Favorite stillwater flies

[brandon4455]

ive been trying to gain more knowledge in the stillwater fly angling world so i thought i would ask here as i did on another forum.



if you had a few go to patterns for stillwater fly fishing what would they be?



so far i have ice dub mini leeches in olive and black,soft hackles in various colors and black/red chironomid pupa as my favorites

 

[Spydeyrch]

I was slaying them up on lost lake a few weeks back with a bead head black zebra midge. Granted I am not a good still water angler by any means, but it sure seemed to work well!

-Spydey

 

[troutdude]

Woolly Buggers and Teeny Nymphs in black and olive green.

 

[mahmichael]

woolly Bugger was the only productive fly for me!! They sometimes like the brown color too. So what size for a nymph or the zebra midge?
I use woolly buggers sizes from 8-14!

 

[Spydeyrch]

So what size for a nymph or the zebra midge?

I use zebra midges from sizes 14 - 22.

-Spydey

 

[john montana]

I used to be a major stillwater guy...loved the blackfoot reservation lakes back when I lived in MT. main flies back then were mohair leeches, scuds of varying colors, and a little soft hackle I called the Wilted Spinach when they were eating emergers. I would basically never fish a lake unless I had plenty of those three.

 

[Lamzy]

When I find one that catches me a fish, that will be my favorite..

 

[GungasUncle]

Woolly Buggers - cone or bead head, or leaded under body
- best colors are black, olive, brown, and peacock bodied w/ black tail. Sizes 4 to 14

Bunny Buggers - these are a woolly bugger type fly, but you substitute cross cut zonker strips for the chenille & hackle bodies. Very swimmy, and very meaty looking flies. Lead under bodies help these sink - as rabbit fur doesn't sink for beans until it's really soaked.

Rabbit strip leach - similar to a bugger - but instead of marabou tail - I use a split rabbit strip. Tied on a normal hook it's like a swimmier woolly bugger. Tied on a jig hook and given lead eyes - you can fish it a lot like a Mr. Twister jig and slay the fishes. Tie them big or small. Dark colors work best most of the time, but sometimes they want bright colors - especially when gunning for bass.


Small soft hackle wet flies - traditional styles with colored floss bodies and partridge, guinea, or wood duck hackle.

 

[mahmichael]

So what do you guys do when using a nymph? As long as I know it should be on the bottom, so do you let it sink to the bottom and drag it on the bottom very slowly? any snags?!!

 

[GungasUncle]

So what do you guys do when using a nymph? As long as I know it should be on the bottom, so do you let it sink to the bottom and drag it on the bottom very slowly? any snags?!!

let 'em sink using a countdown method - keep 'em close to the bottom or just over the weed tops. Use a slow hand-twist retrieve, or short twitches, or just troll them. Or you can use a slow, steady retrieve to mimic a real nymph rising up to the surface. Also - you can grease your leader w/ floatant and fish them just below the surface as an emerging insect. Fish them under a dry fly -dry & dropper rig.

 

[troutdude]

or just troll them.

I've done this a lot, from a float tube; barely kicking and SLOWLY trolling. And I've not done it with a fly rod; but with a spin rod. I just attach a torpedo bobber, to my main line. Then attach about 4 feet of leader; and the nymph on the other end. I then crimp on a BB sized (very small) split shot; just a few inches less than 1/2 way from the fly to the bobber. So, the nymph is draggin' about 2 feet under the water line.

I've also used this method with Woolly Buggers. This is probably the most effective way, that I've discovered to catch trout w/ a spin rod. There have been 60 fish days, with this method! (All C&R'd safely too, with de-barbed or barbless hooks).

 

[mahmichael]

Thank you guys. But I thought the nymph should be on the bottom! So the way you are saying is pretty much the same as woolly buggers.
TD, I'm doing the same as you taught me! But this time I'm gonna try two flies! A nymph and a woolly bugger. Or an emerger and a woolly bugger!

 

[brandon4455]

i have had success trolling flies for stocked trout but if its wild trout would rather still fish. sometimes when fishing a nymph like a chironomid pupa i will just tie 18 inches of tippet to the back of a mini leech and tie the chironomid to that and fish them under an indicator. i will go to a weedline,cove channel etc. and i will fan cast to cover water and "search" for the fish ill even cast the rig to risers.. the main difficulty is soemtimes you have to use a long leader (14or so feet) in many lakes to reach the fish and a leader that long can be hard to cast. It is a very successful technique i started using when fish are not willing to take a fly stripped or trolled,works for stockers and wild trout

 

[the_intimidator03]

i have had success trolling flies for stocked trout but if its wild trout would rather still fish. sometimes when fishing a nymph like a chironomid pupa i will just tie 18 inches of tippet to the back of a mini leech and tie the chironomid to that and fish them under an indicator. i will go to a weedline,cove channel etc. and i will fan cast to cover water and "search" for the fish ill even cast the rig to risers.. the main difficulty is soemtimes you have to use a long leader (14or so feet) in many lakes to reach the fish and a leader that long can be hard to cast. It is a very successful technique i started using when fish are not willing to take a fly stripped or trolled,works for stockers and wild trout

There is a cheat to the long leader and indicator. flop it out a bit and paddle away and let out line LOL.

 

[brandon4455]

There is a cheat to the long leader and indicator. flop it out a bit and paddle away and let out line LOL.

LOL. yeah.. i guess doing a slop roll cast is what i do half the time..but i dont kick and let line out Hahaha

 

[the_intimidator03]

I kind of had to when using my 3wt and tube at Olalla

Guess I may as well mention my still water flies if I have not already, Olive wooly bugger, Prince Nymph and I am starting to like my Christmas Mini Leech (purple pattern)