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Fly fishing for trout: flies, hatches, reading water and timing
Fly fishing for trout made simple: the dries, nymphs and streamers to carry, hatches by season, how to read water and the best time to fly fish for trout.
Fly fishing for trout comes down to three things: showing the fish a fly that looks like food, putting it where trout hold, and being there when they feed. You don't need a vest full of gear to do it well. This guide covers the core flies, the hatches through the year, how to read a stream and when to go.
Basic gear
- Rod: a 9 ft 5-weight is the all-around trout rod. A shorter 3- or 4-weight is nice on small brushy creeks.
- Line: weight-forward floating line matched to the rod.
- Leader and tippet: 9 ft tapered leader, with 4X–6X tippet for most trout flies.
- Extras: nippers, forceps, floatant, a few split shot, strike indicators and a landing net.
Learn a clinch knot for tying on flies and a double surgeon's knot for adding tippet. If you're starting from scratch, see how to fish.
The three types of flies
Dry flies
Dries float on the surface and imitate adult insects. They're the most exciting way to fish, and work best when trout are rising.
- Parachute Adams: general mayfly imitation, sizes 12–20.
- Elk Hair Caddis: caddis adults, sizes 12–18.
- Hoppers and ants: summer terrestrials, sizes 8–18.
Nymphs
Nymphs imitate the immature insects that trout eat most of the time, below the surface.
- Pheasant Tail and Hare's Ear: mayfly nymphs, sizes 12–18.
- Zebra Midge: midge larvae, sizes 18–22, especially in tailwaters and winter.
- Prince Nymph and stonefly nymphs: bigger, heavier, good in fast water.
Fish nymphs under an indicator, or tight-line (Euro nymph) in pocket water.
Streamers
Streamers imitate baitfish, sculpins and leeches. They draw big, aggressive trout, especially browns.
- Woolly Bugger in black, olive or brown, sizes 4–10.
- Sculpin and minnow patterns for larger rivers.
Swing them across the current or strip them back along banks and logjams.
Hatches by season
Hatch timing varies by region, elevation and water temperature, so use this as a general guide and ask a local fly shop.
| Season | Common hatches | Best flies | Typical time of day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | Midges | Zebra Midge, Griffith's Gnat | Warmest midday hours |
| Early spring | Blue-winged Olives, early stoneflies | BWO dries and nymphs, small stonefly nymphs | Early afternoon, often on cloudy days |
| Late spring | Caddis, March Browns, Hendricksons (East), Pale Morning Duns (West), salmonflies (some Western rivers) | Elk Hair Caddis, Parachute Adams, Pheasant Tail | Afternoon into evening |
| Summer | Sulphurs, Tricos, caddis, terrestrials | Hoppers, ants, beetles, small dries | Early morning and evening; terrestrials midday |
| Fall | Blue-winged Olives, October caddis (West), terrestrials | BWOs, caddis, streamers | Midday to afternoon |
How to read trout water
Trout want three things: food delivered by current, protection, and a spot where they don't have to fight fast water.
- Seams: the line between fast and slow current. Trout sit in the slow side and grab food from the fast side.
- Riffles: shallow, broken water full of insects. Good for nymphs and rising fish.
- Heads and tails of pools: food enters at the head; trout feed at the tail in low light.
- Pocket water: the soft spots behind and in front of boulders.
- Undercut banks and logjams: shelter for the biggest browns.
Approach from downstream, keep a low profile and make your first cast count. Watch for rises before you start.
Fly fishing tips that make a difference
- Get a drag-free drift. A fly that moves faster or slower than the current looks wrong. Mend your line upstream.
- Fish nymphs deep. Add split shot until you occasionally tick the bottom.
- Match the size first, then color. Size is usually more important than exact pattern.
- Change something after 15 minutes without a take: fly, depth or spot.
- Lighter tippet in clear, low water, heavier tippet for streamers and fast water.
- Handle fish gently: wet hands, keep them in the water when you can, and release quickly.
Regional notes
- Rockies (Montana, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho): big hatch rivers, salmonflies in late spring to early summer on some rivers, and summer hopper fishing.
- Appalachia (Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee): spring creeks and mountain streams with strong spring mayfly hatches and wild brook trout.
- Pacific Northwest: rivers with caddis and mayfly hatches; many waters have special rules.
- Upper Midwest: Wisconsin and Michigan spring creeks and rivers with good caddis and mayfly hatches.
- Southern tailwaters: Arkansas, Tennessee and Georgia rivers below dams fish year-round on midges and small nymphs; check generation schedules before wading.
Check state regulations: many trout waters have fly-only, catch-and-release or special tackle rules.
Best time to fly fish for trout
- Water temperature: trout feed best around 50–65°F (10–18°C). Above about 68°F (20°C), fish early in the day or give fish a break.
- Low light: dawn, dusk and overcast days. Cloudy, drizzly days often bring the best Blue-winged Olive hatches.
- Pressure: stable or slowly falling pressure ahead of weather often brings active fish. See barometric pressure and fishing.
- Solunar periods: when a major or minor window overlaps a hatch time or low light, that's a prime window. More in best time to fish for trout.
- Moon phase: some anglers find bright full-moon nights shift big browns to night feeding, so dawn can be slower. Read moon phases and feeding.
When trout are rising, fish, whatever the forecast says.
Using the Solunar app
The Solunar: Hunt & Fish app shows sunrise and sunset, moonrise and moonset, moon phase and the major and minor windows on a 24-hour dial with a 1–4 star day rating. It runs offline from your location, so it still works deep in a canyon. Use it to pick which stretch of the day to be on your favorite run.
FAQ
What is the best fly for trout?
There's no single best fly, but a Parachute Adams (dry), a Pheasant Tail (nymph) and a Woolly Bugger (streamer) catch trout almost everywhere.
Should I fish dry flies or nymphs?
Fish dries when trout are rising. Otherwise, nymphs, because trout eat most of their food below the surface.
What time of day is best to fly fish?
In spring and fall, midday to afternoon when water warms and hatches start. In summer, early morning and evening.
What weight fly rod for trout?
A 9 ft 5-weight is the most versatile choice for streams, rivers and small lakes.