| What are the best trout fishing flies? This is a | | | | tail is capable of closely imitating most mayfly |
| common question, but one that has no definitive | | | | nymphs and is a top performer year after year. |
| answer. Flies the trout couldn't resist on one | | | | If you don't know which fly to use, it's hard to go |
| outing can get you skunked on your next outing | | | | wrong with a pheasant tail. |
| even when you're fishing the same location. Since | | | | The copper john continues to gain a strong |
| your fishing success will often depend upon what | | | | following year after year and for good reason. |
| insect hatches are occurring and the type and | | | | The abdomen is formed with ultrawire which |
| location of food in the drift trout are targeting, it | | | | gives the fly weight and creates excellent |
| is difficult to come up with a definitive list of the | | | | segmentation resembling that of mayflies and |
| best trout fishing flies. However, there is a trio of | | | | stoneflies. An epoxied wing casing with a small |
| nymphs that can imitate a large variety of insects | | | | strip of Flashabou gives the fly a realistic appeal |
| and will bring trout to the net under most | | | | that trout have a difficult time resisting. Because |
| conditions. No serious fly fisherman should be | | | | of its added weight, this fly is excellent for getting |
| without a few of each of them in their fly box. | | | | down fast in deep runs and fast current. Don't |
| While many fly fishermen live and die by the dry | | | | leave home without a few in different colors and |
| fly, I am a strong advocate of nymph fishing. I'm | | | | sizes. My favorite colors of ultrawire for the |
| certainly not opposed to dry fly fishing, especially | | | | abdomen are copper, black, red, and chartreuse. |
| if a strong hatch is taking place, but I prefer to | | | | Another nymph that makes a strong case to be |
| nymph under a strike indicator as studies have | | | | considered as one of the best trout flies is the |
| shown nymphs can make up as much as 90% of | | | | hare's ear. I believe this fly works so well because |
| a trout's diet. It really depends on the fishing | | | | it is "buggy". By this I mean it imitates nothing |
| conditions I encounter, but even when fish are | | | | specifically but can easily be mistaken for a |
| rising, a well placed nymph can often bring just as | | | | mayfly, stonefly, or caddis fly nymph by trout. |
| many fish to the net. | | | | It's also an excellent fly to use as a dropper |
| The first nymph I would consider to be one of | | | | under a dry fly. |
| the best trout fishing flies is the pheasant tail. A | | | | Years from now fly fishermen around the world |
| standard pheasant tail is tied using pheasant tail | | | | will still be arguing about the best trout fishing flies, |
| fibers for the tail, the abdomen, the wing casing, | | | | but few will disagree that the pheasant tail, copper |
| and legs. Copper wire ribs the abdomen and | | | | john, and hare's ear deserve a permanent place in |
| peacock herl is used for the thorax. The pheasant | | | | your fly box. |