trout flies for lakes

[Ryan Pultz]

Spring is in the air time to dust of the fly rod

Ok so What is your go to lake fly this time of year I have always used scuds and damsel flies this time of year but just wanted to see what everyone else is using. rp

[stillwater97]

Ryan,

I'm assuming by "lake trout" you mean trout found in lakes and not mackinaw aka lake trout.

For me this time of year, I seldom change out from a seal bugger (black ,brown, or olive on an intermediate line or a snow cone under an indicator. In June, I'll add in some callibaetis & damsel nymphs as well as some dries. One thing to remember when fishing lakes is that bugs will get smaller as the summer progresses. I'll drop a hook size every month from June on (with the exception of chironomids).

If you meant lake trout, this is the wrong time to go after them on flies. However in October and November you can successfully target Lakers on flies. Think big flies (kokanee sized), full sink lines, etc..

[AndyK]

Originally Posted by Ryan Pultz

What is your go to lake fly this time of year I have always used scuds and damsel flies this time of year but just wanted to see what everyone else is using.

The rivers continue to be high, so I've been hitting some local (Portland) lakes and ponds in the last couple weeks. While I've had some success with buggers and callibaetis nymphs, the majority of fish are still feeding on chironomids.

I fished one lake yesterday and caught two trout on an olive callibaetis nymph, the largest at 13 inches. There was a small callibaetis hatch (but there were also chironomids hatching). I then switched to chironomids and caught more fish, including a 17-inch and a 19-inch fish.

One lake I fished last week that had very dirty water and therefore limited visibility. I did well on that lake with dark seal buggers.

[FishonDon]

One of my favorites any time of the year is a sparse black seal bugger with red metallic dubbing blended in.

Starting in June my wiggle damsel works like magic, but rigfht now one of my favorites are zebra midges.

I also have a very successful soft hackle emerger pattern with a small red marabou butt that works very well.

[hooksetter1]

A brown beadhead crystal bugger, prince nymph, or BH chronomid. Slow strip or wind drift, these three produce well for me.

[sliverpicker]

Inch long and green is pretty tough to beat in most lakes. Small olive buggers, Carey Special, damsel nymphs, all tied with peacock bodies work well.

[Matthewc]

Ryan, you will have to show me how to fish those scubs this year......

As for me



No need for anything fancy, a plain old woolly bugger with a nice long buggy looking tail and body [with gold or copper ribbing] in Black or olive....if the tail is not enticing strikes or hatchery trout are the main catch....switch to a woolly worm in black with 1/4 inch red tail..

I have another fly I call the "Happy Chicken" that is a custom CDC brown and olive damsle and dragon imi...I will try to do a post of it this month as IM getting ready to tie as well.


Leave the floating lines at home......get the big ones with an intermediate sinking or sink tip. Use your trolling or kicking speed to vary the depth.

So easy a caveman could do it.

[quackpipe]

With run off and ice off going on, I have been hitting some lakes with some buddies. We have had luck on pink, green, orange and yellow scuds, olive buggers, purple and red San Juans, and black streamers. The largest fish I have seen this year - 29 incher was caught on a yellow scud at the lake I have been fishing.
San Juan

Olive bugger

Pink Scud 26 incher

Another off the same pink scud

[stillwater97]

Quackpipe,

Duck lake or P2P??

either way, nice trouts....

[BarroomHero]

...ahh I wanna go!!!...

[Ryan Pultz]

thanks for the tips everyone! rp

[NCL]

Bottom fly is almost always a chrommie

[PittsburghD]

O.k. the photos were way overkill. Who brought the ***** star to the party?


--D