Five Truths About the Hatch
By Brian McGeehan

Montana's famed salmonfly hatch ranks as highly as Bigfoot with the number of myths and legends that it spawns. This massive insect is impossible to ignore and is most likely the only arthropod that produces an addiction within the fly fishing community that is stronger than caffeine and nicotine combined. The salmonfly is a large stone fly (Pteronarcys californica) with an orange hued abdomen that inhabits heavy riffles of large freestone rivers in across the Western United States. The large insect spends 3 years living as a nymph in boulder strewn heavy riffles before crawling to the banks just after run off has ended in the early summer. Salmonflies are huge insects and adults can reach three inches in length. The hatch is very short lived on a given reach of water but the timing of the hatch is varies by river. Early hatches occur in late May and late hatches on colder rivers extends into early July. Although the hatch is found from New Mexico to Oregon, many of North America's famous "big bug" rivers including the Madison, Yellowstone, Gallatin, Big Hole, Rock Creek and Smith are in Montana. Due to the large number of salmonfly rivers in Southwest Montana, the Big Sky state is an ideal location to chase the large insects due to the fact that they are usually hatching somewhere during a 6 week period from mid May to early July. The widespread publicity that the hatch receives often generates unrealistic expectations for visiting fly fisherman. Our group of Montana fly fishing guides spends a significant amount of every early summer targeting the salmonlfly and have come to recognized a few "truth"s of the hatch.

Monstrous trout eat salmonflies on the surface
This is the truth that feeds every salmonlfy junkie's addiction. The largest trout in the river, the lunkers ranging from 23-30+ inches don't waste their time eating dainty little mayflies and caddis flies. Really large trout focus on big meals such as crayfish, sculpins and other trout. The tendency for big fish to want big meals makes it extremely difficult to catch them on a dry fly. The exception to this rule is during the salmonfly hatch. The huge size of these stoneflies and the substantial calories that each one provides is enough to entice gargantuan trout to the surface. I have personally had clients hook and land massive trout up to 26" in length on salmon fly dries. The thrill of watching the trout of a lifetime destroy a size 4 foam dry on the surface can be the tipping point that turns a perfectly normal individual into a mumbling obsessive Ahab ruined by his search for the next white whale.

Timing the hatch is notoriously unpredictable
Various guides to fishing the salmonfly hatch refer to the hatch progressing steadily up the river a few miles per day. A variety of factors influence that progression of the hatch including day length and water temperature. In general, salmonflies hatch when peak water temperatures are close 56 degrees F. The reality of the hatch is that it is always unpredictable. Some years the hatch begins on the lower portion of the river then slowly moves upstream over the course of a few weeks. On other years the salmonfly seems to explode up and down the river. To complicate matters, the intensity of the hatch varies greatly from one section to another (probably due to differences in river habitat). The result is a bit of an educated guessing game to determine where the bugs are each day. When fishing the "hatch" it is important to have as much information as possible about the location of the hatch and then develop a battle plan on where you want to target the hatch: the head, the center or behind.

Salmonflies fill trout up.
The ludicrous size of the "big bug" is both a blessing and a curse. The massive insect's size entices massive trout to eat them. Every princess has a wart and the same is true of the salmonfly. The same attribute of the large stonefly that gets fisherman so excited (its huge size) is the same feature that causes fishing guides across the West to pull their hair out in frustration. When salmonflies are easily accessible trout literally go on a feeding binge. The robust nature of the insect quickly fills their stomachs forcing fish off the feed. A hungry trout may only need to eat 40 or 50 salmonflies before they are stuffed. The same trout would need to eat hundreds or thousands of blue winged olives to become equally saturated. The end result is that the feeding window of trout during the hatch is compressed and anglers have fewer opportunities to catch a fish with their imitation before the fish quits eating. Generally, the least productive location to fish during the hatch is the center of the hatch where the big bugs are filling the air like military choppers. The few fish that you do catch in the center of the hatch have grossly extended bellies and are often regurgitating salmonflies.

The best time to fish the salmonfly hatch is 5-7 days after the peak of the hatch has passed.
Nymph fishing can be very good in advance of the hatch and dry fly fishing is occasionally good at the leading edge of the hatch but both strategies are inconsistent and unpredictable. Trout at the head of the hatch are often already filled up from gorging on nymphs by the time the adults start flying. Finding the leading edge of the hatch is also a challenge since the hatch moves so quickly and is variable in intensity along different stretches of water. Many guides, myself included, prefer to target the trailing edge of the hatch for the best dry fly fishing. Trout spend several days digesting their glutenous meals so I prefer to fish at least 4 days behind the hatch. The trout will remember the salmonfly for about 10 days after the hatch. During this window of opportunity, trout are once again hungry and are still looking for the big stoneflies. Since most of the insects have already hatched out there are very few naturals to compete resulting in a great opportunity to catch some very big trout on huge dry flies. The trailing end of the hatch is also much easier to locate since determining where the hatch has been is obviously easier than predicting where it will be next.
bugs-on-jpg

Truth #5 Sometimes avoiding the hatch is a great option
Don't get me wrong, I love chasing salmonflies, but sometimes intentionally avoiding the hatch is a great plan. During the salmonfly season there are always other rivers (or segments of rivers) where the hatch either is still a long way off, has already occurred, or doesn't come off at all. Fishing well in advance or well behind the salmonfly is often outstanding. The big bug often hatches immediately after runoff ends, but on some rivers like the Madison there is often 2 or three weeks of clear water fishing before the hatch arrives. During this pre-hatch window trout are hungry and opportunistic and there are few aquatic hatches to compete with. After the hatch has passed also produces great fishing. The salmonfly is the first in a progression of aquatic hatches that continues with golden stones, PMD's and caddis. For three or four weeks after the salmonfly has passed anglers can target several other hatches that often produce consistent match the hatch fishing. Since many fisherman are intentionally chasing the hatch on other rivers, anglers seeking less fishing pressure may enjoy bypassing the "boat hatch" that often accompanies the salmonfly.

Brian McGeehan spends several weeks a year chasing (and avoiding) salmonflies as a Montana fishing outfitter and owner of Montana Angler Fly Fishing.


Brian McGeehan
Owner and Outfitter
Montana Angler Fly Fishing
www.MontanaAngler.com

bus: 406-522-9854
cell: 406-570-0453

76 Lucille Lane
Bozeman, MT 59718

Beyond the Basics--Probing all the Depths Throughout the Season

Part I

A discourse on how to master fishing from the top to the bottom, this article examines the contributions of the experts in the field, seeks out common principles and practices, and endeavors to apply these concepts with detailed strategies along with a self-test to determine what a reader needs to review or learn. I have given a lot of thought on how I want to organize this material for on-line reading, and I decided that the easiest format would be a question and answer approach. To that end, I present information, raise questions, and then provide the answers right below a section of information. Hopefully this will reinforce new information, as well as challenge the reader who knows the information but may be a little slow on total recall. My goal is both instructional and a means to reinforce and learn new knowledge so that the knowledge may be easily applied on the stream.

Introduction

As a generalist, I am a dabbler in arts and master of none so it is no surprise to me that I attained a particular level of expertise as a fly fishing angler and then fell into years of stagnation. My gains, if they were plotted on a graph by skills and years, would show limited attainment for a long period of time. Perhaps you too are familiar with some of my rationalizations for technical stagnation: (1) I just don't have the time to master another level of expertise. (2) To become proficient at fishing on the surface, the subsurface, the middle column and on the bottom, demands that I return to the vise that I abandoned thirty years ago when genetically manipulated chicken capes hit $65 dollars! (3) I am getting too old. I can't keep track of all the names of the flies that I have in my vest now, let alone learn the Latin names of the insects they imitate. (4) Although I am passionate about fly-fishing and have been for the better part of 40 years, I have other passions as well that compete with my leisure time. In short, I had not made a concerted effort to expand both my knowledge and skill level. For too long I had been content to fish on the top and the bottom, with the exception of using a dropper just below the surface film. In short, I did not have a systematic methodology for fishing from the top to the bottom of the water column throughout the season.

I know that just reading a couple of books on nymph fishing is not enough. Knowledge must be applied. As a former high school English teacher, I know that mastery of any skill requires knowledge and practice--lots of practice! But it also requires a working knowledge of specialized terms, and most importantly it requires setting clear goals and breaking down each goal into achievable lessons and sub-skills. So, why should you read a secondary source that reviews primary sources? You shouldn't, unless you have read the primary sources, and you are now seeking a methodology to apply what you have read in a systemic method. Keep in mind that this article makes no attempt to teach entomology. It is beyond my scope. Instead, the primary goal of this article is to help an inexperienced angler learn the primary Montana hatches, select the appropriate patterns and apply the appropriate delivery to a specific area of the water column.

The primary sources that I have used are recognized as experts in the field of fly-fishing. They continue the long-standing tradition of applying new insights to very old challenges. When I finish the entire article, I will include a bibliography. When I present information that the authors and other experts are in agreement, I consider that information to be in the realm of public knowledge, and I will not footnote or add an endnote of attrition, as it is not my intent to write an academic paper. Whenever, possible I cite them by name in the body of my text with a direct quotation. Sometimes I may reference their work by using the title of their book or just referencing their name. Make no mistake, I champion their books. I welcome any help in improving this article. You may contact me at dave @ glaciertoyellowstone .com.

To begin, let's start with a review of seasonal hatches in Montana and appropriate fly patterns, which will be followed by a photographic display of these same patterns for identification purposes. Note: the photographs of the fly patterns are courtesy of on-line fly-fishing stores. I have provided a direct link for each particular fly pattern, which can be purchased on-line. The fly pattern photographs begin on item 18.

Dave Archer

Pre/Post Test on Fly-fishing Patterns for All the Depths

Note: The answers to each of these seasonal periods is at the end of the questions for each particular period in the season. Take out a pen and a piece of paper and determine what you already know, what you need to review, and what you need to learn and practice.

How apropos! Tonight I attended the May, 2010, Klamath Country Fly Casters club meeting in Klamath Falls, Oregon, and Dave Hughs, author of Nymphs for Streams and Stillwaters, was the featured guest speaker. The guest speaker previous to this was Rick Hefle. Dave remarked that on one of his fishing trips with Rick, he asked for Rick's fly boxes and laid them out next to his. Both men were not surprised that they had covered the five principle aquatic insect groups: stoneflies, mayflies, caddis, scuds and terrestrials. What bemused both anglers was that they were mutually exclusive in their selection of patterns. Dave went on to discuss the importance of having a number of searcher or generic patterns to cover the common food forms. Some of his favorites were Brooks Montana Stone, BWO nymphs, Pheasant Tail, Beadhead Prince Nymph, Copper John, among others. In the absence of a predominant emergence of a specific aquatic insect, which would be noted in a stream sampling or a stomach sampling, Dave urged listeners to search the water with their favorite search patterns, and he confided that of late one of his favorite patterns was the Lightening Bug.

Photo property of Fly Art Studio -- Lightening Bug

Early Season - Pre-Run-off: Mid-April to Mid-May

1. Name five primary hatches in the early season from mid-April to mid-May. Hint: think mayfly, stonefly, caddis and chironomidae. (Yes, in Montana the weather is far from predictable and the season can be early or late depending on snow-pack and prevailing weather patterns, but this period is the period before the warm weather impacts the rivers and streams.)

2. During this preseason, pre-run-off, what is an ideal water temperature for hatches, and will you be hoping for cloudy conditions or sunny conditions?

3. Name three well-known nymph patterns that work well for a baetis hatch. (Undoubtedly, you will name patterns just as affective as what the experts recommend.)

4. One of the early hatches during this period are the midge hatches. Since they are so small, what are some patterns to compensate for their size?

5. The March Brown dun is tied in brown and gray in size 16-14. The Western March Brown mayfly will be typically a Rhithrogena morrisoni or a Rhithrogna hageni. The March Brown dun's wing is mottled and it has two tails. What would be a good, old-standard for a March Brown dun? Nymph? Emerger?

6. What insect is named for the "Mother's Day Hatch?"

Answers to the pre-season; questions 1-6

1. Blue-winged olives (Baetis), midges, March Brown mayfly, Skwala stonefly and towards the end of this period the Little Black Caddis and the Grannon Caddis.

2. Most authorities say that during this time period the ideal water temperature is 50-degrees. They also suggest that baetis mayflies and the March browns seem to hatch more profusely during cloudy conditions in the afternoon.

3. Pheasant Tail Nymph #20-14; Hare's Ear Nymph #20-14; Beadhead Prince Nymph or a Zug Bug. If you know your bugs, you have already exceeded these suggestions.

4. The midges are typically size #20, and they often tend to cluster together so a number of patterns are tied in a clustering visual effect. One such pattern is the Griffith's Gnat.

Photo property of Round Rocks -- Griffith Midge

5. One old favorite for the March Brown dun is the March Brown Compra-Dun. The dun is noted for its mottled wing, its brown body and two tails. A common nymph is the Hare's Ear, and a good emerger pattern would be a March Brown Soft-Hackle, which imitates the nymph as it ascends to the surface. The emerger nymph is most often cast across the stream or up and across the current. Fish typically hit the fly at the end of the swing as the fly pattern rises to the surface.

6. The "Mother's Day Hatch" is most often associated with a Grannon caddis hatch. This May hatch can be prolific on many Western rivers at this time, along with other species of caddis fly such as the Little Black Caddis. The size is typically 10-14. The body is usually dark brown dubbing wrapped with fine tinsel. The thorax is also dark brown, and the wing case is most often a slate color such as duck quills tied at the side. (Western Hatches by Rick Hafele and Dave Hughs)

Post Run-Off (Mid-May to late June): Water flows are stabilizing along with clarity. During this time a hot day can trigger additional volume. When the water is rising, fishing can be tough. Watch for falling water levels, as once the river starts to consistently drop trout go on an eating binge! (Now, before you contact me and chastise me for the following hatches and their time slot, I readily acknowledge that many of the hatches presented in the post run-off can be present in May prior to run-off and even during run-off.) This is a wonderful time period of multiple hatches coming off almost every day. So, when is it exactly? Well, in high water years it typically starts the last week in June and runs through the middle of July. In drought years, contact a fly shop!

During this period anglers are on the look out for PMD's, stoneflies, caddis and the eagerly awaited Western Green Drake (Ephemerella grandis and doddsi), and the Brown Drake (Ephemera simulans). These are the big boys size 12-10. They have stout bodies and long tails, although the Brown Drake is more slender. These hatches may overlap. Don't look for a large hatch. In fact, you may only see a couple of these bugs on the water, which means that you need to put one of these patterns on right away!

7. Ephrmerella inermis and infrequens, one of the most prolific mayfly hatches for this time period, is a small, yellowish to light olive dun commonly referred to by using three letters. What is this bug and, what is its distinguishing features?

8. The Big Hole River is famous for this hatch, as is the Madison River, but many visiting anglers do not realize that Pteronarcys californica also hatches in June on the Bitterroot River, Rock Creek and the Blackfoot River and the Yellowstone, just to name a few. The hatch can move up the river three miles a day. It is preceded by great nymphing opportunities, and even when the hatch wanes, trout are on the look out for these huge morsels of food. Following on the footsteps of this hatch, and sometimes overlapping, is a similar stonefly. What are the names of these two stoneflies and what are their distinguishing features?

9. After the big drakes hatches and the famous stonefly hatches have receded from the trout's memory, many smaller hatches come on the scene, such as Slate Wing Olives, small Blue Wing Olives and PMD's that have hues that begin to look olive in color, so it is important to have many baetis patterns in your fly box in different sizes and colors to match what you find on a particular day; however, early summer brings another stonefly that emerges from fast riffles. The female returns to these riffles and lays her eggs. What is the name of this stonefly, and what is its size and color?

10. A host of patterns imitate the Little Yellow Stonefly, but if you walk into any Montana fly shop, you can start by asking for a _______________ pattern.

11. Name a Little Yellow Stonefly nymph pattern, along with an emerger pattern. There is no right answer. In the answer section I have selected a pattern that should be easy to find in a fly shop.

Answers to the early summer and mid-summer; questions 7-11

7. One of the most prevalent hatches for the post run-off and into summer is the PMD or Pale Morning Dun (not to be confused with a Pale Evening Dun, which is similar in color and shape but is a different genus, Heptagenia. The Pale Evening Dun emerges during mid-summer.) PMD's are typically size 16. Their body is a dull yellow with some green hues. They have unmarked wings and three tails. Inhabiting moderately fast riffles, they emerge during the morning, but on cloudy days the hatch can progress into the afternoon. The spinner fall usually occurs in the morning when the sun clears the mountains and touches the water.

8. The Salmon Fly and the Golden Stone are important hatches. Measuring one to one and a half inches, the Salmon Fly begins its migration across the bottom of riffles when the water temperature climbs to near 50 degrees. Grayish brown on the topside, the underbelly of the Salmon Fly is orange. The Giant Golden Stonefly is in fact a mottled brown and yellow giving it a golden cast. Slightly smaller, the Golden starts hatching a few weeks later, but it is not uncommon to have them over-lap when the Salmon Fly hatch is on the wane. (Trout Stream Insects by Dick Pobst)

9. This mid-summer stonefly is the diminutive Little Yellow Stonefly of the Isoperia genus, and it is size ranges from 16-10. The "Isoperla and Peltoperla species are small, at 3/8 to 5/8 inch." (Nymph-Fishing Rivers and Streams by Hefle)

10. The Little Yellow Stonefly imitation is most commonly referred to as a Yellow Sally.

11. In addition to a Yellow Sally an excellent dun imitation is a yellow Elk Hair Caddis. A good emerger would be a Yellow Soft Hackle. And there are a host of nymph imitations. Hefle recommends a Smurf Stone and Mercer's Gold Dust in sizes 16-10.

Season: The Dog Days of Summer

12. What is the common name for the tiny mayfly with the white wing and black body, and what size imitation should you use in late July and August?

13. This is the season to bring out the Hopper patterns, but what other terrestrials should you have in your fly box?

14. Remember how important the baetis group or Blue Wing Olives are to the Montana angler? Well, in addition to the small trico hatch, the Tiny Blue-Wing Olives begin to emerge at the end of summer. On what type of water will you most likely find these insects?

Answers to mid-summer and late summer; questions 12-14

12. This miniscule mayfly, Tricorythodes minutus, is most commonly referred to as the Trico hatch. The duns hatch in the early morning hours, which can extend into late morning on cloudy days. The spinner fall is within an hour or two. Because the hatch is so prolific, trout gorge themselves on these mayflies by just leisurely sipping them. Pattern size ranges from 20-16. Here is a tip for those anglers who find it difficult to pick out their pattern when it is surrounded by hundreds of live insects. Tie a smaller trico pattern off a small Parachute Adams.

13. Ants and beetle patterns

14. The Tiny-Blue Wing Olives typically inhabit slower currents and spring creeks, such as the Clark Fork. Another mayfly, more often associated with stillwater fishing, is the Speckled Mayfly or Callibaetis. It too inhabits slow water and spring creeks.

Photograph Property of River Bum

Season: Late Summer and Fall

15. In addition to the BWO's, a large mayfly begins to emerge from late summer into October. With a gray and brown mottled body, this mayfly has unmarked wings. The spinner fall is both in the morning and evening (Pobst). This Siphlonurus occidentalis is commonly referred to as the _______________________.

16. Two more important mayfly hatches occur in the fall. One is brown and the other is more reddish brown (Heptagenia). What are the common names of these two mayflies?

17. This large caddis also does not come off profusely, but when you seem them on the water, get ready to change patterns. It is large with a reddish orange body and mottled wings. Many books refer to this caddis as the ___________.

Answers for Late Summer and Fall

15. Western Gray Drake
16. Mahogany Dun and Western Red Quill
17. This large caddis is often called the Giant Orange Sedge, Orange Caddis and the October Caddis.

So, now it is time to organize your fly box and stock up on missing patterns. You may want to take a small felt pen and label the names in your fly boxes. Hefle in his book, Nymph-Fishing Rivers and Streams, suggests 12 nymph patterns. I agreed with most of his choices, although a few were unfamiliar to me. Some of them are old standbys and found in most Montana fly shops. The most commonly used nymph patterns are the Prince Nymph, Beadhead Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear, Pheasant Tail, Zug Bug, Beadhead Red Squirrel, Beadhead Krystal Flash Caddis, Copper John and various stonefly patterns.

To help newcomers to this sport, I have included a list of photographs of the more popular patterns. I have listed them in the same order as the questions posed above. I remember how embarrassed I was at a take-out when an outfitter, who I had worked for, asked me if I had seen any flavilinea. Had he asked me if I had seen any small Slate-Wing Olives I may have been able to hide my embarrassment. See if you can identify the following patterns. The next section will cover information on tips and techniques for fishing from the top to the bottom. The collective information was garnered from published authors who are considered experts in the field, but first identify the following patterns.

18. Name this Insect or Fly Pattern

Photo property of Cabellas -- BWO Dun

Genus or Specie Name: Baetis
Approximate season: Throughout the season
Water habitat: Varied but tend to prefer shallow riffles and runs
Identifiable traits: Slate, gray wings with olive body (light to dark)
Hook size: 14-24; most common is #16, 18
Distinguishing features for the dun: Olive or olive-brown with gray wings
Distinguishing features for the nymph: slender and tapered; three tails
Popular patterns: Blue-Wing Olive dun; Pheasant Tail Nymph; Baetis Soft Hackle
Additional Information: The baetis group are fast swimmers and subject to behavioral drift. (Hefle). Swisher and Richards in their book, Selective Trout, recommend using the smaller size when an overlap of insects are on the water.

Photo Property of Central Flies -- Blue Wing Olive

Photo Property of Round Rocks -- Serendipity Olive BH

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19. Name this Insect or Fly Pattern

Photo property of Central Flies -- March Brown

Genus or Specie Name: Mayfly, Rhithrogena morrisoni and Rhitorogena hageni

Approximate season: Early season, late winter

Water habitat: Fast water; they migrate to slower water

Identifiable traits: Large and brown, they are the first big mayflies of the season

Hook size: #14-16

Distinguishing features for the dun: Mottled wings, brown body, two tails

Distinguishing features for the nymph: Flat heads, squat bodies (clingers) 3 tails

Popular patterns: March Brown; A.P. Olive; Mercer's Poxy Back; Hefle's March Brown Flymph; March Brown Comra-Dun

Additional Information: Subject to drift and dislocation. Emergence takes place in the afternoon.

Photo property of Central Flies -- March Brown Nymph

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20. Name this Insect or Fly Pattern

Add photograph

Genus or Specie Name: Skwala

Approximate season: Early season; late winter

Water habitat: Moderate to fast water with good levels of oxygen
Identifiable traits: Olive to olive-brown with dark markings; ¾-inch in length

Hook size: #8-10

Distinguishing features for the dun: Overall appearance is very dark with lighter under-belly.

Popular patterns: Parachute Adams; Olive-Black Stimulator; Olive-foam Skwala

Additional Information: Look for temperatures in the mid 40's. Although this is a very popular hatch to fish on the Bitterroot River and Clark's Fork, keep in mind that it is a crap shoot regarding the weather!

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21. Name this Insect or Fly Pattern

Photo property of Madison River Fishing Company -- Elk Hair Caddis

Family Name: Brachycentridae -- Grannon stonefly (Black Caddis; Mother's Day Caddis -- B. occidentalist)

Approximate season: Early season

Water habitat: Riffles and runs

Identifiable traits: 3/8 to ½ inch; olive to olive-brown

Hook size: #18-14

Distinguishing features for the dun: Green body and tan wings

Distinguishing features for the nymph: Dark green body

Popular patterns: American Grannom (Schwiebert); Cased Caddis Larva; Beadhead Caddis Larva; Morrish's HW Caddis Pupa; LaFontaine Olive Diving Caddis (Hefle)

Additional Information: As case builders, the larvae are subject to drift. They pupate in moderately fast water. The pupae exit their cases and swim to the surface mostly during the evening. When they reach the surface, they split the pupal skin and escape into the air.

Photo Property Madison River Fly Company -- Goddard Caddis
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22. Name this Insect or Fly Pattern

Photo Property of Round Rocks -- Midge

Photo Property of Round Rocks -- Griffith Midge

Family Name: Chironomidae

Approximate season: Throughout the season, but early season midges wake up the trout.
Water habitat: Slower water
Identifiable traits: They are tiny and look a little like mosquitos. They come in multiple sizes and colors, and I must confess that they are too much of a challenge for me.
Hook size: 22-16
Distinguishing features for the adult: Long slender bodies with long legs
Distinguishing features of the pupae: Long slender bodies that hang vertically below the surface film.
Popular patterns: Griffith's Gnat; Midge; Brassie Nymph; Beadhead Midge Pupa
Additional Information: Similar to caddis, midges live as larva on the bottom of slow water streams and spring creeks. They emerge as pupae and hang under the surface film for long distances prior to emergence. They are tiny and often cluster close together, which some patterns imitate. They must be tied small and slender.

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23. Name this Insect or Fly Pattern

Photo property of Central Flies -- PMD

Genus Name: Ephemerella inermis, infrequens (PMD's; Hendricksons, Sulfers)
Approximate season: Some pre-season but mostly post-run-off or early summer
Water habitat: Wide variety of water conditions, but they seek out water with high levels of oxygen so look for them hatching in slow-moving riffles.
Identifiable traits: Typically small; dull yellow to light yellow-olive
Hook size: #16-18
Distinguishing features for the dun: Light to dark gray wings, yellow-olive body
Distinguishing features for the nymph: Olive-brown body, three tails
Popular patterns: Light Cahill; PMD Emerger; PMD Cripple; Beadhead PMD; Flashback Hare's Ear.
Additional Information: In his book, Nymph-Fishing Rivers and Streams, Hefle suggests using a "pattern that matches the natural that is dominant in the stream on the day you are fishing." This requires spending a little time with a net. Most of the experts frown on using stomach pumps, as it can be potentially lethal to a fish. BWO's and PMD's are MUST HAVE patterns for any Montana river or stream. The PMD's are subject to drift, and interestingly they return to the bottom more than once during emergence. Not all of the PMD's emerge in the surface film. Some emerge in the water column, which is the reason that a PMD soft-hackle wet fly works so well. (Hefle) The PMD hatch is fun because you may use a dun, an emerger or even a nymph right through the hatch.

Note: The Pale Evening Dun, E. invarie, comes off a little later in the summer during early evening, and it is strikingly similar to a PMD.

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24. Name this Insect or Fly Pattern

Photo property of River Bum

Genus or Specie Name: Ephemerella grandis, doddsi
Approximate season: Early season - run-off and post run-off
Water habitat: Both spring creeks and faster water on rivers noted for clean, cool water
Identifiable traits: This fly is a fat, juicy, large fly not seen in large numbers
Hook size: Size #10 2XL (Dick Pobst)
Distinguishing features for the dun: Lead-gray wings, green body with yellow hues
Distinguishing features for the nymph: More dark in color from olive brown to a reddish brown, the nymphs are crawlers and as such are more portly, size #8-10
Popular patterns: Green Drake Wulff; Green Drake Compara-Dun; Western Green Paradrake. Some searcher nymphs work quite well such as the Zug Bug; Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear or a bulked up Pheasant Tail Nymph.
Additional Information: The hatches are typically thin so if you see a couple of these bugs on the water, start off with a dun pattern right away.

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25. Name this Insect or Fly Pattern

Photo Property of Madison River Fishing Company -- Salmonfy

Genus or Specie Name: Stonefly, Pteronarcys californica
Approximate season: Pre-run-off - runoff - post-run-off, mid June to early July
Water habitat: Clear, cool, highly oxygenated freestone rivers and streams
Identifiable traits: Stretching from one to one and a half inches in length, wait until one of these giant, orange colored monsters crawls down your neck!
Hook size: #10-6 XL
Distinguishing features for the dun: Long, folding lead gray wings with large antennae. The head displays a little orange, but fat underbelly is a pale orange.
Distinguishing features for the nymph: The nymph has a dark, segmented body with a dark brown wing-case and a short tail.
Popular patterns: Just ask for a Salmonfly in any shop and they will show you their favorites. Nymphs: Montana Stone; Bitch Creek; Kaufmann Stone; Smurf Stone etc.
Additional Information: Montana is reknown for its Salmonfly hatches on the Big Hole, Madison, Blackfoot and Rock Creek to name just a few. It is the egg-laying females that trout hungrily await. The sun is usually warming up the morning dew when the females fly off the shrubs and trees and head for the water. Remember, Golden Stoneflies often overlap with the Salmonfly hatch. If you are getting rejections with the large stonefly, switch to a smaller stimulator, especially one that has both orange and gold in the pattern.

Photo Property of Madison River Fishing Company -- Bitch Creek Nymph

Photo Property of Round Rocks -- Stimulator (Salmonflies or Golden Stones)
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26. Name this Insect or Fly Pattern

Photo Property of Madison River Fishing Company -- Golden Stonefly

Genus or Specie Name: Stonefly, Calineuria californica
Approximate season: Run-off and post-run-off, June to mid-July
Hook size: #6-10 3X long
Distinguishing features for the adult: A bit smaller than the salmonfly, the golden stonefly is typically one inch long in the body. The wings are light brown and the body is light brown and yellow.
Distinguishing features for the nymph: The abdomen is light to dark with noticeable light banding.
Popular patterns: Golden Stonefly Nymph; Beadhead Golden Stone; Brook's Stone; Mercer's Brown Stone.
Additional Information: The color of both the adult and nymph can vary greatly in the yellow tones, yellow-brown and even light brown with yellow markings. They prefer fast water. They are the predators of the aquatic insect world and actively crawl around, but they do not drift much. They are vulnerable to trout during their migration to the shore. Weighted patterns with additional split-shot is recommended.

Photo Property of Madison River Fishing Company -- Stimulator

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27. Name this Insect or Fly Pattern

Photo property of River Bum

Genus or Specie Name: Isoperla
Approximate season: Pre-run-off; post-run-off; early summer
Water habitat: Clean, cool fast water
Identifiable traits: Generally around ½ inch in length, light tan to a bright yellow body with light brown wings with two tails.
Hook size: #10-12 3x long
Distinguishing features for the adult: Two flat, brown wings on top of light or yellow abdomen.
Distinguishing features for the nymph: Slender, tapered bodies
Popular patterns: Little Yellow Sally; Blond Mormon Girl; Little Yellow Stone
Additional Information: Trout key on these abundant stoneflies during migration from the riffles to slower water, where they crawl up into the vegetation in the afternoon. Females typically deposit their eggs in the evening. However, during the day many of these little stoneflies get blown into the water so if they are swarming around, give one a try.
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28. Name this Insect or Fly Pattern

Photo property of River Bum

Genus or Specie Name: Mayfly. Tricorythodes minutes
Approximate season: Late summer, August through September
Water habitat: Slower currents and spring creeks with silty bottoms (Clark Fork River)
Identifiable traits: Tiny white wing with dark body; spinner wings fold out flat
Hook size: 22-24. Again, I would suggest using a very small parachute Adams with a trailing Trico pattern tied off the shank of the Adam's hook with a 6x or 7x tippet.

Photo property of River Bum

Popular patterns: Trico; Trico spinner
Additional Information: The hatch usually begins early in the morning with a spinnerfall a few hours later. They often blanket the river. Because of their short lives, over-lapping generations continue throughout the late summer and into the fall.
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29. Name this Insect or Fly Pattern

Property of Fly Fishing Outfitters -- Mahogany Dun

Genus: Mayfly, Paraleptophlebia
Approximate season: Late summer to fall
Water habitat: Gentle riffles, slower water and spring creeks
Identifiable traits: Clear wings, mahogany or brown body,
Hook size: #18-14
Distinguishing features for the dun: They are slender.
Popular nymph patterns: Copper John, CDC Pheasant Tail Beadhead Emerger and Lawson's Floating Nymph
Additional Information: The Mahogany Duns emerge in the morning and hatch in the evening. Hefle points out that the Mahogany Dun is also called the Blue Quill and the Slate-winged Mahogany Dun

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30. Name this Insect or Fly Pattern (Aquatic Crustaceans)

Photo Property of Round Rocks -- Scud

Approximate season: Fresh water crustaceans spend their entire lives in the water.
Water habitat: Slow, clean, well-oxygenated streams (spring creeks) and lakes
Identifiable traits: Looking like shrimp or pill bugs, scuds come in a wide range of colors from ¼ to ½ inch. Color is often determined by the surrounding vegetation.
Hook size: 16-10
Additional Information: Scuds come out from hiding and feed in low light. Use a dead-drift or VERY slow retrieves. According to Phillip Rowley in his book, Fly Patterns for Stillwaters, a "golden olive or dirty yellow-colored scud pattern is a good choice during the fall months....Some scuds have a distinct orange spot. This is the brood pouch or marsupium of the pregnant females so keep that in mind at the tying bench and on the water."
Patterns: Sparkle Shrimp; Glass Bead Scud, Pearl Shrimp, Dubbed Scud

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Basic Fly Patterns and Presentation

I always drop by a fly shop if I am away from my home waters, especially when I am fishing in Montana. The price of bugs is generally the same, but the information is invaluable. Shop owners frequently buy regional and specialty flies from their guides.

Keep in mind that each day shop outfitters send out their guides with the simple goal of getting their clients into fish, and everyday information is traded back and forth on what works, where it works and when it works. Shop owners and clerks readily pass on this information to first-time customers for half a dozen flies or less! Naturally, every shop has their killer flies that they use to expand the sale, but I don't believe that I have ever been duped. Fly shops have short seasons. In order to survive, they depend on customer loyalty, which in turn depends on their credibility. Regarding published hatch charts, take them with a grain of salt. Although I personally admire the dedication and perseverance that it takes to compile a hatch chart, the vagaries of Mother Nature generally render them in the category of "You should have been here last week." The best source of information will be from the local fly shops. Regardless of where you buy your flies, stay out of the bargain basement. Not all flies are tied equally.

For years I would shake my head in puzzlement when a client fishing with me on the Bitterroot River would open up his fly box and pull out a cheap and poorly tied fly. Rather than upset a client's out-of-state purchasing acumen for Montana trout flies, I would just resort to some swaps if I knew I was dealing with a tightfisted bargain hunter. Look for stiff neck hackles that will keep the fly high and dry. The next simple test is to look at the body to see if it is slender and proportionate. Finally, a good dry fly should have a three-point landing. When the fly is resting in the palm of your hand, the hackle and the tail should be aligned so that the bottom of the hook is barely resting on your palm. If the tail is too short, the fly will not land as well, nor will it offer the same profile to trout.

It is the fly that triggers the strike. The one topic guaranteed to generate instant conversation among fly anglers is the mention of fly patterns. No other facet of fly fishing evokes so much enthusiasm and reverence. Through the years many surveys have asked prominent fly fishers to share their favorite fly patterns. Lefty Kreh, in an article in Field and Stream, published February 1972, polled 12 expert fly fishers. The following list of dry flies, nymph flies and streamer flies represents a composite of the most frequently used flies for each category among these 12 experts.

* Dry Flies: Light Cahill, Adams, Royal Wulff, Irresistible, Quill Gordon, Humpy
* Nymphs: Trueblood Otter Shrimp, Quill Gordon, Ed Burk, Yellow Stone Fly, Muskrat, Woolly Worm
* Streamers: Black Nose Dace, Spruce Fly, Muddler Minnow, Gray Ghost, Black Marabou, White Marabou

Dan Abrams, in a similar type survey published in Sports Afield, October 1975, polled 30 notable fly fishers regarding their top four fly patterns. Seven of the 30 were prominent Rocky Mountain fly fishers. A generalized list of the most popular patterns produced the following: Adams, Royal Wulff, Humpy, Muddler Minnow and Gold-ribbed Hare's Ear Nymph. Add the Woolly Bugger and a Light Cahill in varying sizes and I would be content for quite some time. Well, of course, I would need to add a hopper pattern and a PMD and maybe a....

One of the great joys of fly fishing is sharing what works. If you are a beginner and meet a friendly fly fisher, pull out your fly box and ask, "Which one should I use?" I fondly recall many occasions when someone took me under their guidance and shared their secret fly for the day. Through the years my own collection of fly patterns grew in direct proportion to my fly fishing budget. Like most of the fly fishers I know, I can never have enough patterns. I have a number of match-the-hatch patterns for those special days, and I have my reliable stand-by attractor patterns and generic patterns that I started out with 40 years ago.

I have prioritized the following recommendations for the young beginner who has an empty fly box and a thin wallet. If you would like to begin tying your own flies, I highly recommend Jack Dennis's manual, Western Trout Fly Tying Manual. For a more in-depth approach to matching hatches, I recommend The Complete Book of Western Hatches by Rick Hafele and Dave Hughs.

For those of you who are new to the sport of fly fishing and have never fished in Montana, I offer 20 patterns that will cover about 90% of the fishing from Glacier to Yellowstone. Be observant of what the trout are feeding on and use a small aquarium net to scoop up the bugs and look at them closely. Purchase a fly box with a foam backing and sort your dry mayfly patterns by color and size. For example, I start out with light, cream-colored Cahills and pro-gressively move across in increasingly darker shades to pale yellow, bright yellow, yellow-green, green, olive green and into the green-browns and finally mahogany and rust colors. I set up a separate row of gray and tan mayfly patterns. Personally, I am less concerned with Latin identification as I am with finding the right sized imitation in as close to the natural color as possible. Organizing my fly box in this manner helps me to locate a pattern quickly. It also reminds me what colors I am missing or what sizes I am missing. The following 20 patterns are the ones that "I never leave home without." If you plan to fly fish in the Eastern Sierras or the Cascades, be sure to stock up on these patterns.
Dry Fly Patterns

Royal Wulff: Sizes 10-16

The Royal Wulff is the definitive attractor pattern. Created by the famed Lee Wulff, it imitates nothing, and yet it of-fers to the trout an equivalent of an exquisite Julia Child masterpiece. Derisively called the "Dude Fly" because of its white calf-tail wing, this extravaganza brings the fish up! Best of all, it is a fly the caster never fails to see. To digress for the beginner, keep in mind that you have to set the hook, as the trout will spit the fly out on its dive back into the water. Most beginners miss the take because by the time they react, the fish is safely on its way. Wear Polaroid sunglasses so that you can begin to train your eyes for underwater movement. Early detection allows you to react more quickly.
Presentation: Classic, upstream dead drift.

Humpy (Goofus Bug): Sizes 10-16

The Humpy's origin, according to Jack Dennis, is shrouded in controversy. Whether the fly originated in Jackson, Wyoming, or elsewhere is really unimportant. What is important to the beginner is that this fly works, and it is an indispensable pattern to have in your fly box. Although it is an attractor pattern, it may imitate a large caddis or stonefly in larger sizes. The fly is ideal for fast-flowing waters because of its inherent buoyancy. The Royal Humpy is especially easy to track in fast water. When sparsely tied, the Humpy works amazingly well on slow waters and can be used to imitate a Little Yellow Stonefly. The great advantage of this fly for the beginner is that it is almost unsinkable, and it offers great visibility in fast water for both the fisherman and the trout. It is, however, a most challenging pattern to tie. The best directions for tying this pattern may be found in The Second Fly-Tyers Almanac by Robert H. Boyle and Dave Whitlock.

Presentation: Classic, upstream dead drift. However, since this pattern closely resembles a caddis fly and floats so well, try drifting the fly downstream under willows or overhanging branches. As the fly drifts to the targeted area, lift the rod tip up to create an erratic skipping motion on top of the water, and then lower the rod tip quickly to allow the fly to drift once again on top of the water. Await the strike!

Renegade

It would appear that the Renegade attractor pattern has faded in popularity over the last 20 years, but it is a great fly for late evening fishing, as the white hackle in the front helps to see the fly on darkened waters. The second advantage is that the dual hackle design keeps the fly afloat when it is difficult to see after sundown. If you are new to the sport of fly fishing, be sure you have a good supply and a range of sizes for the Royal Wulff, the Humpy, the Renegade, the Adams and the Elk Hair Caddis.

Adams/Parachute Adams: Sizes 12-22

The ubiquitous Adams is probably the most widely used dry fly pattern on the North American continent. It imitates any number of gray mayflies. I highly recommend acquiring as many Adams in various sizes as possible. Because of the difficult visibility with this pattern, I have switched over exclusively to Parachute Adams for sizes 16-22. Although this is a generic type pattern, a size 20 Parachute Adams performs quite well during a Trico or Baetis hatch on slow moving water with a nine-foot leader and 6X tippet.

The Trico spinner imitation has a small black body with divided white poly wings in the spinner position. During the heat of summer, get out on a Rocky Mountain river like the Clark Fork between 7 and 9 am (varies) for the Tricorithodes or Trico hatch followed by the spinner fall.
Although one of the smallest of mayfly species, nonetheless, this is a staple for feeding trout primarily because of the preponderant numbers during the spinner fall. Generally found in slower waters, the trout settle into a sipping, rhythmic rise form. Do not be deceived by the small rings and the dark noses - big fish! Fish in the morning during those dog days of August. I'm sure you will be delighted with the experience regardless of how many fish break off and get away. Because I have trouble seeing a small Trico, I often add on a small Trico as a trailer behind a small Parachute Adams.

Presentation: Classic, upstream dead drift.

Gray Drakes (Heptagenia and Siphlonurus) typically hatch throughout the summer starting in early June. Sizes 10-18.

Tricorythodes typically hatch late in the summer, usu-ally at the beginning of August. Sizes 20-26.

Light Cahill or Light Variant: Sizes 12-18

A light cream color Heptagenia mayfly imitation is another must have pattern. The Light Cahill pattern may also be used on slower waters and lakes to imitate Callibaetis. The Callibaetis dun body is olive-brown, however, so you may want to darken a few of your Light Cahills with a magic marker.

The Light Cahill can be used to imitate Ephemerella or Heptagenia mayflies, but be sure to closely inspect the size and color of the insect, and then match it with your color coded fly selection.

PMD - Pale Morning Dun

Pale Morning Duns are probably the most prolific and reli-able hatch from Glacier to Yellowstone. These Ephemerella drake patterns should be part of your must-have patterns in sizes 16-22. PMDs hatch from June through October. Lighter in color from their cousins the Green Drakes, their bodies range from olive green to pale yellow and tan. The wings are generally slate gray to yellow. PMD cripples should be part of your collection. Nymph patterns such as the Zug Bug, Gray Nymph and the Hare's Ear generally work well. The darker green patterns will work well during a Baetis hatch as well.

The famous Green Drake hatches (Ephemerella grandis) are typically from mid-June through mid-July. If you are in an area with a Green Drake hatch, be sure to stock up on a number of these drake patterns at the nearest fly shop. The hatch is generally not heavy, but if they are out, the trout are looking for them. Reports from guides returning to the shop will determine if you should buy traditional drake patterns or Compara Duns or Green Para-drakes. All of the above patterns range in color from pale yellow to green to olive brown. Stock up.

Elk Hair Caddis: Sizes 10-18

Unlike the graceful rise and gliding fall of the mayfly, a cad-dis hatch looks like a burst of kindergartners swarming over a playground. An accompanying soundtrack for a mayfly would be a Viennese waltz. Conversely, the caddis dance would be a rap soundtrack by Snoop Dogg. Generally, the caddis will hatch in the evening. The most popular body colors are brown, olive, green, gray and tan.

Caddis flies are not easily missed, and in the pupa and winged stages they are an important part of the trout's diet. Look for them in the quiet pocket water under willow branches or overhangs, especially in the evening. You may also want to select a few patterns for the emergent phase such as a sparkle pupa. For larger caddis imitations use a Humpy or an X-Caddis. Use a Goddard Caddis for fast, heavy water.

One of the Montana guides I worked with collected the caddis cases and tied them on a Mustad hook with a peacock thorax. He fished them on a dead drift on the Big Hole, and I was impressed! Beginning with the Grannom Caddis hatch in May, caddis emerge throughout the summer and fall. The most consistently popular pattern is the Elk Hair Caddis.

Presentation: Classic, upstream dead drift or erratic ac-tion produced by rod tip action.

Blue-Wing Olive: Sizes 16-22

The Baetis (Blue-Wing Olive) is an important pattern in Montana, as Baetis hatch from May through October. They are generally smaller than a PMD. The body color for a Baetis pattern is olive brown with gray wings and light gray hackle. It is not uncommon for trout to be sipping the smaller Baetis during a hatch of PMDs.

Salmon Fly

Montana's favorite hatch calls for big bugs that hold up under heavy water conditions. They need to stay high and dry. The Salmon Fly pattern is constantly being reinvented and im-proved. During a Salmon Fly hatch, local shops have these flies displayed in tubs and buckets. The Salmon Fly hatch generally emerges late May and is essentially over by mid July. Water temperatures need to be in the low 50s.

Stimulator

The Stimulator represents a pattern for stone-flies in orange and yellow. When the trout quit hitting the big Salmon Fly patterns, they tend to strike at smaller stimulators long after the Salmon Fly hatch is over. The Stimulator is best used during a Golden Stonefly hatch.

Streamers and Wet Flies
Muddler Minnow: Sizes 4-8

Popularized by Dan Bailey of Livingston, Montana, the Muddler Minnow should always be in your fly box. I have met fly fishers who fish almost exclusively with Muddler Minnow patterns. Along with its offshoot, the Marabou Muddler, this pattern has probably taken more large fish than any other fly, especially on the Yellowstone River. The Muddler may also be greased up and used as an effective hopper pattern, and I have used it both dry and wet on the same cast with interesting results.

Presentation: Fish the Muddler slightly upstream or down-stream in a quartering action. Retrieve the Muddler by simultaneously pumping the rod tip and stripping in the line in quick, little jerks which imitates the darting action of a sculpin minnow. Allow for pauses, and add weight if necessary.

Woolly Bugger: Sizes 4-8

This pattern is a must for late spring and early summer when the water is high and off-color and the hatches are sporadic. If you are fishing from shore, make short casts around all the rocks and boulders. Be sure the fly is actually sinking to the bottom. Add lead to your leader if necessary. Use a short 2X or 3X leader. Make short casts and keep the rod tip high so that you keep the Bugger bouncing along the bottom. Lift the rod tip when you feel a bump. Do not assume it is just a rock. If it is, lower the rod tip and let the bugger sink again.

Yuk Bug and Girdle Bug: Sizes 6-12

I love this bug! I have caught so many beautiful fish during early summer when the water is still high but clear. I float along until I find a logjam or flooded backwater eddy. I usually select a size 10 Yuk Bug. The Yuk Bug has a dark body wrapped with grizzly hackle. Protruding from the body are white rubber legs. I find I generally have to cut back on the length of the rubber legs. I want them to pulse, and I want them to flare at the sides rather than collapsing backwards. I do not use weight. I fish it like a dry fly, allowing it to gradually sink. Most important, I cast from a kneeling position. I am always amazed at how adept large trout are at hiding. As the Yuk Bug sinks into quiet water, the trout will slowly emerge from its hiding spot. I have had large trout appear from under a small tree trunk in shallow water. They never rush to the Yuk. They take their time. It also works well in creeks and small streams. I love this bug!

Nymphs
Hare's Ear Nymph: Sizes 12-16

In my opinion, this is the best of the small nymph patterns for spring creeks, beaver ponds and slow, flat stretches of river. When I fish high-elevation lakes, I always bring along the Hare's Ear Nymph and a Zug Bug in smaller sizes. They work wonders. If you have someone along who is not an accomplished fly caster, use a plastic water-filled bubble with as long of a leader as possible. Attach a Hare's Ear or Zug Bug and cast out as far as possible and retrieve with a spinning reel. If the fish are rising to the surface, be sure to cast way over them, as the splashdown from the water-filled bubble will spook the fish in the near vicinity.

Bead-head Prince Nymph

This is perhaps the most popular nymph in the region! If you don't have any, head to the nearest fly shop. They work great as a dropper off a hopper pattern during the heat of August.

Pheasant Tail

The Pheasant Tail Nymph is an excellent soft hackle nymph for slow water. The key to this fly is a slender silhouette and a sparely-tied hackle.

Terrestrials
Hopper (Joe's, Dave's, Jay's, Dan's): Sizes 6-12

As you can see from the partial list of Hopper contributors, grasshopper imitations are recorded in the "Who's Who of Terrestrials". Rarely, however, will you find such citations on the bins in a fly shop. For beginners I recommend a clipped deer-hair collar. This feature adds stability and superior floatation. Although the grasshopper is meant to have a low silhouette, without the deer hair the buoyancy is drastically reduced and the caster generally struggles with a sinking pattern.

Presentation: The best source of information on hoppers can be found in the September 1985 issue of Fly Fisherman. In this issue Dave Whitlock, in his article "Hoppertunity", discusses hopper behavior, pattern characteristics and Hoppertunity Techniques. Here are a few of his suggestions: Being a terrestrial insect, the grasshopper is on unfamiliar "ground" when he gets blown on the water. No gentle landings here. Make a splash with your hopper. Strip the hopper in with intermittent twitches from rod-tip action. Use a heavy tippet, and use a twist piece of lead to sink the hopper in those promising pools. Cast close to undercut banks and overhangs where trout hide during low water periods. Fish during the heat of the day. Carefully pick your targeted area. Although a smashing hopper on top of the water will trigger a strike, it also quite often spooks fish in the outlying area. Keep moving and practice stealth.

Beetle Patterns

The deer hair patterns dyed black work wonders. Rick Hafele and Dave Hughes in their outstanding book, The Complete Book of Western Hatches, point out that the Woolly Worm is also a good pattern to imitate a water beetle in still or slow moving water.
Ant

Although ant patterns are difficult to see in small sizes, ants are a staple diet for trout during the summer.

Bead-Head San Juan Worm

I have always had a certain amount of disdain for the San Juan Worm, but I have a growing appreciation for this pattern during the spring and again late in the fall. I favor the bead-head version with the bead in the center.

Well, there you have it - the 20 patterns that I would never leave home without!

If you actually got this far, and you are a beginning fly fisher, be sure to check out "Mastering the Basics of Fly Fishing" by following the link from this site to my Montana site.

High Sticking by Wayne Eng

Note: As the blog editor for my local fly fishing club, I have included a club article to help those fly anglers who are new to nymph fishing.

Our guest speaker for the March meeting of the Klamath Country Fly Casters was Wayne Eng, a licensed guide who plies his trade on the Upper Sacramento River. Wayne cites Jim Gade, who fished these waters from 1949 to 2004, as to the origin of high sticking. "Native American Wintu women tied simple weighted flies for the trout because they got tired of digging for worms. Some of these weighted flies were adapted to a very short line technique we call today high-sticking, which was popularized by the late Ted Fay and his partner Joe Kimsey.... The technique was simple: a fly rod, a short leader, two weighted flies, which they drifted in pocket water on a short line. This system still works today as effectively as it did over a half century ago. Although we have tweaked the system with strike indicators, lead, and different bugs, the game remains the same--get your bugs down to the trout with as little line on the water as possible."

Pocket Water
"Pocket water is a mini-ecosystem, usually in faster water, created by big rocks or obstacles in the water. These rocks and obstacles create 'pockets', which provide three basic requirements for the fish: food, shelter and cover."

Rigging (See descriprtions at the end of the article)

"Strike Indicators are a visual aid to indicate the drift and take. Some usual materials are yarn, corkies, or colored line. One characteristic of yarn is that yarn floats higher for a more natural drift. It is easy to see, but sometimes yarn can be harder to cast. Some of the characteristics of a corkey is that they float lower, connect to split shot quicker, they are easier to cast, and they work great when a slightly faster than natural drift is needed. The placement of the indicator should be a little greater than the depth of the water you are fishing and above the split shot."

Reading the Water
"Rocks shape the river and create lies and habitat and concentrate the food source. Knowing how to detect feed lanes and see the rocks that create pockets will help you find the trout. There are two types of rocks you care about: primary and secondary. A primary rock is a rock above or just below the water that splits the river into right and left lanes (known as feed lanes), forming what looks like a big VEE in the water. Fish will be stationed in or next to these food highways. Generally, trout will be in the feed lane if it is slow, or they will be in the seam next to the fast water. A secondary rock is a submerged rock, which is a relatively tall rock in or near a feed lane that creates a cushion. This cushion provides a place where trout can hold with little effort and wait for food."

Presentation
"In this type of water, presentation can be more important than a specific type of bug. The reason is that trout are sometimes not as selective because they have little time to inspect the offering. By presentation we mean drift the bug in areas where the trout hold and in a natural manner so the trout think it's food."

The Three L's: Lob, Lift, Lead and Set
"Lob the cast. With a short line loading the rod downstream using water tension to cast, form a tent with the rod and fly line. Raise and rotate the rod hand and in a chopping motion, drop the forearm toward the target (usually slightly upstream). This will allow the flies to sink to the desired depth. After the cast 'lift' the rod horizontally so all or most of the line to the indicator is off the water, leaving a slight bit of slack for a natural drift. Lead the tip of the rod above or slightly downstream of the indicator. This position will help with the hook set. (When thinking of lead, think about 'Walking a Dog'. If the leash is too tight, you are choking the dog. If it is too loose, the dog can get out of control.)" The hook set is when the indicator does anything other than drifting naturally, such as slowing, dipping, pausing....When in doubt, quickly set the hook downstream by moving your rod tip towards the water. This will pull the hook into the trout's mouth and keeps the rig in the water and not flinging in the air. Remember that most tangles happen in the air and not in the water."

High Stick Rigging
(1) "The original rigging, according to Joe Kimsey who was Ted Fay's partner, consisted of a 7.5 foot 3x or 4x tapered leader. Attach a split shot for the water depth. After the split shot add a Dropper Loop. Add six to eight inches of leader material and attach the first fly. From the Dropper Loop (Google for instructions) continue for 16 to 18-inches to the terminal fly. Attach the fly with a Duncan Loop, which allows more movement in the fly.

(2) Select a 6 to 7.5 foot tapered leader from 3-5x. Add split shot. Add an additional 6-8-inces of leader and tie a triple surgeon's knot. Note: the first fly is treaded into the section of this portion of leader between the split shot and the triple surgeon's knot. In this manner, the fly may slide up and down this eight-inch distance freely. From the triple surgeon's knot add 12-14-inches of tippet and attach the terminal fly.

(3) Here is a simple but effective rigging. Add split shot followed by tying on a fly. From this first fly, tie another piece of tippet to the bend of the hook and attach the terminal fly.

(4) Dry and Dropper with Split Shot: Using a large buoyant fly such as a salmon fly or a grasshopper, add 24-inches of tippet to the bend in the hook. This tippet material should be 1 or 2x lighter tippet material. Add split shot in the center of this dropper tippet and a small bead nymph to the terminal end

(5) Dry and Dropper without Split Shot: Using a large buoyant fly such as a salmon fly or a grasshopper, add 10 to 20-inches of tippet to the bend in the hook. This tippet material should be 1 or 2x lighter tippet material. Add a small bead nymph to the terminal end."

Strike Indicator Placement and Split Shot: "The distance between the strike indicator and the split shot should is a little greater than the depth of the water you are fishing for running a 'tight line'. One advantage of a corkey is that it is easily adjusted for the water depth."

Wayne Eng, Licensed Guide
(530) 235-4018
kozmo@nctv.com

Trout Identification / Salmonidae

Rainbow Trout / Oncorhynchus mykiss

Associated with the West Coast drainages, the Rainbow trout inspires reverence world wide since its stocked introduction to Japan, South America, the East Coast, Europe and New Zealand. Known for its fighting spirit and aerial acrobatics, the Rainbow trout is distinguished by its pinkish broad band along its lateral line and sometimes as far as its gills and cheeks. It is not uncommon for Rainbows living in deeper water to display orange and lavender hues at maturity. The other striking characteristic of this trout is the greenish bronze back and sides which are dotted with small black spots. The Rainbows underbelly is whitish or silvery. During the spawning period the males develop a hooked jaw, (oncorhynchus) and the rainbow pink darkens into a defining red. Also known by sportsman for its propensity for growth, especially in larger waters, the Rainbow has a sea-run member of its family in the steelhead of the West Coast. A variety of regional Rainbows are identified such as British Columbia's Kamloop rainbow and specific drainage strains such as the McCloud River strain or the Kern River strain.

Habitat: Although the Rainbow trout has been cultured in breeding programs for a variety of water conditions, its preferred water is cold, clear oxygenated waters, particularly fast riffles and good flowing runs. It prefers water temperatures from 55 to high 60's.

Food sources: Ranging from zooplankton to forage fish, Rainbows feed most heavily on insect life in streams and rivers.

Spawning: Depending on the geographical zone and water conditions, Rainbows begin spawning as early as March, but more typical are the months of April through June. Rainbows are extensively stocked in the Eastern Sierra Mountains.

Cutthroat Trout / Salmo clarki

Covering a huge expanse of territory in the West, the Cutthroat is native to the southwest in the high plains and deserts of Colorado, Utah, Nevada and New Mexico to the over thrust of the Rockies in Montana to the Pacific estuaries and as far north as British Colombia. Although not noted for the fighting qualities of its close cousin the Rainbow, the Cutthroat is a revered trout in these regions so much so that in some parts of its range it is simply referred to as the native trout. The Cutthroat trout has many variants and sub-species, and it is known to cross-hybridize with the Rainbow trout. As its name implies, the Cutthroat has a bold, orange slash across the lower jaw which most easily identifies this as a singular trait of recognition. Marked with small black spots on its back and extending to the tail, the Cutthroat often displays a soft, golden or orange hue across its sides blending into a greenish, gray back. It too has a sea-going member in its family along the costal waters of British Columbia down to the Oregon shores. Unlike the steelhead, sea run Cutthroat tend to stay close to their home waters preferring the sanctuary of coastal estuaries.

Habitat: Cutthroats prefer colder water and do not adapt well to habitat degradation or competition from non-native species. Unlike Rainbows, Cutthroats tend not to grow as large as Rainbows in rivers or lakes. Although they can survive up to eight years, they rarely exceed eighteen inches in streams and rivers. They prefer deeper pools and good bank cover. One of the last strongholds for westslope cutthroat can be found on Montana's South Fork Flathead River.

Food sources: Insect life

Spawning: Similar to the Rainbow, the great majority of Cutthroats spawn once in their lives. They spawn from March through as late as August. Like Rainbows they prefer shallow, fast water for their spawning beds in small stream tributaries. They do not reach sexual maturity for two to four years.

Brown Trout / Salmo Trutta (salmon trout)

Closely identified with the Atlantic salmon and a native to Europe, the Brown trout is often associated with Germany and previously referred to as the German Brown, no doubt due to its importation by a New Yorker and a German immigrant in 1883. By 1889 the Brown Trout was being reared and stocked as far away as Montana. Initially the cries of protest were muted when opponents realized that the industrialized East had destroyed habitat for the sensitive Brook Trout. In its place the German Brown survived in warmer waters with some degree of pollution present. Pioneers in the art of fly fishing in Pennsylvania and New York discovered that the Brown trout rose readily to a dry fly, although it was more challenging to catch than a Brook trout, not doubt aided by the fact that larger Brown trout feed at night. Brownish overall, the sides are yellow-brown and are dotted with large dark spots towards the back, which in turn are ringed by a lighter hue. Along the lateral line are reddish-orange spots. The fins are clear.

Habitat: Brown trout prefer slower water, although they do survive and prosper in freestone rivers. They tolerate warmer water with greater silt concentrations than any other trout, but they too become stressed as water temperatures reach 70. They can live ten to twelve years in the wild and compete with the Rainbow trout for trophy status, especially in lakes and reservoirs. With the advent of whirling disease, the brown trout has resisted the disease and done very well in Montana's Madison River and Rock Creek.

Food sources: Aquatic and terrestrial insects, crustaceans and other fish.

Spawning: In drought sensitive Western states, Brown trout have a distinct advantage in that they spawn in the fall from October to February. Reservoirs are dewatered for irrigation and drawn down. By fall the irrigators have shut the gates. When the Brown trout move up the tributaries, they are spawning in running water that will soon be replenished. Instead of having their redds dry up during the late spring and summer, Brown fry have already emerged and begin moving to deeper water. Brown trout also have sea-run relatives both in Europe and the North Atlantic coast. The Brown trout is also stocked throughout the Eastern Sierra Mountains from Lone Pine to Bridgeport.

Brook Trout / Salvelinus fontinalis

Called the Square Tail and the Speckled Trout, the Brook Trout is no trout at all. Rather it is a member of the char family, but science will not dissuade generations of anglers from early colonists on who call this favorite trout, just that, a trout. Much like the canary in the mine, the brookie, just like the Bull trout, is a bell weather warning against pollution and high levels of suspended sediment. Tending to be small in length, with the exception of Brookies found in Canadian lakes, the Brook trout, nonetheless, is admired for its beauty from Maine to California in the few remaining, unspoiled wilderness streams and creeks. The back tends to be a dark melding of brown and green with dark vermiculations from head to tail. Worm-like in appearance, the vermiculations resemble a maze all the way across the back. The sides are variations of green with some gray, along with distinct red dots surrounded by blue halos. The belly of the Brook trout ranges from pale yellow to pinkish orange and is muted with streaks of lead pencil shadings. The fins are lightly shaded hues of orange accented with white tips. The anal fin and the caudal fin display dark blotches.

Habitat: Found in cold, clear mountain creeks and spring-fed streams, Brook trout favor shore cover, especially where spring water filters in to the stream. Brook trout do not survive very well in water temperatures above 65. Many small creeks and high elevation lakes in the Sierras and Cascades are home to the Brook trout.

Food sources: Aquatic and terrestrial insects, crustaceans and other fish. Preying on caddis worms and crustaceans, the Brook trout's efficient digestive tract empties in less than a half hour. A pan size brookie won't hesitate pouncing on small minnow.

Spawning: The Brook Trout spawn in the fall. Usually they spawn in their second season. In high elevation lakes and streams with very cold water, Brook trout tend to become stunted and may reach sexual maturity at five or six inches! They may also cross with a Brown trout creating sterile Tiger Trout.

Dolly Varden / Bull Trout
Salvelinus malma / Salvelinus confluentus

Although the Bull Trout in Montana has recently been classified as somewhat distinct from its coastal cousin the Dolly Warden, both fish are similar in appearance, and both are char rather than trout. They are closely related to the Arctic char. Today the range of both fish is shrinking. Typically found along coastal streams of Oregon and Washington, the Dolly Varden is an important game fish in Alaska as well as Kamchatka, Russia. The origin of its colorful name may be disputed, but during the 1870's a Dolly Varden was a fanciful dress in the fashion world, and later a large, flowery hat earned the praise of the fashion world with the same name. Charles Dickens used Dolly Varden for one of his characters.

The Dolly Varden coloration varies a great deal, buy typically they have dark green backs or a bronze coloration which pales as it merges with the lateral line. From the lateral line to the belly the Dolly is often a light green or a pencil lead gray. The belly is whitish. Scattered across its sides, but not on the head or tail, are pale yellow or pinkish-yellow spots. Scattered within these dots are some small red dots on the lower sides.

Habitat: Bull Trout seek out cold, clear water, and they can not tolerate high sediment levels. They may inter-breed with Brook trout, but their off-spring are sterile. Dolly Vardens are anadromous and prefer the lower reaches of tidal rivers and estuaries. Resident and land-locked Dolly Varden and Bull Trout can weight up to twenty pounds and exceed thirty inches in length. Sea-going Dolly Vardens in Alaska typically reach ten pounds and devour spawned salmon eggs and salmon fry.

Food sources: Dollies and Bull trout are slow growing during the first few years when they feast on insects, aquatic invertebrates and crustaceans. As adults they become voracious piscivores.

Spawning: They spawn in the fall, but they do not reach sexual maturity for four to five years. Even resident Dolly Vardens and Bull trout are migratory by nature traveling long distances to spawn as well as moving for seasonal water adjustments.

Lake Trout / hungri-devili (a joke!)
Salvelinus (char) namaycush (American Indian name for Lake trout)

This Big Mac, often called Mackinaw trout in the Rockies, has only one relative in the salmon family who gets bigger, and that is the King Salmon. In actuality they are a char. Prior to the devastation of the Lake trout populations in the Great Lakes due to the Lamprey eel, commercial fisherman caught some of these big devils upwards to eighty pounds. Slow in growth with a life span of twenty years, these monsters of the deep eat a lot of trout in a given year. Yellowstone Park biologists estimate that each rogue Lake trout eats over 50 Cutthroat trout a year. Multiply that by many thousands of Lake trout and it is no wonder the Cutthroat population in Yellowstone Lake has plummeted 70% since some bucket biologist, in the words of the former superintendent, perpetrated "an appalling act of environmental terrorism."

The Lake trout is a native of North America inhabiting deep, cold lakes. They thrive in lakes that reach depths of two hundred feet. It has the most forked tail of all its cousins in the trout family. Its back ranges in the gray-green tones to soft bronze, and its belly, depending on the water, can be silverish-white to lead-pencil gray. Large irregular, light-colored markings stretch across the sides, while its back has feint vermiculations similar to the Brook trout. Light speckling may be observed on the dorsal, adipose and caudal fin. Similar to the Brook trout, it has a white edge on the pectoral, pelvic and anal fins.

Food sources: Lake trout are slow growing during the first few years when they feast on zooplankton, insects, aquatic invertebrates and crustaceans. As adults they become voracious piscivores as biologists from Montana will attest.

Spawning: They do not reach sexual maturity for six to seven years. They return to the same spawning area of the lake in which they were spawned. They do not build nests and let their eggs free-fall to boulder or rock strewn bottoms in water depths of from ten feet to a hundred feet. Throughout the year they prefer cruising in the deep, but in the spring time they move to the shoreline and devour other fish.

Sources

Familiar Freshwater Fishes of America by Howard T. Walden, published by Harper and Row, 1964.

http://www.fish.state.pa.us/pafish/fishhtms/chap16.htm

http://fwp.mt.gov/fieldguide/detail_AFCHA02090.aspx

Fly Patterns and Presentation

I always drop by a fly shop if I am away from my home waters. The price of bugs is generally the same, but the information is invaluable. Shop owners frequently buy regional and specialty flies from their guides. The fly patterns listed below will serve you well in your travels along Highway 395 in California or along Highway 97 in Oregon.

Keep in mind that each day shop outfitters send out their guides with the simple goal of getting their clients into fish, and everyday information is traded back and forth on what works, where it works and when it works. Shop owners and clerks readily pass on this information to first-time customers for half a dozen flies or less! Naturally, every shop has their killer flies that they use to expand the sale, but I don't believe that I have ever been duped. Fly shops have short seasons. In order to survive, they depend on customer loyalty, which in turn depends on their credibility. Regarding published hatch charts, take them with a grain of salt. Although I personally admire the dedication and perseverance that it takes to compile a hatch chart, the vagaries of Mother Nature generally render them in the category of "You should have been here last week." The best source of information will be from the local fly shops. Regardless of where you buy your flies, stay out of the bargain basement. Not all flies are tied equally.

For years I would shake my head in puzzlement when a client would open up his fly box and pull out a cheap and poorly tied fly. Rather than upset a client's out-of-state purchasing acumen for Montana trout flies, I would just resort to some swaps if I knew I was dealing with a tightfisted bargain hunter. Look for stiff neck hackles that will keep the fly high and dry. The next simple test is to look at the body to see if it is slender and proportionate. Finally, a good dry fly should have a three-point landing. When the fly is resting in the palm of your hand, the hackle and the tail should be aligned so that the bottom of the hook is barely resting on your palm. If the tail is too short, the fly will not land as well, nor will it offer the same profile to trout.

It is the fly that triggers the strike. The one topic guaranteed to generate instant conversation among fly anglers is the mention of fly patterns. No other facet of fly fishing evokes so much enthusiasm and reverence. Through the years many surveys have asked prominent fly fishers to share their favorite fly patterns. Lefty Kreh, in an article in Field and Stream, published February 1972, polled 12 expert fly fishers. The following list of dry flies, nymph flies and streamer flies represents a composite of the most frequently used flies for each category among these 12 experts.

* Dry Flies: Light Cahill, Adams, Royal Wulff, Irresistible, Quill Gordon, Humpy
* Nymphs: Trueblood Otter Shrimp, Quill Gordon, Ed Burk, Yellow Stone Fly, Muskrat, Woolly Worm
* Streamers: Black Nose Dace, Spruce Fly, Muddler Minnow, Gray Ghost, Black Marabou, White Marabou

Dan Abrams, in a similar type survey published in Sports Afield, October 1975, polled 30 notable fly fishers regarding their top four fly patterns. Seven of the 30 were prominent Rocky Mountain fly fishers. A generalized list of the most popular patterns produced the following: Adams, Royal Wulff, Humpy, Muddler Minnow and Gold-ribbed Hare's Ear Nymph. Add the Woolly Bugger and a Light Cahill in varying sizes and I would be content for quite some time. Well, of course, I would need to add a hopper pattern and a PMD and maybe a....

One of the great joys of fly fishing is sharing what works. If you are a beginner and meet a friendly fly fisher, pull out your fly box and ask, "Which one should I use?" I fondly recall many occasions when someone took me under their guidance and shared their secret fly for the day. Through the years my own collection of fly patterns grew in direct proportion to my fly fishing budget. Like most of the fly fishers I know, I can never have enough patterns. I have a number of match-the-hatch patterns for those special days, and I have my reliable stand-by attractor patterns and generic patterns that I started out with 40 years ago.

I have prioritized the following recommendations for the young beginner who has an empty fly box and a thin wallet. If you would like to begin tying your own flies, I highly recommend Jack Dennis's manual, Western Trout Fly Tying Manual. For a more in-depth approach to matching hatches, I recommend The Complete Book of Western Hatches by Rick Hafele and Dave Hughs.

For those of you who are new to the sport of fly fishing and have never fly fished in the Sierras or Cascades, I offer 20 patterns that will cover about 90% of the fishing from Glacier to Yellowstone. Be observant of what the trout are feeding on and use a small aquarium net to scoop up the bugs and look at them closely. Purchase a fly box with a foam backing and sort your dry mayfly patterns by color and size. For example, I start out with light, cream-colored Cahills and pro-gressively move across in increasingly darker shades to pale yellow, bright yellow, yellow-green, green, olive green and into the green-browns and finally mahogany and rust colors. I set up a separate row of gray and tan mayfly patterns. Personally, I am less concerned with Latin identification as I am with finding the right sized imitation in as close to the natural color as possible. Organizing my fly box in this manner helps me to locate a pattern quickly. It also reminds me what colors I am missing or what sizes I am missing. The following 20 patterns are the ones that "I never leave home without."

Dry Fly Patterns

Royal Wulff: Sizes 10-16

The Royal Wulff is the definitive attractor pattern. Created by the famed Lee Wulff, it imitates nothing, and yet it of-fers to the trout an equivalent of an exquisite Julia Child masterpiece. Derisively called the "Dude Fly" because of its white calf-tail wing, this extravaganza brings the fish up! Best of all, it is a fly the caster never fails to see. To digress for the beginner, keep in mind that you have to set the hook, as the trout will spit the fly out on its dive back into the water. Most beginners miss the take because by the time they react, the fish is safely on its way. Wear Polaroid sunglasses so that you can begin to train your eyes for underwater movement. Early detection allows you to react more quickly.
Presentation: Classic, upstream dead drift.

Humpy (Goofus Bug): Sizes 10-16

The Humpy's origin, according to Jack Dennis, is shrouded in controversy. Whether the fly originated in Jackson, Wyoming, or elsewhere is really unimportant. What is important to the beginner is that this fly works, and it is an indispensable pattern to have in your fly box. Although it is an attractor pattern, it may imitate a large caddis or stonefly in larger sizes. The fly is ideal for fast-flowing waters because of its inherent buoyancy. The Royal Humpy is especially easy to track in fast water. When sparsely tied, the Humpy works amazingly well on slow waters and can be used to imitate a Little Yellow Stonefly. The great advantage of this fly for the beginner is that it is almost unsinkable, and it offers great visibility in fast water for both the fisherman and the trout. It is, however, a most challenging pattern to tie. The best directions for tying this pattern may be found in The Second Fly-Tyers Almanac by Robert H. Boyle and Dave Whitlock.

Presentation: Classic, upstream dead drift. However, since this pattern closely resembles a caddis fly and floats so well, try drifting the fly downstream under willows or overhanging branches. As the fly drifts to the targeted area, lift the rod tip up to create an erratic skipping motion on top of the water, and then lower the rod tip quickly to allow the fly to drift once again on top of the water. Await the strike!

Renegade

It would appear that the Renegade attractor pattern has faded in popularity over the last 20 years, but it is a great fly for late evening fishing, as the white hackle in the front helps to see the fly on darkened waters. The second advantage is that the dual hackle design keeps the fly afloat when it is difficult to see after sundown. If you are new to the sport of fly fishing, be sure you have a good supply and a range of sizes for the Royal Wulff, the Humpy, the Renegade, the Adams and the Elk Hair Caddis.

Adams/Parachute Adams: Sizes 12-22

The ubiquitous Adams is probably the most widely used dry fly pattern on the North American continent. It imitates any number of gray mayflies. I highly recommend acquiring as many Adams in various sizes as possible. Because of the difficult visibility with this pattern, I have switched over exclusively to Parachute Adams for sizes 16-22. Although this is a generic type pattern, a size 20 Parachute Adams performs quite well during a Trico or Baetis hatch on slow moving water with a nine-foot leader and 6X tippet.

Trico

Blue-Wing Olive (Baetis)

The Trico spinner imitation has a small black body with divided white poly wings in the spinner position. During the heat of summer, get out on a Rocky Mountain river between 7 and 9 am (varies) for the Tricorithodes or Trico hatch followed by the spinner fall.
Although one of the smallest of mayfly species, nonetheless, this is a staple for feeding trout primarily because of the preponderant numbers during the spinner fall. Generally found in slower waters, the trout settle into a sipping, rhythmic rise form. Do not be deceived by the small rings and the dark noses - big fish! Fish in the morning during those dog days of August. I'm sure you will be delighted with the experience regardless of how many fish break off and get away. Because I have trouble seeing a small Trico, I often add on a small Trico as a trailer behind a small Parachute Adams.

Presentation: Classic, upstream dead drift.

Gray Drakes (Heptagenia and Siphlonurus) typically hatch throughout the summer starting in early June. Sizes 10-18.

Tricorythodes typically hatch late in the summer, usu-ally at the beginning of August. Sizes 20-26.

Light Cahill or PMD: Sizes 12-18

Cahill

Pale-Morning Dun

A light cream color Heptagenia mayfly imitation is another must have pattern. The Light Cahill pattern may also be used on slower waters and lakes to imitate Callibaetis. The Callibaetis dun body is olive-brown, however, so you may want to darken a few of your Light Cahills with a magic marker.

The Light Cahill can be used to imitate Ephemerella or Heptagenia mayflies, but be sure to closely inspect the size and color of the insect, and then match it with your color coded fly selection.

PMD - Pale Morning Dun

Pale Morning Duns are probably the most prolific and reliable hatch from Glacier to Yellowstone. These Ephemerella drake patterns should be part of your must-have patterns in sizes 16-22. PMDs hatch from June through October. Lighter in color from their cousins the Green Drakes, their bodies range from olive green to pale yellow and tan. The wings are generally slate gray to yellow. PMD cripples should be part of your collection.

Zug Bug

Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear

Nymph patterns such as the Zug Bug, Gray Nymph and the Hare's Ear generally work well. The darker green patterns will work well during a Baetis hatch as well.

The famous Green Drake hatches (Ephemerella grandis) are typically from mid-June through mid-July. If you are in an area with a Green Drake hatch, be sure to stock up on a number of these drake patterns at the nearest fly shop. The hatch is generally not heavy, but if they are out, the trout are looking for them. Reports from guides returning to the shop will determine if you should buy traditional drake patterns or Compara Duns or Green Para-drakes. All of the above patterns range in color from pale yellow to green to olive brown. Stock up.

Elk Hair Caddis: Sizes 10-18

Unlike the graceful rise and gliding fall of the mayfly, a cad-dis hatch looks like a burst of kindergartners swarming over a playground. An accompanying soundtrack for a mayfly would be a Viennese waltz. Conversely, the caddis dance would be a rap soundtrack by Snoop Dogg. Generally, the caddis will hatch in the evening. The most popular body colors are brown, olive, green, gray and tan.

Caddis flies are not easily missed, and in the pupa and winged stages they are an important part of the trout's diet. Look for them in the quiet pocket water under willow branches or overhangs, especially in the evening. You may also want to select a few patterns for the emergent phase such as a sparkle pupa. For larger caddis imitations use a Humpy or an X-Caddis. Use a Goddard Caddis for fast, heavy water.

One of the guides I worked with collected the caddis cases and tied them on a Mustad hook with a peacock thorax. He fished them on a dead drift, and I was impressed! Beginning with the Grannom Caddis hatch in May, caddis emerge throughout the summer and fall. The most consistently popular pattern is the Elk Hair Caddis.

Presentation: Classic, upstream dead drift or erratic ac-tion produced by rod tip action.

Blue-Wing Olive: Sizes 16-22

The Baetis (Blue-Wing Olive) is an important pattern in Montana, as Baetis hatch from May through October. They are generally smaller than a PMD. The body color for a Baetis pattern is olive brown with gray wings and light gray hackle. It is not uncommon for trout to be sipping the smaller Baetis during a hatch of PMDs.

Salmon Fly / Stimulator

Montana's favorite hatch calls for big bugs that hold up under heavy water conditions. They need to stay high and dry. The Salmon Fly pattern is constantly being reinvented and im-proved. During a Salmon Fly hatch, local shops have these flies displayed in tubs and buckets. The Salmon Fly hatch generally emerges late May and is essentially over by mid July. Water temperatures need to be in the low 50s.

Stimulator

The Stimulator represents a pattern for stone-flies in orange and yellow. When the trout quit hitting the big Salmon Fly patterns, they tend to strike at smaller stimulators long after the Salmon Fly hatch is over. The Stimulator is best used during a Golden Stonefly hatch.

Streamers and Wet Flies

Muddler Minnow: Sizes 4-8

Popularized by Dan Bailey of Livingston, Montana, the Muddler Minnow should always be in your fly box. I have met fly fishers who fish al-most exclusively with Muddler Minnow patterns. Along with its offshoot, the Marabou Muddler, this pattern has probably taken more large fish than any other fly. The Muddler may also be greased up and used as an effective hopper pattern, and I have used it both dry and wet on the same cast with interesting results.

Presentation: Fish the Muddler slightly upstream or down-stream in a quartering action. Retrieve the Muddler by simultaneously pumping the rod tip and stripping in the line in quick, little jerks which imitates the darting action of a sculpin minnow. Allow for pauses, and add weight if necessary.

Woolly Bugger: Sizes 4-8

This pattern is a must for late spring and early summer when the water is high and off-color and the hatches are sporadic. If you are fishing from shore, make short casts around all the rocks and boulders. Be sure the fly is actually sinking to the bottom. Add lead to your leader if necessary. Use a short 2X or 3X leader. Make short casts and keep the rod tip high so that you keep the Bugger bouncing along the bottom. Lift the rod tip when you feel a bump. Do not assume it is just a rock. If it is, lower the rod tip and let the bugger sink again.

Yuk Bug and Girdle Bug: Sizes 6-12

I love this bug! I have caught so many beautiful fish during early summer when the water is still high but clear. I float along until I find a logjam or flooded backwater eddy. I usually select a size 10 Yuk Bug. The Yuk Bug has a dark body wrapped with grizzly hackle. Protruding from the body are white rubber legs. I find I generally have to cut back on the length of the rubber legs. I want them to pulse, and I want them to flare at the sides rather than collapsing backwards. I do not use weight. I fish it like a dry fly, allowing it to gradually sink. Most important, I cast from a kneeling position. I am always amazed at how adept large trout are at hiding. As the Yuk Bug sinks into quiet water, the trout will slowly emerge from its hiding spot. I have had large trout appear from under a small tree trunk in shallow water. They never rush to the Yuk. They take their time. It also works well in creeks and small streams. I love this bug!

Nymphs: Hare's Ear Nymph: Sizes 12-16

In my opinion, this is the best of the small nymph patterns for spring creeks, beaver ponds and slow, flat stretches of river. When I fish high-elevation lakes, I always bring along the Hare's Ear Nymph and a Zug Bug in smaller sizes. They work wonders. If you have someone along who is not an accomplished fly caster, use a plastic water-filled bubble with as long of a leader as possible. Attach a Hare's Ear or Zug Bug and cast out as far as possible and retrieve with a spinning reel. If the fish are rising to the surface, be sure to cast way over them, as the splashdown from the water-filled bubble will spook the fish in the near vicinity.

Bead-head Prince Nymph

This is perhaps the most popular nymph in the region! If you don't have any, head to the nearest fly shop. They work great as a dropper off a hopper pattern during the heat of August.

Pheasant Tail

The Pheasant Tail Nymph is an excellent soft hackle nymph for slow water. The key to this fly is a slender silhouette and a sparely-tied hackle.

Terrestrials
Hopper (Joe's, Dave's, Jay's, Dan's): Sizes 6-12

As you can see from the partial list of Hopper contributors, grasshopper imitations are recorded in the "Who's Who of Terrestrials". Rarely, however, will you find such citations on the bins in a fly shop. For beginners I recommend a clipped deer-hair collar. This feature adds stability and superior floatation. Although the grasshopper is meant to have a low silhouette, without the deer hair the buoyancy is drastically reduced and the caster generally struggles with a sinking pattern.

Presentation: The best source of information on hoppers can be found in the September 1985 issue of Fly Fisherman. In this issue Dave Whitlock, in his article "Hoppertunity", discusses hopper behavior, pattern characteristics and Hoppertunity Techniques. Here are a few of his suggestions: Being a terrestrial insect, the grasshopper is on unfamiliar "ground" when he gets blown on the water. No gentle landings here. Make a splash with your hopper. Strip the hopper in with intermittent twitches from rod-tip action. Use a heavy tippet, and use a twist piece of lead to sink the hopper in those promising pools. Cast close to undercut banks and overhangs where trout hide during low water periods. Fish during the heat of the day. Carefully pick your targeted area. Although a smashing hopper on top of the water will trigger a strike, it also quite often spooks fish in the outlying area. Keep moving and practice stealth.

Beetle Patterns

The deer hair patterns dyed black work wonders. Rick Hafele and Dave Hughes in their outstanding book, The Complete Book of Western Hatches, point out that the Woolly Worm is also a good pattern to imitate a water beetle in still or slow moving water.

Ant

Although ant patterns are difficult to see in small sizes, ants are a staple diet for trout during the summer.

Bead-Head San Juan Worm

I have always had a certain amount of disdain for the San Juan Worm, but I have a growing appreciation for this pattern during the spring and again late in the fall. I favor the bead-head version with the bead in the center.

Well, there you have it - the 20 patterns that I would never leave home without!

Table of Contents

Introduction | Pre and Post Test
Step 1:Selecting Fly Rod and Reel
Step 2: Terminal equipment and Paraphernalia
Step 3: Necessary Knots and Leaders
Step 4: Casting
Step 5: Basic Fly Patterns and Presentation
Step 6: Mastering the Basics of Creek Fishing
Step 7: Mastering the Basics of Stillwater Fly Fishing

Casting

Brook Trout

A tennis player has to smash a tennis ball in mid air while stretching over a boundary line. The trajectory of the ball must be placed in a small rectangular area on the opponent's side. A baseball batter has to assess the velocity, angle and drop of a ball fired sixty feet away at speeds upwards to ninety miles an hour. But for starters, all a beginning caster has to accomplish is to lift a fly line over his head and cast a fly twenty feet away with a somewhat soft landing. Like any skill one wants to become proficient in, there are rarely any short cuts. I would recommend viewing the 3M videotape, Beginning Fly Casting, with Doug Swisher. I also recommend a two week casting program on your lawn, which I will outline later in this unit, and finally I recommend reading Fly Fishing Strategy by Doug Swisher and Carl Richards.

The activities in this unit should not be skipped, as they will provide the learner with a visual framework as well as a mental conception of the basics of fly casting. Throughout this unit on casting instruction, the learner should demonstrate, in a freeze-stop action, all the basic principles of casting before, during and at the conclusion of each casting lesson.

Goal of the Basic Straight Line Cast

The goal of the basic straight line cast is to deliver a fly to a predetermined target with a gentle landing such as a real insect would do. Follow these three simple rules for dry fly fishing: 1. keep the fly high and dry, 2. cast in such a manner as to avoid line drag, which drags the fly at an unnatural speed, and 3. present your fly with a soft landing.

Once you learn the basic cast, you will be catching fish and ready for more efficient casting techniques. Almost everyone can learn to become a proficient caster for short distances. And speaking of distance, having fly fished for over forty years and guided for fifteen, I contend that ninety percent of the fly fishers catch ninety percent of their fish on casts less than thirty feet. Accuracy and presentation are far more important than how far you can cast a line. What follows is a discussion of the principles of casting.

The first step in understanding the basics of the straight line cast is to understand the power arc and loop control. With this knowledge, proficiency will be a matter of fine tuning. Too often, however, adult males fall victim to the mistaken belief that random trial and error will eventually pay off. Often the male ego takes over and the beginning male caster convinces himself that with more muscle power he can compensate for his lack of finesse. Nothing could be further from the truth. Let the rod do the work!

The Hand Grip

It is the preferred grip for the beginner and advanced caster. Regarding the old bug-a-boo about use of the wrist, many of the experts stress the use of this hand grip and then cocking the wrist a split second before you reach the stopping point at one-o-clock. I have no quarrel with the experts; I have just never seen a beginner who could accomplish this feat. I recommend not using ANY wrist action initially until you experience what the rod is capable of producing through forearm movement only. From my experience, most beginners fail to stop on the invisible 1 o'clock and 11 o'clock mark primarily from use of the wrist. Learn the forearm movements and stop points before incorporating use of the wrist. If the rod is pointed back too far through over use of the wrist, the forward cast will be fraught with problems. During each casting lesson, look up and locate the 1 and 11 o'clock stop points.

A beginning caster can cast thirty feet with a rigid forearm cast; however, once you understand and can feel the dynamics of rod flex and loop control, the split-second wrist action to complete the stop points is essential in casting longer distances. Try both techniques to experience what is most comfortable, but do remember to stop where you are supposed to stop which is ________ o'clock on the back cast and _______ o'clock on the forward cast. Note: As you become a better caster, you will successfully break these somewhat rigid rules, especially in regard to the use of the wrist. Overuse of the wrist is the most common error of beginning casters. One of the best resources for learning to cast is in a local fly fishing club. Members are always enthusiastic at helping new members. Many clubs even have scheduled casting clinics. You may also attend a class sponsored by numerous organizations.

The Pickup

The starting point for any cast is with the pick up of your line as you move into your back cast position. Straight lines provide instant tension to the rod which "loads" up the rod similar to a pole vaulter. The more slack you have in your line, the more you are going to have to bring your rod back behind you. When you bring your rod back too far in the back cast behind you, your line will be directed downwards to the water or shoreline. In as much as possible, you are attempting to keep the line traveling in a straight line. If you miss your stop point or pause to long, your line collapses. The consequence for this is snagging bushes, popping your fly off or dumping your line in front of you, similar to plopping a pile of spaghetti in a bird bath.

Keep in mind that gravity, angle of the rod tip and line speed determine what type of forward cast you will make. Always begin your cast with a straight line pick up from the water. If need be, pull in those loose coils and false cast until you have regained your desired length of cast.

Loop Control

The perfect loop is said to be tight, as the loop will be parallel with the top portion and the bottom portion of the loop. Such a loop can only be achieved by almost instantaneous stops at the two stop points in the power arc. This is followed by a pause as the line or loop extends. Just as the loop is about to extend into a straight line, the caster powers the line in the opposite direction. An open loop is created when the rod extends, in either direction, beyond the stop points which are _______ o'clock on the back cast and ______ o'clock on the forward cast. An open loop is wind resistant and results in a loss of energy. A tailing loop is when the loop is so open the fly at the end of the loop collapses and during the forward cast a knot is created somewhere in the leader. We sarcastically refer to these knots as "wind" knots. Keep in mind that a "wind" knot reduces the strength 50%.

False Cast

The false cast is a cast which repeats the procedure of casting the fly line backwards and forwards until the caster has accomplished one of the three following goals: 1. false casting to dry the fly off, 2. letting out line to increase the distance of the cast, and 3. false casting to change or shift to a new target area or to gauge the distance to your targeted area. Speaking of targets, always cast to a very specific spot. Eye and hand coordination and distance computation trains the brain.

Unlike a spinning rod and reel where the weight of the lure pulls out the monofilament line, in fly fishing the weight of the line is catapulted forwards or backwards through the bending and flexing of the rod. Think of pole vaulters of the modern era. It wasn't until the advent of the fiberglass pole that the 12 foot mark was surpassed. In the days of the rigid pole, the vaulter relied almost exclusively on speed and upper body strength. However, with the introduction of the fiberglass pole, vaulters could capitalize on the bend and flexing motion of the pole. In effect, the weight of the vaulter bending the pole backwards loaded up the pole for the forward thrust. This is similar to the weight of a fly line as it loads up the rod for the transfer of energy.

Review:

1. Demonstrate the hand grip.
2. Define a false cast.
3. Provide three reasons for using a false cast
4. Demonstrate the best starting position for a pick up.
5. Why is it important to pick up a straight line rather than loose coils?
6. Demonstrate the stopping position for the back cast and the forward cast.
7. Draw a picture of a tight loop, and then briefly explain why the tight loop is every caster's goal.

Activity 1: Rod Flex

With your partner, go out to a clear casting spot on a lawn. Pull out twenty feet of line behind you. The beginning caster should hold the rod with one or two hands in the 1 o'clock position, allowing the partner to pull back the line until the rod bends in a good bow. The partner should then release the line. Note how far the line traveled forward just on the stored energy in the rod. Next, the partner should yell "go" just as he releases the line. The caster should now follow forward with the rod. What was the result? From this activity you should get the feel for what the rod will do on its own when it is "loaded up" and ready to fire!

Activity 2: Pick Up

Extend about thirty feet of line out in front of you in loose, serpentine coils. Position the rod at the ten o'clock position. Quickly pull the rod backwards to the 1 o'clock position and allow the line to fall behind you. Describe the results. Now, extend the thirty feet of line out in front of you on the grass in a straight line. Position the rod so that the tip of the rod is almost toughing the ground. Quickly pull the rod backwards to the 1 o'clock position and stop on a dime! Allow the line to fall behind you. What were the results? How was this different from your first attempt?

Note: In order to be successful, you must stop at the stop points without shaking the rod or stopping momentarily and then continuing past the stop point. Just as no means no, stop means STOP!

Activity 3: False Cast

Pull out about twenty feet of line, and tie a small piece of bright yarn to the tippet. Or tie on a bright fly, but be sure to cut off the hook portion. Stand sideways and practice the false cast. Just as the loop is about to unfold behind you, push the rod to the forward stop position and vice-versa. Your goal will be to form a fairly tight loop. This can only be accomplished through brisk speed up and stop action of the rod. Remember, the more line you have out, the longer you will pause as you wait for the loop to uncurl. I would suggest four or five false casts at a time, and then start over. If you are learning on your own, invite someone to critique your cast. Explain the stop points and the goal of a tight loop.

Casting Lesson #1

Photo needed

Now that you have experimented with developing a tight loop with a false cast, you are ready for the basic straight line cast. For this lesson you will need a level stretch of lawn with no obstacles to impede your casts. You will need two old plates. Find a starting point and place the two plates at a distance of twenty feet and thirty feet. Use a seven and a half foot leader with a 2X or 3X tippet. Tie on a #8 or #10 white wing fly. Be sure to remove the hook.

After you have practiced this lesson a few times, record your daily results on a Record Sheet. Practice twenty minutes every day for ten days and note your progress. Your goal is to be able to place your fly, in a straight line, within 12 inches of your target. Follow these directions:

1. Your first target will be the 20 foot target. This is a short cast which you will often duplicate on small streams or creeks. (Keep in mind that when fishing a small creek, you should wade right up the middle of the creek and make short casts right in front of you. In this situation, you don't even have to let the fly line drag on the water. ) Lay your rod down behind your border line. Pull out enough line so that the fly lies in the center of the plate. Return to the casting point and make a pick up and deliver cast to the center of the plate. Make no false casts. Make five casts and record the point value for each of the five casts.
1. Touching the plate = 200 points
2. Within 12 inches = 150 points
3. 12 inches to 2 feet = 100 points
4. 2 feet to 3 feet = 50 points
5. Beyond 3 feet = 0 points
2. Your second target will be the thirty foot target. Start out this cast with the fly lying somewhere between the two targets (plates). Holding your rod in the pick up position, lift your line up and false cast until you have the correct range. The fewer the false casts the better, as with each false cast you increase the odds of missing a stopping point. Drop your fly on the target. Make five casts and record the point value for each of the five casts. Remember, each of these five casts must include a false cast. Now, add up the point values for all ten casts and divide by ten.

95 - 100 = Expert -- Future tournament caster

80 - 94 = Hot Shot! Hurry up and get ready for the real thing -- you're ready!

70 - 79 = Good Sport -- You are a caster who may later proclaim, " It isn't how many fish you catch that counts, but how many casts you can make in day!"

50 - 69 = Back Cast Muffer -- Oops! More practice ahead!

Casting Lesson #2

Photo

Now you are ready for casting on water. Practice casts with gentle landings. Vary your casting distances with false casts. Start each lesson with a review. Your goal should be an accurate twenty to thirty foot cast. Parents, a child's goal should be learning to master a very short cast on a creek with good line control.

Casting Lesson #3: The Roll Cast:

Photo

In addition to the basic straight line cast, mastery of the roll cast is essential if you want to step on to the playing field against rocks, grass, logs, bushes and trees. Mother Nature impishly plays her tricks on the fly fisher. I imagine her whispering to the choke cherry, "Look, he even turned around to check his distance. Catch his fly on the next cast. Elderberry, be ready. A brown's feeding, and you can tell he's excited. You might be the one. Get ready...grab it." I swear I hear whispering chuckles in the underbrush when I snag a tree top.

So, how do you counter this backdrop of snagging opportunists who gleefully wait to steal our flies? The answer is a roll cast. And speaking of having your fly caught in a branch, here is a technique for retrieving the fly providing you can reach the fly with the end of your rod tip. Push the rod tip up to enclose the fly and shake.

When you are on a Sierra stream or brushy creek, and you have trees or brush or a steep bank behind you, roll out your fly in front of you. Pull in any excess line. Lift the rod, in a steady pull, up to the 1 o'clock position. At this point the line should start to lift out of the water directly in front of you and form a sagging curve beneath your arm pit. The line on the water should be straight as you pull it towards you. As your casting hand passes your head, speed up the ascent of the rod until your whole arm is extended upwards with the rod still maintaining the 1 o'clock stop position. (Do not pull all of the line out of the water as the surface tension of the water on the line creates the smooth turn over of the loop.)

When your arm is raised high, drive your forearm downwards and slightly forward using a little wrist action. Stop at the 9 o'clock position. This forward thrust creates a rolling loop which will completely turn over the line and fly. Longer rods make this cast easier as does a double-tapered fly line. Start out with short roll casts.

Casting Lesson 4: Mending the Line

Earlier I espoused three dogmatic principles of dry fly fishing. Do you remember them? Just as you recalled, the three basic principles of dry fly fishing are 1. Make an accurate cast with a gentle landing, 2. Keep your fly high and dry, and 3. Keeps your fly floating at the natural speed of the water.

Photo: flyonwater

Keeping your fly floating at the natural current speed provides opportunities to catch fish. If you have line drag, you will not catch fish. You may violate rule one and drown a dry fly and catch the occasional small fish. I am sure on the bell shape curve of fish intelligence, a few dumb fish are out there. I know that occasionally you can even smash down a tiny fly on a smooth surface of water and catch a fish. Nonetheless, it is a rare occasion when a trout will rise to inspect a fly traveling faster than the speed of the water.

Trout are creatures of their environment. Like all creatures, they must take in enough food to meet their daily needs as well as to build up fat reserves for the winter months. Survival is measured in calorie intake measured against energy expended. Trout hold in feeding lies and await the food to reach them. Only under slow water conditions will a trout roam the waters in search of food.

A trout is not going to expend more energy that what the food source will provide. Reaching the trout with an accurate presentation is imperative. Having been a guide many years, I am still reluctant to tell a client the truth when he says in exasperation, "I can't understand it. I'm casting right to them!" Missing a feeding lane by a foot is missing a hook-up by a mile.

No matter how difficult it is to catch them at times, trout are simple creatures. They are conditioned by their environment as to what they will eat and when they will eat. If they are selectively feeding on one hatch, they will rarely take anything else until the hatch has waned. Having said that, it is also true that they are often opportunistic and take a #12 Royal Wulff right in the middle of a trico hatch. To use the vernacular of my high school students, "Go figure!" Frequently, however, they do develop a selective feeding rhythm.

Picture the trout in a feeding lie looking up to the surface at his window of feeding opportunity. More than likely the position he holds is one which affords little expenditure of energy. Keying into a particular hatch, he slowly rises and slurps a floating dun or a struggling caddis fly. The current carries him backwards and he gently fins downwards to his previous position. Over and over he repeats this pattern. Suddenly, an unparalleled event takes place. A bug, for that he is sure of, speeds across his field of vision leaving a rooster tail wake. Shocked, the trout broods over the anomaly, becomes sullen and looses his appetite.

Mending the Line

Photo: mendingtheline

Exaggeration aside, an artificial which speeds faster than a natural floating insect will rarely trigger a reflex action from the trout. A fly will speed up when the faster current drags the mid section of the fly line downstream. This causes the artificial fly, which has just landed in slower water, to accelerate down stream. When this happens, the faster current pulls the line into an outline of a belly. The trick is to flip this "belly" upstream so that it delays interfering with the natural drift of your fly. Although an experienced fly caster can counter this condition with a specialized cast, the beginner can mend the line as soon as the line lands on the water.

To mend your line, pull in any slack line. Lower the rod to the point where you are almost touching the water with the tip of your rod. Flip up the belly of the line using a 3/4 circle motion with your wrist. The surface tension of the water on your line and leader generally keeps the fly from moving to any degree. Remember, when you provide a drag free float, you are fishing. When you are "fishing" with line drag, you are only traumatizing fish by altering the metaphysical laws of their universe.

(For fly fishing from a drifting boat, read ...)

Slack Line Cast

Photo: slacklinecast

The slack line cast or S curve cast or snake cast is an effective cast when you are casting to a target downstream. In order to keep your fly from running out of line and being dragged under the water, use the slack line cast which leaves a serpentine or S curve effect on your line. This loose line then allows the fly to float naturally downstream to the targeted area before the line straightens out and drags the fly under the water. To accomplish the S curves in your line, abruptly stop your forward cast at 11 o'clock. Having already left some excess line dangling by your side, vigorously shake your rod side to side as you shoot out the slack line. Lower the rod tip to 9 o'clock.

Reach Cast

Photo: reachcast

After you have learned to mend your line, use the reach cast to essentially mend the line in the air. Picture yourself in the middle of a stream looking at a feeding fish up close to the bank where the water is very slow. The water is flowing from the left to the right of you. If you cast slightly upstream from this fish, the faster water in front of you will immediately begin to drag your fly too fast. The fly drops on target, speeds up, and the trout is spooked. The next time you will know that you have to flip the belly of the line upstream. In this manner the fly has a chance to float naturally over the targeted spot.

The reach cast changes the direction of the mid section of the fly line without altering the position of the landing fly relative to your target. To accomplish this nifty trick, you must cant your rod as little as possible during the forward cast. Stop the forward thrust at 11 o'clock. Rather than lower the rod to 9 o'clock, shift the upright rod across your chest in an upstream motion with a little wrist action. It sounds more difficult than it is. I did, however, give up on my attempts to illustrate this motion. The bulk of the line will land with the belly slightly upstream and to the left if you are a right handed caster facing the opposite bank. This maneuver will provide three or four seconds of extra drag-free drift.

Go to Step 5: Basic Fly Patterns and Presentation

Table of Contents

Introduction | Pre and Post Test
Step 1:Selecting Fly Rod and Reel
Step 2: Terminal equipment and Paraphernalia
Step 3: Necessary Knots and Leaders
Step 4: Casting
Step 5: Basic Fly Patterns and Presentation
Step 6: Mastering the Basics of Creek Fishing
Step 7: Mastering the Basics of Stillwater Fly Fishing

Leaders and Necessary Knots

Brown Trout

This instructional guide is not meant to be the definitive guide to fly fishing. Many different knots exist for specific applications. I have covered only necessary knots to prepare the beginner for his or her first trek. However, it is also true that the knots covered below will suffice for the majority of your fly fishing needs. L.L Bean's Ultimate Book of Fly Fishing provides an excellent resource to knots, as do many other fine primers. If you bought a double tapered fly line, I would suggest tying on a leader butt at both ends. Having done this, you may now easily tie the braided backing directly to the perfection loop. When it comes time to reverse the line due to wear, a reversal of the line may be done in a matter of minutes.

Leaders

Leaders are made of semi-transparent monofilament nylon, and they are tapered from the butt section all the way down to the tippet, which attaches to the fly. The importance of the leader is twofold; it serves to cast the fly in a tight loop because of the tapered design, and it keeps the fly away from the fly line, which under most circumstances will spook a fish. The tapered diameter also makes it easy to thread the tippet through the eye of the fly.

Leaders are hand tied into graduated sections, or they are manufactured knotless. If you buy a knotless leader, always give an experimental tug on the tippet. The tapered design is basically achieved through an acid process, and many times the entire tippet will break off with the slightest pull. Better to repair the leader on the spot than loose a good fish because of a weak spot in the leader. It wasn't many years ago that the cost of a tapered, knotless leader was so economical that the time spent building one seemed hardly worthwhile. However, with increased prices, tying your own leaders is both economical and advantageous. You have the opportunity to tie a variety of leader formulas for all occasions rather than butchering up a nine foot 4X leader for a heavy Woolly Bugger.

Generally speaking, a 4X (.007) tippet will serve you well under most trout fishing situations. For larger hopper patterns or salmon flies, you will need a larger diameter such as 2X or 3X. The primary reason for this is that a lighter tippet will not turn the fly over properly, and if the tippet is too small in diameter, the fly will jerk around which will cause abrasive weakening in the knot. The diameter is important as it will determine the measure of visibility and breaking strength. Regarding the length of the leader, I would recommend the following. Use a 4X, 7.5' leader on creeks and streams. When I am working with a child on a small creek, I sometimes cut the leader down to five feet. Use a 4X, 9' leader on moderately flowing streams. Use a 5X or 6X leader, 9'-12' on spring creeks or slow, flat stretches of water where trout can lazily rise to inspect your offering.

3X tippet, size 6-10 fly approximately 5 lb. test

4X tippet size 12-18 fly approximately 4lb. test

6X tippet size 20-22 fly approximately 2 lb. test

Making Your Own Leaders: Use a four foot pine board. Write down the leader formula of your choice on the board. Use two finish nails to hold each spool. Start with the butt section and work down to the tippet. A basic formula is 40% butt section, 40% midsection and 20% tippet. Be sure to cut off an additional two inches at each end of the individual piece in order to tie the blood knot. The distance below represents the distance from knot to knot.
Inches: 3x 4x 5x
25 .022 .022 .022
18 .020 .020 .020
11 .017 .017 .017
11 .013 .013 .013
11 .012 .010 .010
11 .010 .008 .009
(10 inch piece)
18 .008 .007 .007
(10 inch piece)
.005
(18 inch piece)

Important Knots / Set Up

My illustrations are good enough to provide the basic concepts and steps. However, better steps and illustrations can be found on the web. One that I thought was very impressive is Killroys.

Knot 1: Duncan Loop Knot: Tying Backing to the Reel

Steps:
1. Wrap the backing around the reel spool spindle twice. Provide at least 7 to 10 inches of line past the reel for wrapping.

2. Lay a large loop across and over the two lines exiting the reel. This loop will now be wrapped. Hold and pinch the lines. Simply wrap the tag end over the two top lines threading it through the loop up and across the two lines again. Wrap four to five wraps as depicted in the photograph above.

3. This wrapped loop now needs to be pulled tight and secured against the spindle in the reel. Pull the taq end of the line to cinch. Once the knot is secure, trim any excess trailer. Alternate pulling each line until the line is cinched tightly against the reel spool spindle.

Knot 2: Tying Backing to a Fly Line

Steps:
1. This is the same Duncan Loop Knot. Form a two-inch loop by pulling the backing parallel to the line and then forming a 4 to 6-inch loop by crossing the line over itself and the fly line. This tag line will now be used to wrap the sagging loop beneath the fly line five or six times.

2. Make five or six wraps over the fly line and through the sagging line. Cross over the fly line for additional wraps.

3. Keep the wraps from overlapping each other. Carefully pull the wrapping end of the backing to snug up the wraps against the fly line. You may have to use a fingernail to keep the wraps snug against each other without overlapping.

4. Once the wraps are in place, pull both lines until the knot is firm and snug against the fly line. Trim the excess fly line and back, and add a drop of a flexible bonding cement. Your reel now has backing and an attached fly line. Now it is time to add a leader butt to the delivery end of your fly line.
.
The Leader Butt

The leader butt should be from twelve to sixteen inches and made from 25-35 pound monofilament. The knot which attaches the leader butt to the fly line is called a nail knot or a tube knot, as the nail or small plastic tube is essential in making this knot. Some of the commercial leader manufacturers provide the small tube for tying a leader directly to the line. You may do this for your first leader. After it is worn out, cut off everything but sixteen inches. Add the perfection loop on the end and you now have a leader butt for your next leader add on. The general rule of thumb is that the monofilament should be two-thirds the diameter of the fly line. If you are working with a youngster, skip this knot and go directly to the Perfection Loop Knot. The leader butt is a one time addition for a new line.

Nail Knot

The nail knot is used to attach a leader butt to the fly line. After the knot is tied, coat the knot with a rubber based glue such as Pliobond which will give the knot a smooth surface. The smoothness allows it to glide through the guides on the rod. If you use a thin nail, cut the monofilament at an angle as a sharp point will thread its way under the wraps a whole lot easier than a blunt tip. Be sure to give yourself plenty of monofilament to work with as the final step in this knot is maddening if you come up short.

Perfection Loop Knot

It was not too long ago that leader manufacturers included a perfection loop on their leaders. All you had to do was thread the leader loop through the leader butt loop. The two loops should slide back and forth after you pull the tippet through. The advantage of changing leaders quickly more than makes up for an occasional tipped over fly. A more popular method is to tie the leader to the leader butt with a blood knot.

Blood Knot

A Blood Knot is used for joining leader material or adding a new section of tippet to the leader. The trick in successfully tying a blood knot is to be sure that after wrapping line A, you lay it in the V wedge you created and hold it firmly with your thumb and forefinger while you wrap line B. (Wrap line A and B five or six times.)

When you have finished wrapping line B around line A, you need to run the tag end of line B through the center hole you created, which is kept open with line A. Be sure to come through the hole from the opposite direction of line A, as when you pull the two lines in opposite directions, the left over pieces should be opposite each other. The easiest way I have found to pull this knot together is to hold the two short pieces between your teeth, wet the wraps with your tongue and pull evenly in opposite directions. The next knot you will need to learn is the improved clinch knot which attaches the fly to the leader tippet.

Improved Clinch Knot (See illustration above.)

This is a simple knot to tie your fly to the tippet. Do not work with so much tippet that you end up cutting off excessive tippet. If you do this too often, you will be tying another tippet section to your leader. Quite often I watch as beginning fly fishers laboriously wrap thinly tapered tippet one wrap at a time. You will find it much easier to thread the tippet through the eye of the hook, allow a couple of inches to lie up alongside of the leader and spin the fly to achieve five or six wraps. Now, run the short end piece through the large loop or opening you just created. Place the small left over piece between your teeth and cinch the wraps snug up against the eye of the hook. Dress your fly with floatant and cast over next to that log for that big brown!

Droppers and Trailers

How-to-books on fly fishing go back to the 1400's. Fishing with multiple fly offerings is nothing new. John Merwin in his book Fly Fishing notes that 150 years ago droppers were in favor in Walton's first American edition. Quiet often on those slow days of summer, you will be torn between fishing a nymph or continuing to fish with a dry fly. Some days you will want to do both. The simplest technique is to tie another short tippet right on the bend of the hook with an improved clinch knot. I recommend that you add on 12 to 16 inches of tippet of a smaller diameter if you plan on fishing a smaller dry fly behind a larger dry fly. If you tie on a nymph, stay with the same diameter tippet. This system works very well with large Stimulators and hoppers.

During a baetis or trico hatch, when the light is poor or I have to make a long cast, I tie on a #18 Parachute Adams trailed by a #22 trico spinner. If I see a sipping fish within a foot of the upright parachute, I set the hook. Most of the guides I worked with use a Hare's Ear Nymph, a bead-eye Prince or some other nymph as a trailer right off the bend of the larger dry fly, which is referred to as an in-line dropper. A couple of seasons ago I learned of one guide who had a successful spring day fishing Woolly Buggers with a light weight nymph tied out from the Woolly. A traditional set up fishing two or three wet flies utilized a hand tied leader. Instead of snipping off the excess tip on the blood knot, extra leader was tied into the blood knot so that one piece would stick out 6-8 inches which you would attach a smaller fly. At the tippet end, you would tie on the heaviest fly. Regardless of where you add the dropper, be mindful of the depth that you think fish are feeding in below. Probably the most popular dropper is the Hopper Dropper for late summer.

Go to Step 4: Casting

Table of Contents

Introduction | Pre and Post Test
Step 1:Selecting Fly Rod and Reel
Step 2: Terminal equipment and Paraphernalia
Step 3: Necessary Knots and Leaders
Step 4: Casting
Step 5: Basic Fly Patterns and Presentation
Step 6: Mastering the Basics of Creek Fishing
Step 7: Mastering the Basics of Stillwater Fly Fishing

Terminal Equipment and Paraphernalia

Cutthroat Trout

Leader Butt and Leader

The leader butt attaches to the fly line at the tapered end. The leader butt ends with a perfection loop knot or a blood knot. Attached to this knot is the tapered leader. The leader butt is approximately twelve to sixteen inches long. The traditional choice, a perfection loop knot, affords quick and easy leader changes. Many fly fishers will assert that the use of a perfection loop knot can cause the fly to land askew. I ask you, do you think it is really the knot? I rarely have a poor turn over, and when I do, I don't blame the knot. I find also that beginners tend to waste a lot of line when they tie knots, and before long they have lost the twelve inches of leader butt length and have to go through the time consuming process of creating a new one. Go with a perfection loop initially. Echoes of Thoreau, "Simplify, Simplify, Simplify!"

Tippet Material

After changing a number of flies or snagging your line on a branch, your once tapered leader has lost its original diameter and needs to be replaced. I generally recommend a 4X diameter leader tippet (.007 inch rated at approximately 4 pounds test breakage) for most of the early season. During the dog days or August, when the water becomes very shallow and slow, I drop down to 5X or 6X, which is a challenge. What you gain in invisibility and threading ease for small flies you lose to breakage. The larger the fly, the larger diameter tippet you will need. For repairs keep a spool of 2X through 5X tippet material in your vest.

Fly Dressing and Line Dressing

Fly dressing comes in many forms and substances from silicone sprays to dry crystals. The more common form, a silicone semi-fluid wax, is probably the most popular. Lightly applied to the fly, water is repelled from the fly materials enabling the fly to float high and dry. Eventually, the fly will soak up too much water which causes the fly to sink. For tiny dry flies, silicone liquid and drying crystals work most efficiently.

Finger nail clippers are used to cut off the extra piece of tippet which usually is present after you have tied your fly to the tippet. Be forewarned that many people have chipped their teeth attempting to bite off the little left-over piece!

The following list may be used as an inventory for items which I believe are essential:
_____ fly box
_____ Vest
_____ Forceps for extracting flies
_____ Net
_____ Hook sharpener
_____ pinch on floats for strike indicators and twist lead
_____ polarized sun glasses (a must!)
_____ Waders with felt soles or boots with felt
_____ Hat
_____ Insect repellent / head net

If you are new to fly fishing and planning a trip to the Sierras, a good place to get outfitted is Bishop.

Go to Step 3: Basic Knots and Leaders

Table of Contents

Introduction | Pre and Post Test
Step 1:Selecting Fly Rod and Reel
Step 2: Terminal equipment and Paraphernalia
Step 3: Necessary Knots and Leaders
Step 4: Casting
Step 5: Basic Fly Patterns and Presentation
Step 6: Mastering the Basics of Creek Fishing
Step 7: Mastering the Basics of Stillwater Fly Fishing

Identification and Function of Equipment

Rainbow Trout

Selecting a Rod for a Beginner

Fly fishing rods start with the reel seat where the reel is attached, usually by a threaded ring. The next section is the handle which is traditionally made of cork. If you are looking at a fiberglass fly rod with a foam handle in a discount store, please don't purchase it as you are, more than likely, purchasing a bargain of troubles. They are extremely difficult to cast even for experienced casters. After the handle the base section of the rod will include the manufacturer's recommendation for the proper line weight as well as noting the length of the rod. You should also find a ring keeper to attach your fly while you are walking.

The best fly rod for a young beginner would be a graphite rod purchased in a fly shop for under $200. I recommend Lefty Kreh's Temple Fork Outfitters fly rods. (http://templeforkflyrods.com/index.html.) The most commonly recommended fly rod would be an eight foot rod for a number five or six weighted line; however, I started my sons out on an 8' rod for a 4 weight line. It is lighter and will not wear out a young boy or girl. One disadvantage of a light weight rod is that it is difficult to cast in the wind. Avoid purchasing a combination spin and fly rod as they merely compromise the best qualities of each design. Fly shops encourage customers to cast a number of different rods, as some rods have a faster tip action. It is strictly a matter of preference.

Selecting a Reel

A single action reel will serve you best. This reel will have a detachable spool and a drag adjustment. The drag adjustment is used once you have caught a fish and all of your loose line has been reeled up on the spool. If the fish is an especially strong or large fish, he will want to run. When he does this, he will pull line off of the spool. If your drag is set too light, the fish will run too far and you may over play the fish. Although the newer reels have some sophisticated drag systems, the tried and true design is the common click-pawl system, which uses a triangular piece of metal (pawl) that clicks on the rotating teeth of a gear.

Do not over play a fish that you wish to release, as long after you have congratulated yourself on releasing the fish, the stress may later lead to death. If the drag adjustment is set too tight, the pulling fish may break the tippet leaving you with "the one that got away story," especially if you are fishing on Crowley Lake or Bridgeport Reservoir.

Selecting a Fly Line

The weight of each fly line is based on the weight, measured in grams, of the first thirty feet of line. Somewhere at the base of every fly rod will be a recommendation for an AFTMA fly line (American Fishing Tackle Manufacturers Association). All fly lines are rated for taper, weight and function. Keep in mind that, in most cases, a rod may use a fly line one number heavier than recommended, although rarely can you use one line under that which the manufacturer recommends and still cast with ease.

Weights range from 1 to 12 with 5 and 6 being the most popular. Line numbers 1-4 are extremely limited in that they are designed for relatively short casting on calm, flat water with no real wind, and they are accompanied by long leaders and tiny flies for delicate casting. Line numbers 5-7 are the most versatile as they may be cast in moderate wind, and yet they still maintain delicate landings for small flies. The advantage of these weights is that they are also designed, in conjunction with the rod, to handle heavier fish in fast water. Practically speaking, there are no disadvantages for these weighted lines for the majority of fishing conditions with the exception of salt water fishing. If you are going to be limited to one rod, purchase a 6 weight.

Line numbers 8-9 are heavy lines for big water and forceful wind conditions. The advantage of these lines is that you may fish deep with large, weighted flies and make long casts. Line numbers 10 - 12 are designed for salt water conditions.

The next designation on the fly line package is an abbreviation for FUNCTION. You have a choice of floating, sinking and floating with a sink tip. The floating line is by far the most versatile. If you need to sink a fly, put on a piece of lead. How much should you spend for a line? If you want to save money, buy a cheap reel. If you want to limit your casting distance and watch your fly sink when it obviously should not, buy a cheap line. Stay with Cortland, Scientific Angler and Rio, and you won't go wrong. Fly lines deteriorate when they become dirty. They wear out from unnecessary abrasion. Periodically, clean your fly line in mild detergent, dry it off, and then take it out in the sun and gently stretch the coils out of the line. Warning: sun screen may block out the harmful rays of the sun, but it also melts fly lines!

Regarding color, Cortland Line Company in their publication, Fly Rod Fishing Made Easy, recommends a highly visible line for the fisher as it, naturally, is easier to locate your fly and control your line. Fluorescent lines do not spook fish -- poor casting does that! Cortland reasons that, "Looking upward, fish see objects against the light sky -- and it seems to us that a light colored line would actually be less visible than a darker one."

I highly recommend felt sole wading boots. Waders are a necessity unless you have a tolerance for cold water. I do not recommend cleats as they create underwater noise that spooks fish.

Go to Step 2: Terminal Equipment and Paraphernalia

Table of Contents

Introduction | Pre and Post Test
Step 1:Selecting Fly Rod and Reel
Step 2: Terminal equipment and Paraphernalia
Step 3: Necessary Knots and Leaders
Step 4: Casting
Step 5: Basic Fly Patterns and Presentation
Step 6: Mastering the Basics of Creek Fishing
Step 7: Mastering the Basics of Stillwater Fly Fishing