Fly Fishing Fundamentals - Your Fly Selection

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WELCOME TO FLY FISHING FUNDAMENTALS Your Foundation for Learning & Experimenting Selecting Your Fly

FLY FISHING FUNDAMENTALS Getting Started & Gearing Up Your Fly Line System Selecting Your Fly

- Session 1

- Session 2

- Session 3

Reading Water, Fish Behavior

- Session 4

Catching & Handling the Fish

- Session 5

On the Water Concerns

- Session 6

SELECTING YOUR FLY

• Session 3 - Classification of flies - Basic entomology - Major fly families - Other imitations - Typical fly sizes - Other considerations - Your fly box

WHICH FLY TO USE?

FLY SELECTING FUNDAMENTALS • Fisheries contain aquatic insects/creatures at various stages of their lifecycle • Fly fishers learn the lifecycles of aquatic insects/creatures and how to select a fly that imitates an aquatic food source

MANY WAYS TO CLASSIFY FLIES • “Match the Hatch” vs Attractor • Mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies, midges/chironomids, damsel flies, crayfish, etc.

• Dries, wets, nymphs, streamers, terrestrials, poppers, foam • By fish species • Guide flies (practical) vs full dress flies (artwork) • And others …

MAJOR CATEGORIES • Dry Flies: a fly that floats (an adult insect)

• Wet Flies, Nymphs, Emergers: will be below the surface of the water (an immature insect)

MAJOR CATEGORIES • Streamers: i mitate baitfish

• Terrestrials: i mitate terrestrial insects from the land

BASIC DESCRIPTIONS • Flies are sold by hook size

- Larger hook number = a smaller hook - Smaller hook number = a larger hook - A size 2 hook is larger than a size 20 hook

• Dry Flies: a fly that floats on top of the water • Wet Flies: will be below the water surface; nymph flies (insect larval stage) and streamer flies

SIZE, SHAPE, AND COLOR

HOOK SIZE

HOOK SHAPE

SELECTING YOUR FLY

• Session 3 - Classification of flies - Basic entomology - Major fly families - Other imitations - Typical fly sizes - Other considerations - Your fly box

ENTOMOLOGY: THE STUDY OF INSECTS • Fly fishers focus on water -based insects • Basic life cycle - Eggs laid in water - Grow/mature in water (most of life cycle - Transition to adult above water (emerge - Female lays eggs (short adult life) - Falls to water • Emerge in different seasons/conditions

• Also consider other insects that fall on water - terrestrials

- nymph) - hatch)

BASIC ENTOMOLOGY • This is only an introduction • Each insect family has many variations - Different sizes - Different colors - Different environments / seasons • Our purpose: - Basic knowledge for better fishing - Recognize the insect - Recognize its environment - Learn behavior and vulnerability

SELECTING A FLY “Match the Hatch” - Imitate a natural aquatic insect

80% of a fish diet is from food sources below the water surface

IDENTIFY THE ACTUAL INSECTS IN THE WATER

“MATCH THE HATCH” • We don’t need to know the scientific name of the aquatic insect • But based on the size, shape, and color, we can identify a similar looking fly in our box to resemble the actual aquatic insect

COMMON FLY FISHING INSECTS •

Mayfly

•

Caddisfly

•

Stonefly

•

Chironomid (Midge)

•

Nymphs: immature form

•

Terrestrials

SEE WHAT’S THERE • Net

• Seine • Underwater rocks

• Streamside vegetation • Hatch charts • Internet resources

INSECT CHARACTERISTICS • Size • Insect body parts -tail, abdomen, thorax, legs, head, antennae • Number of tails • Number of legs • Number of antennae • Number and shape of wings of adult

• Color

WHEN IN PLAY? USE HATCH CHARTS

COMMON FLIES & IMITATIONS MAYFLY Spinners Cripples

CADDISFLY

SELECTING YOUR FLY

• Session 3 - Classification of flies - Basic entomology - Major fly families - Other imitations - Typical fly sizes - Other considerations - Your fly box

LIFE CYCLE OF A MAYFLY

LIFE CYCLE OF A MAYFLY

MAYFLY NYMPH

MAYFLY EMERGER

MAYFLY ADULT

MAYFLY PROFILE • 2 or 3 tails, usually 3 • 6 legs

• No antennae • Wings are upright on adult • Nymphs have gills on abdomen • Adult males have large, bright color eyes • Male Spinners have very long front legs and long tails

MAYFLY PATTERNS

COMMON MAYFLY VARIETIES

• Blue Wing Olive

• Cahills

• Hendrickson

• Drakes

• March Brown

• Mahoganies

• Trico

• Sulfurs

Remember Duns & Spinners

LIFE CYCLE OF A CADDISFLY Caddis Life Cycle | Fly Tying 123 - Fly Tying Instructions ...

CADDISFLY STAGES LARVA

PUPA

CADDISFLY LARVA IN CASE

CADDISFLY CASES

CADDISFLY ADULT

CADDISFLY PROFILE

• No tails • 6 legs • Usually have antennae • Tent shape wings (laying down)

CADDISFLY STAGE PATTERNS

CADDISFLY PATTERNS

CADDISFLY ADULT PATTERN

COMMON CADDISFLY VARIETIES

• Black, Zebra, … Caddis

• Green, Long Horned, … Sedge • White, … Miller • Summer Flyer

LIFE CYCLE OF A STONEFLY

STONEFLY NYMPHS

STONEFLY EMERGER

STONEFLY ADULT

STONEFLY PROFILE

• 2 tails

• 6 legs • Normally have antennae • Wings fold over body

STONEFLY PATTERNS

COMMON STONEFLY VARIETIES

• Black, Brown, … Stonefly • Yellow Sally, Dark Sally

SELECTING YOUR FLY

• Session 3 - Classification of flies - Basic entomology - Major fly families - Other imitations - Typical fly sizes - Other considerations - Your fly box

OTHER COMMON IMITATIONS • Midges (Chironomids)

• Crane Flies

• Terrestrials - Beatles - Grasshoppers - Moths - Ants

• Hellgrammites

• Crayfish

• Scuds

• Frogs

• Dragonflies

• Damselflies

• Sow Bugs

LIFE CYCLE OF A MIDGE

MIDGE

DRAGON FLY

HELLGRAMMITE

SCUD

SOW BUG

ANT & BEATLE PATTERNS

MOTH & GRASSHOPPER PATTERNS

CRAYFISH & FROG PATTERNS

STREAMERS

– THEY IMITATE BAIT FISH

A HATCH CHART IS HELPFUL

HELPFUL RESOURCES

• A Source for Hatch Charts

- www.flyshack.com - 16 states, many rivers • A Good Reference - Pocketguide to Upper Midwest Hatches

by Ann R. Miller

SELECTING YOUR FLY

• Session 3 - Classification of flies - Basic entomology - Major fly families - Other imitations - Typical fly sizes - Other considerations - Your fly box

WATER INSECTS & HOOK SIZES • • • • • • • • • •

Mayflies Caddisflies Stoneflies Midges (Chironomids) Dragonflies Damselflies Crane Flies Hellgrammites Scuds Sow Bugs

10-16 10-18 6-14 14-24 6-12 8-14 4-10 2-8 10-14

10-14

SOME TOP FLIES • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Pheasant Tail Hare’s Ear Copper John Partridge & Orange Professor Emerger Adams Parachute Adams Elk Hair Caddis Stimulator Griffith’s Gnat RS2 Zebra Midge Woolly Bugger

Nymph Nymph Nymph Wet Fly Wet Fly Wet Fly Dry Fly Dry Fly Dry Fly Dry Fly Dry Fly Midge Midge Streamer

16-20 8-18 10-16 14-20 8-16 14-18 10-16 12-22 15-20 8-16 16-24 18-22 18-22 4-10

TERRESTRIALS

They fall/are blown into water • Beatles

8-14

• Grasshoppers

6-12

• Moths

10-14

• Ants

12-16

OTHER WATER CREATURES

• Crayfish • Frogs

4-8 4-8

SELECTING YOUR FLY

• Session 3 - Classification of flies - Basic entomology - Major fly families - Other imitations - Typical fly sizes - Other considerations - Your fly box

KEY SELECTION FACTORS Imitate an aquatic creature • Size • Shape / Profile • Color • Movement

OTHER CRITERIA Instead of just ”matching the hatch” (size, shape, color) for fly selection, select flies based on more criteria.

1. Size

4. Animation

2. Shape

5. Abundance

3. Color

6. Vulnerability

REMEMBER …

• Focus on insects in your fishing locations • Majority of fish diet is under water • Most of insect life cycle is under water - Fishable all year

• Emerging & adult life is very short - Seasonal - Follow hatch charts

ATTRACTOR FLIES • Why do they work?

• Don’t look like any insect • Often bright colors & great movement • Fish may see as potential new food or as threat • Only way to test or chase is to bite!

• They are attractive to fly fishers!

ROYAL COACHMAN

STIMULATOR

CHERNOBYL ANT

BIG BUG

BARBLESS HOOKS • Use barbless hooks to “Handle Fish Safely for Soft Release” • Much less injury when removing fly from fish (and humans!)

• Easy to smash barb with pliers or forceps • Risk of loosing fish is low with proper line tension when playing the fish

SELECTING YOUR FLY

• Session 3 - Classification of flies - Basic entomology - Major fly families - Other imitations - Typical fly sizes - Other considerations - Your fly box

YOUR FLY BOX

THE FLY BOX CHALLENGE • Carry only the flies you expect to use & in which you have confidence • Minimalize: Condense flies into as few boxes as possible • Organize: Sort flies by some standard • Label: If you have multiple fly boxes, label the box • Your name: Include your contact information on the fly box in case you lose the fly box • Your Warehouse: Maintain large storage box(s) containing various types of flies; then have smaller, more manageable fly boxes to take to the fishery

ORGANIZING YOUR FLY BOX It depends on what you prefer

–

• Starting your fly fishing journey: - One box would be enough to hold your flies - Within the one box, organize the flies by: • Dry flies • Nymphs and wet flies • Streamers • Fishery • Fish species • As your journey continues: - A box for specific types of flies - A box for specific species - A box for a specific fishery

FLY TYING INSTRUCTION SOURCES • Fundamental Flies for the Beginner Fly Tier https://www.flyfishersinternational.org/Fly -Tying -Group/Fly Tying -Education/Beginner -Fly -Tying -Manual

• Fly Tying Video Library https://www.flyfishersinternational.org/Fly -Tying -Group/Fly Tying -Video -Library

• Your Local Fly Fishing Club • A Fly Tying Friend

WHAT TO ANTICIPATE • You will begin thinking you need to fill your box with a wide variety of flies • You will discover you most frequently fish only a few flies, filling your box with these flies in a variety of sizes and colors • The Tiers Dilemma – It’s too much fun mastering the challenge of tying a new fly!

IN SUMMARY, SELECT A FLY BY:

• Previous experience in the same fishery • As we approach the fishery, read the water (structure) • “Matching the Hatch” (size, shape, color) • Behavior or animation of the aquatic insect

• Bright day – light color fly; Gloomy day – dark color fly • Favorite fly in which you have confidence