does it ever pay to not match the hatch?

[Fish-or-man?]

Hiya,

This is a total rookie fly fisherman question-- but do trout ever hit "flies" that aren't out yet, or even resemble anything in their body of water? I'm really trying to get into fly fishing this year... I spent a chunk of change on a quality 3/4 weight on Friday and I'm so cheap I'll make myself get good use of it! So I'm looking to build a little fly arsenal for western and central Washington. I want to get out on Munn Lake (little lake outside of Olympia) the weekend after next on my float tube, and was wondering if trout would hit anything this early in year on the westside. I have a 5/6 weight for nymphing in lakes too. Any information, general or specifc would be appreciated, I'm totally green here.

Thanks!
Fish-or-man?

[Marc Martyn]

Hiya,

This is a total rookie fly fisherman question-- but do trout ever hit "flies" that aren't out yet, or even resemble anything in their body of water? I'm really trying to get into fly fishing this year... I spent a chunk of change on a quality 3/4 weight on Friday and I'm so cheap I'll make myself get good use of it! So I'm looking to build a little fly arsenal for western and central Washington. I want to get out on Munn Lake (little lake outside of Olympia) the weekend after next on my float tube, and was wondering if trout would hit anything this early in year on the westside. I have a 5/6 weight for nymphing in lakes too. Any information, general or specifc would be appreciated, I'm totally green here.

Thanks!
Fish-or-man?

In your post, it made me think of the Kermit Song by Van Morrison "It's Not Easy Being Green"

Well, the good news is you are not green. You are a beginner just like anyone else that just started fly fishing.

Now that we are over that hump, here are a couple of suggestions. Fly fishing has so many variables to the sport, it is impossible to write down what is going to work on any body of water no matter what time of year it is. Instead of listing a whole bunch of patterns for you to go out and buy, I would suggest that you go into any of the fly fishing shops west of the mountains and talk with them. These shops make their living studying and learning the rivers and lakes in their area. When you talk with them, tell them you are beginning and want to learn about the insects in that area and the lakes you want to fish. They will most likely know what insects are hatching and also what nymphs the fish are feeding on. They will then suggest flies to use. Buy the flies from them. Ask them how to use them and what time of day.
You are fortunate. When I started fly fishing 45 years ago, there were no videos, DVD's and there certainly wasn't the internet, ie. the information super highway. Use these resources. If in the fly shop they tell you the Caddis Flies are hatching, go home and Google it. You will get enough hits on that search of caddis flies to keep you busy reading for the next two weeks. What I would have given to have had that back in the '60's!!!!! I learned the hard way by ordering books out of a magazine.
Fly fishing is a very complex sport, but not at all impossible to learn. It won't be learned in a couple of days or weeks. In all my years of fly fishing, I am still learning something new each and every time I go out. It is a life long learning experience and man, is it fun!!!!!:cheers:

[banzai]

Since you are located in Oly, there is , I think a fly shop in Lacey, they should be able to set you up with a good starter selection. If they are no longer in business, try Sportsman's Warehouse, or Cabela's. You should be looking for chironomids, nymphs, leeches, and wooly buggers at this time of the season. Soon though, assorted dries like March Browns, assorted Caddis patterns, and Mayflies, and attractors like the Royal Coachman, etc. will be the hot ticket. Also, try these guys: http://www.ssffoly.com/ . A fly club is really a good way to get started. To get back to your question though, the simple answer is, yes, they will sometimes hit something that bears no resemblance at all to "natural food". At other times, they will even snub big live bugs for something transparent and nearly invisible to the naked eye, but that 's fishing, eh? Hope this helps.

[clark&lewis]

I am planning on hitting Munn Lake this Friday and possibly this weekend. Was supposed to hookup with my friend today, but the weather doesnt seem good with gusts up to 19 mph and 50% rain. I can deal with the rain, but hate the wind. I am planning on using the usual WBuggers, leeches and such, will let you know how it goes.
I have not seen any reports here on Munn. Have you seen anybody on the lake?

[fishaholictaz]

I have fished Munn and caught fish there on my fly rod:cheers: I would go with a leech/wly bugger. I would go with black or olive both are pretty versatile and will catch fish any day of the week:-" If those aren't working I would look for a bugger with a little flash material. this lake is pretty shallow and ALWAYS has weedy bottom#-o Hope that helps a little I will keep checking to see if I can be of any other assistance.

Good luck
TAZ

[Fish-or-man?]

Thanks for the great advice everybody! Marc and Banzai thanks for the sage wisdom! I asked around at work today and there is a local fly shop on Pacific Ave in Lacey (my work is also in Lacey). It's called "The Fly Fisher" I think. I'm told that the store is ran by a father and son team and they are very knowledgeable. The small fly shop has also been around for 20+ years and never really changed, which I find cool. I will go talk with the owner(s) early next week and hopefully forge a relationship.

Banzai, Taz, and Clark&lewis, thanks for the suggestions of specific flies! I will certainly explore what I need to get in a leech and wooly bugger (and pickup the ones you mentioned for sure). I hear wooly buggers referred to all the time, so it sounds like besides using them immediately, getting a little assortment of them would also be a good place to start my armory :bom:.

Taz, thanks for the info on the lake! I have fished it only once before, and it was mainly for bass near the shore, so I had no idea what the lake was really like weed or depth-wise. Now when I keep snagging bottom I won't chalk it up to stinking as a fly fisherman.

Clark&lewis thanks for keeping me keyed in! I'm with you on the dislike of high winds. I have not been down there this year. Hopefully the winter plant has got some folks down to the water. I'm going to try to get to Munn after work Wednesday or Thursday of next week. I'll let you all know how it felt on this thread, in conjunction with my WAlakes report.

Thanks again everybody, your help has been invaluable,
Fish-or-man?

[gian]

there was a fly offer from orvis that was advertised on here a few months back. It had a pack of 20 most popular flies really cheap. I dont remember how much but I want to say 10 bucks. It covered everything that has been mentioned in this post. Just another avenue to pursue. Of course talking to the guys in the fly store is always best for your area.

[wolverine]

I'm like Marc in that I started fly fishing before the internet. Of course we had fire then but the learning curve was either trial and many errors or you had to have good mentors. I was fortunate in that I had had a dad, grandfather, and a couple of uncles that fly fished and were willing to teach every kid around the sport.
Good info on checking with your local fly shop for advise. Ask them for the 5 best flies for the water that you want to fish, and buy 3 of each. That way if they don't want one pattern you have 4 others to try. If you only buy 1 of each and you lose it to a fish you won't have another to tie on. I've tied flies for over 50 years and have thousands of flies, but whenever I go somewhere that I've never been before, or haven't been there in a while, I always visit the local fly shop and buy 15 local favorite flies (5 patterns, 3 ea). A few dollars spent in a local fly shop will get you the best where to and how to information on the local waters. Good luck.

Even with all my flies I often can't or won't exactly match the hatch. You have 2 choices in flies; attractors (wooly buggers, flash flies, etc) and imitators (match the hatch). I usually am comfortable with using flies that are the right color, right shape, and right size and let the trout decide.

[Freeport-McMoRan]

match the bikini hatch fellas..match that hatch!! ...FCX

UGa52pQ-z4E

[SAPIplate]

Yeah, when it comes to Trout flies, you usally have two types of flies, "Imitators" and "Attractors". Imitators, such as a #16 Parachute PMD Emerger, Imitate something, and are used to match the hatch. "Attractors" such as a Stimulator, Humpy or Wooly Bugger, look like a variety of different insects/other creatures but don't neccesarily iimitate anything special. This time of the year in lakes, a Wooly Bugger, Hailbop Leech, various Rabbit leeches work the best. Also, in a lake where minnows are present, try minnow patterns stripped. Such as white or brownish epoxy minnows or bucktail type patterns. As the water warms, Callibaetis may start to appear, and later, Chronomids.

[Flyfishr&tyer]

To get flies, go to the LAcey Cabelas and Talk to Tom Bolender, He will set u up. one of my favorite fishing tactics is do get out when daphina are hatching and trow bunny leeches and minnows into the swarms of them. A big trout will easily be tempted since it is a higher calorie food source then the little daphnia. I ocasional ydo the same for Midge hatches

[james timson]

Matching the hatch is fun and interesting but not the only way to hit fish. Walupt is a nice example of this. They have great may fly hatches, the carpenter and hatch as in migrating with wings is awesome! but........ a fat renegade cast off shore while wadeing works darn well . Black elk hair caddis's are my go to fly there. Later in the season, round august to september is a great chartruse or orange humpy time. Large cutts and fat bows.
Catch n' release ofcourse. If you enjoyed the fight, release emto play with again....Jim

[zen leecher aka Bill W]

Sometimes matching the hatch is too hard when the hatch is too small or too many. That's the time to not match the hatch and use attractors instead. When the fish are keying on daphnia (about a #32) it's not worth trying to match the hatch. Something bright like a lime green carey special or a bugger works good. Lots better than if you were fishing pin dot sized daphnia.

Or if you hit a major chironimid emergence...it's real hard to figure out if the fish are taking the adult, an emerger, or a pupa slightly under the surface. This also might be a good time to try attractors. I fished Storm Lake once during a major emergence and it seemed like there were about 5K trout keying on them in one area of the lake. Lasted for a couple of hours.

[ja_lange]

I fish lakes almost exclusively and it is usually with a fly set up. I typically will troll with woolly buggers & leech patterns. I would say that if you really want to be prepared to catch fish, learn to fish chironomids. Personally I have not had the patience for it, but have seen a lot of people that are very successful at it. Here's my list of top 10 lake flies I would have in my box.

1) Black, Brown, Green, & Maroon Wooley Buggers
2) Halibop leech in black & green
3) Carey Special
4) Zug Bug
5) Bunny Leech - in Black, Green, & Red
6) Scuds
7) Hare's ear nymph - typically a river fly, but they can work in lakes
8) Several Matuka patterns
9) Blood worms - a type of chironomid
10) Various Chironomids - typically I think they tend to take on the color of the lake, so a variety is nice to have.

Hope that helps. A lot of these are not to hard to tie youself which is a bonus.

[fishaholictaz]

I would say that if you really want to be prepared to catch fish, learn to fish chironomids. Personally I have not had the patience for it, but have seen a lot of people that are very successful at it.

I have to agree seen some monsters pulled off those tiny patterns but u fish them up instead of down very different very slow#-o