NASA’s Earth Observatory “Blue Marble” series. Original public domain image from Wikimedia Commons
Illustration by Thom Glace – rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout. Used with permission.
About the principal trouts:
The rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is native to:
The native range of rainbow trout encompasses the Pacific slope of North America, from Alaska down to Baja California, as well as the upper Mackenzie River drainage in Canada and the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. They are also found in endorheic [a closed drainage system, meaning the water doesn’t flow outwards to the sea] basins in southern Oregon. While introduced into many other locations, these are the areas where they naturally occur.
Detailed Native Range:
North America: The Pacific Slope, from the Kuskokwim River in Alaska to the Rio Santa Domingo in Baja California, Mexico. This includes the West Coast of the United States and Canada.
Canada: Upper Mackenzie River drainage, Alberta, and British Columbia.
Russia: Kamchatka Peninsula and the surrounding waters.
Endorheic [do not drain to sea – a closed system] Basins: Southern Oregon.
The International Game Fish Association World Record Catch for rainbow trout on a fly is 30 lbs 15 oz, caught in July 1999 on 12-pound test in the Ruhr River, Kreuzau, Germany.
Native range of Oncorhynchus mykiss on Mercator projection of the Earth. The source image is from NASA’s Earth Observatory “Blue Marble” series—an original public domain image from Wikimedia Commons.
Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) is native to:
• Eastern North America: Brook trout were found initially throughout eastern Canada and the northeastern United States.
• Great Lakes and Hudson Bay: Their range extended east to the Atlantic Ocean from the Great Lakes and Hudson Bay basins.
• Appalachian Mountains: They also inhabited the streams of the high Appalachian Mountains, as far south as northern Georgia.
• Limited to cooler waters: Brook trout thrive in cold, clean waters, and they are now primarily found in higher-elevation, remote streams.
The International Game Fish Association World Record Catch for brook trout on a fly is 10 lbs 7 oz, caught in August 2015 on 16-pound test in the Assinica Broadback River, Quebec, Canada.
Brown trout, Salmo trutta, are native to:
The native range of brown trout in Europe spans a vast area, extending from Iceland and the White Sea in the north to the Atlas Mountains in North Africa in the south. Their distribution includes most of Europe, reaching eastward into western Asia. Brown trout are particularly abundant in regions such as Scotland, Ireland, England’s “chalk streams,” and Germany. Additionally, a large anadromous variety can be found in Iceland.
The native range of brown trout, Salmo salar, includes Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Specifically, they are native to most of Europe, a small part of northern Africa, and western Asia. They were first introduced to North America in 1883.
The International Game Fish Association World Record Catch for brown trout on a Fly is 36 lbs 6 oz, caught in July 2007 on 20-pound test in the Obervellach Moll River, Austria.
Brown trout, Salmo trutta, are native to:
The native range of brown trout in Europe spans a vast area, extending from Iceland and the White Sea in the north to the Atlas Mountains in North Africa in the south. Their distribution includes most of Europe, reaching eastward into western Asia. Brown trout are particularly abundant in regions such as Scotland, Ireland, England’s “chalk streams,” and Germany. Additionally, a large anadromous variety can be found in Iceland.
The native range of brown trout, Salmo salar, includes Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. Specifically, they are native to most of Europe, a small part of northern Africa, and western Asia. They were first introduced to North America in 1883.
The International Game Fish Association World Record Catch for brown trout on a Fly is 36 lbs 6 oz, caught in July 2007 on 20-pound test in the Obervellach Moll River, Austria.
There are, of course, many other ‘trout’ classifications in the International Game Fish Association World Record Catch records:
Bull trout ~ Salvelinus confluentus / Like the brook trout, it is a char. IGFA World Record 18 lbs 8 oz British Columbia, Canada, on 20-pound test.
Cutthroat trout ~ Oncorhynchus sp. / IGFA World Record 21 lbs 8 oz Pyramid Lake, Nevada, on 16-pound test.
Golden trout ~ Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita / IGFA World Record 5 lbs, Golden Lake, Wyoming, on 2-pound test.
Lake trout ~ Salvelinus namaycush / Like the brook trout, it is a char. IGFA World Record / 30 lbs 8 oz, Great Bear Lake, Canada, on 2-pound test.
Tiger trout ~ A hybrid / brown trout and brook trout (Salmo trutta x Salvelinus fontinalis). IGFA World Record 16 lbs 12 oz, Duncton Mill, Sussex, United Kingdom.
Tiger trout. Illustration by artist, angler, and conservationist Thom Glace – see link above.
There are also subspecies
Like the Apache trout, marble trout (Slovenia), and Zebra trout (Pyrenees region), as well as the Yamame trout, Iwana trout, and Amago trout (see Thom Glace illustration), which are native to Japan.
Note 2: Interestingly, within any spawn of the same species of Oncorhynchus mykiss, some rainbow trout will stay riverine, and others will become anadromous. After a measured maturation, the latter leave freshwater rivers and go to sea (saltwater), or, when landlocked, large lakes become the fueling run like the Great Lakes, where they fatten up and get much larger than their riverine relatives.
Note 3: The IGFA makes no distinction between the Oncorhynchus mykiss choosing different growth paths.
Sidebar: For those wanting to know more about the trout of the world – click here …https://www.georgiawildtrout.com/trout-salmon-and-char-species-of-the-world
Resident coastal cutthroat trout. Thom Glace illustration – see link above.
After eliminating the lotto flies, the ones that are never used
I learned I would only need about 20 trout flies, especially if I were familiar with the trout water. Primarily, six or seven different flies in various sizes and colors would do.
My day of awakening revealed that the five trout fly boxes I usually hauled around contained many flies that had never gotten wet. Some of the never-wetted flies I guessed were ten or more years old. Eventually, I learned I would only need 20 +/- trout flies, mostly six or seven in various sizes/colors.
I would never leave home without at least six of Russell Blessing’s Woolly Buggers, which I have fished with successfully in all four seasons and worldwide since the late 1960s
Ferox Trout Scotland. Illustration by Thom Glace – see link above. This trout and several others are not listed in the IGFA World Record Catches. The status of ferox within the brown trout (Salmo trutta) species complex epitomises the debate about what is and isn’t a species (see Ferguson, 2004). Ferox can be spectacularly different from other brown trout in terms of life history, genetics, and habits.
The following list is suitable for hook-tied flies, barbed hook flies, barbless hook flies, and tube flies using barbed or barbless hooks:
NOTE 4: It is scientifically true that the mortality rate of caught and released trout is significantly higher when using a barbed hook. Also, for those with some mileage, using a barbless hook makes self-hooking a no-harm, no-foul incident. A barbed hook is a real harm issue.
There is no only list, and the flies you choose or someone else does is what to stay with. Remember, the fly you invent this evening may be the new Woolly Bugger. This seeming conundrum is the stuff of pure fun tying flies.
One suggestion if I may, give tube flies a shot, you will be very, very glad you did.
- Adams Dry Fly: It’s probably the best dry fly ever. The Adams is 103 years old. Leonard Halladay, a famous fly fishing guide from Mayfield, Michigan, designed it. It’s usually considered a generic adult mayfly imitation, but it also works as a caddis or midge. Halladay named it because he created it for his friend Charles Adams. It’s one of the most effective and popular flies ever tied and always one of the best sellers. It is usually tied #12 to #18. A tube fly measuring chart creates size equivalents, but of course, the hook itself can vary widely. — Matt O’Neal Savage Flies
- Woolly Bugger Fly: This fly can do it all. It can be easily tied to perform as a streamer, dry, or nymph. One rule that has held water in my circle of friends since the invention in 1967 is using black or black; creating from there is the best bet, by far. An all-black woolly, any variety, is the most profitable fish catcher for trout ever invented, no matter their lair. How many fish species have I caught on a Woolly Bugger? Well, I can list everything from carp to tarpon here. Sure, there are many variations of ties, such as colors, sizes, materials, and hook choices, but when tied as a tube fly, it’s the most potent assembly. One thing for sure is that a WB catches fish. — Moi
- Clouser Minnow Fly: Bob Clouser’s invention was initially tied for smallmouth bass in the Susquehanna River and its tributaries, but almost anything will eat it.
- Lefty Kreh Deciever: Dressed in white, any right-minded game fish will partake of it.
- Nymphs: Baetis and Ephemerella ~ Phesant Tail, Prince Nymph, Hare’s Ear, Pale Morning Dun [PMD], Blue-Winged Olive [BWO], Damsel Woolly Bugger, Olive Woolly Bugger. NOTE 5: The variations in sizes, colors, and shapes of nymphs are uncountable. When trout fishing without time restraints, seineing has proven prudent before. That way, you know precisely what is in the water and what sizes and colors the trout will likely eat.
- Caddis: Elk Hair Caddis and CDC Olive Caddis #12 to #20.
- Midges: Adams, Griffiths Gnat ~ #16 to #22 and Klinkhamer #12 to #18.
- Stoneflies: Tube
- Terestrials: Worms [any], ants any.
- Scuds: Olive ~ #10- #16
- Worms: Any
- Eggs: Any
- Streamers: Sculpin any, Muddler Minnow, Royal Coachman, Wolly Buggers [great on tube] all #6 to #12.
- Leeches: Any #8 to #14
- Zonkers and Matukas: Any
- Crawfish: See video.
This is a straightforward imitation to construct and is highly effective in both rivers and lakes. It can be fished as a nymph with natural drifts (dead drift), deliberately performing a few drags, or jigging. It’s a fly that can be used with various sizes of single, double, or treble hooks. We can also leave the hook free by placing a small plastic bead between the hook and the tube.
Adjust sizes and colors to suit the crayfish that your fish eat.
Recipe:
Classic Tube 3.2 mm
UTC 70 Thread
Olive hen feather back collar
Bunny body and glitter in olive blend dubbing.
Yellow and black pupil dumbbell eyes.
Sexi Flexi Legs olive claws and legs.
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