A Thousand Fishing Flies... Or, So

A fly is a lure made to resemble an insect or other fish food. The idea behind the design is simple and true: make a fly fishing lure that looks like the natural prey of some fish and they'll come racing onto the hook. Since at least the mid-17th century and probably for hundreds of years before, that idea has been tested over and over again.

It works pretty well.

The creativity of fishermen and their friends who make flies for fun and profit is astounding, not least to the anglers themselves. Flies are often as much works of art as practical devices. But practical they are. Whether made to look like a mayfly, a tiny prawn or even a small rodent, a great fly is a wonder.

There is the humble Dry Fly. Designed to float on the surface, it may appear to a curious fish to be a dragonfly resting on a pond. Or, it may look like any of a thousand insects that rest on the water before moving on. The real thing often doesn't get the chance to leave.

An Orange Stimulator, for example, may look like a grasshopper who jumped a little too far. The hope is that the 'insect' will prove too tempting to resist. That hope is often satisfied. Flies like this are used more often for freshwater fishing, such as a favorite lake where the waters are calm.

A Wet Fly, by contrast, is designed to sink just below the surface where they might resemble an insect who is about to see a watery grave. The angler hopes the fish takes advantage of an easy lunch.

The Nymph, for example, is engineered to look like the developing insect who has not yet sprouted his wings. In its larval form the real thing may often float through the water or crawl along underwater rocks. At that stage they are irresistible to a hungry trout. Or so the eager angler wants to believe. Hope springs eternal in the sport of fishing.

Terrestrial flies are lovingly shaped to imitate non-aquatic insects or worms. Even prey that doesn't seek to live on or under the water may live near it. Unluckily for them they often find themselves in unexpected locations where the fish are happy to see them.

Another type called Streamers are made to look like baitfish. They may be used in freshwater or saltwater situations and they are as diverse as any other category of fly. A Muddler Minnow that resembles a minnow as it's name suggests is a favorite of many, but Matukas and Zonkers have their fans, too.

Not all flies look like animals, however. Some are made to resemble plant food that some fish also enjoy, such as berries, seeds or flowers. Petals and fruit that grow near the water often drop into it where the fish are very grateful. Carp flies are a common variety in this category.

No angler can long resist the urge to make his or her own fly fishing lures. Sooner or later that latent creativity bursts forth in the desire to up the odds of landing that perfect trout and you''ll want to take up fly tying. Let your inner artist out while adding to your fly fishing tackle and enjoy fishing that much more. Even if you don't catch anything you'll have at least one thing to brag about.

Adams Dry Fly

A classic dry fly, the Adams is an effective attractor fly and works to imitate mayfly and midges all over the world. It has been around since the early 20th century but is still among the top dry fly patterns in use today.
Riverbum

Pheasant Tail Nymph

This American version of the classic British Pheasant Tail mayfly nymph continues to catch fish wherever slender mayflies are found. The peacock thorax on this nymph also gives it a bit of irridescent flash that makes it an effective attractor fly and a great searching pattern. This fly has caught more fish than perhaps any other nymph in the history of fly fishing.
Riverbum

Wooly Bugger

The Wooly Bugger is perhaps the most versatile fly in fly fishing. It can imitate or at least suggest any number of trout foods. Every angler should dedicate one or multiple fly boxes to the several colors and variations of this fly. The unweighted version is especially useful in stillwater situations where sinking lines are used and the bead head varieties can be used where a weighted fly is called for.
Riverbum

Western Trout Fly Collection

This collection will cover a wide variety of Western Water fly hatches and includes the following 39 dry flies and nymphs in various sizes: Dries: 3 Adams Parachute, 3 Parachute Blue-winged Olives (Baetis), 2 Green Drakes, 3 Pale Morning Duns, 2 Red Quills, 2 Trico Spinners, 1 Fluttering Stonefly, 3 Tan Elk Hair Caddis, 3 Brown Elk Hair Caddis, 3 Whit's Hopper, and the following nymphs: 3 Pheasant Tails, 3 Beadhead Hare's Ear's, 3 Beadhead Prince Nymphs, 1 Brown San Juan Worm, 2 Black Flashabuggers, and 2 Brown Stonefly nymphs. That's 39 flies that Western Trout can't resist!
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