By Author John Olsen
Now we are approaching summer, and water in the west is finally starting to lower and clear it's time to break out the fly rod and hit some water.
Summer fly fishing is often the easiest time of year to fish, but at times can be challenging. I have a list of must-have summer flies to help you catch more fish this summer. I did my top 10 flies of all time not long ago, but I wanted to give you a top 10 summer flies to hit this summer.
10. Wooly Bugger- how can you forget this fantastic fly. It's one of the original streamers. It can mimic small fish, leeches, worms, and more. It's a great all-around fly to have in your box for summer.
19. Zebra Midge- wait! What?! I thought you said summer. Actually, I did. Midges will hatch all summer; too many fishermen put Zebra Midge away after spring. Not all fly fishing in the summer is dry-fly. Big fish will work the water column looking for high protein, including midges.
8. Chubby Chornobyl- I found the Chubby Chornobyl, and it's a fantastic large fly. In
summer, you've got many large hatches like Cicadas and Salmon flies. The Chubby can look similar to many of these hatches. It comes in many sizes and colors to mimic almost everything, including hoppers. I like to keep a plethora of sizes and colors in the box.
7. Adams Parachute- This is a staple fly for any mayfly hatch. You will find all kinds of small fly hatches every day in the summer, and you can not beat the Adams for mayflies pattern. You can never have enough of them in your bag!
6. Peacock Caddis- There are a lot of Caddis patterns, but my favorite is the Peacock. It holds up very well, and the color seems brighter. I always keep a few darker colors and gray colors in my box.
5. Sculpin Streamer- In most cold rivers in the west, you'll find sculpin, and big Trout, imparticular big browns; love sculpin. It's a go too for me during a rainstorm in the summer.
4. Hopper Pattern- Summer is a big time for grasshoppers, and they are like candy to trout. I like to keep 3 or 4 different color patterns and a few different sizes just to be safe. Hoppers are one fly that will produce in the middle of the summer day.
3. Cricket pattern. I'm a big fan of the cricket pattern; it's a pattern I use through summer and into fall. There is a lot of cricket in the underbrush that falls into the water. On top of that, Cricket Patterns can also mimic other dark insects like beetles and Cicadas.
2. Ant Pattern- a great go-to summer fly; ants are always about, and Trout loves a great ant pattern.
1. Super Stimulator- There are a lot of Stimulators out there, and you probably have a favorite. One of mine is the Super Stimulator. It can mimic a lot of different large to mid hatches like stone flies or even large Caddis.
It's essential to check your area when you get to your spot. What's in the bush? What's hatching? What's under the rocks in the water? These questions will help you select the best fly pattern for your situation in summer. Always keep your eye out for the conditions. The condition can change as you fish the river, and switching it up as you go until you get that correct pattern is critical.
Did I miss any? What is your favorite summer fly Pattern? Let me know, and remember to sign up for updates on new articles.
Next week's Article is:
Summer Tactics for Trolling for Trout.
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