Seasonal Bite Change

The Spring Trout Menu

    With different seasons come different temperatures which also means different techniques are used to seize beautiful fish. No matter the season the bite is still on, however it comes with many different factors and techniques to become lucky enough to end up with a fish on the end of your line. Fly fishing during hot, sunny, summer days can, and are a whole lot different from cold, windy, winter days. Depending on what environment and bodies of water you plan on accessing to fish, there are key factors to keep in mind when it comes to fly selection and equipment to keep packed on you. 

Spring Bug Infested Waters

    Fly fishing in the spring is very unpredictable at times, however has plenty of action that anglers can not pass up on. From the dreadful winter days to finally the sweet smelling air, and sunny warmer days the fish bite is in action. Spring not only brings warmth but also plentiful of bug selection to our native trout waters. Depending on the location of your desired fishing destination it is important to study and keep note what hatch is happening at this certain time of year. 

    Fly selection is critical in spring and there are numerous amounts of flies that need to make their way into your fly box. Out of all of the seasons spring is the most dependent on specific fly selection. The most confident and highly successful flies used are your midges, caddis, and stoneflies. Every angler has different taste in flies and what they personally like to throw however these 5 patterns are your top flies to keep in mind during this time of year. About 3/4 of insect species are hatched during spring making them the top candidates when it comes to fly selection. 

Midges

    Midges are most definitely a year round fly to throw as they are known to hatch all year and complete a life cycle in as little as 4 weeks. They are a great selection to use in spring because they imitate small worms and various of hues. This great fly pattern comes in various colors such as black, red, olive green, purple, and brown. Depending on time of year you must pick your colors accordingly. The top colors to use in spring are black, olive, purple and red. These flies also come in numerous colors. The recommended size and depending on the anglers taste range from #16 - #24. 

Zebra Midge

Caddisfly 

    When caddis flies are out in action that is how you know winter is at its end and spring is in full bloom. Caddis is a great fly to throw throughout the spring season. Trout are obsessed through every stage of the caddis hatch during spring but they are most successful during mid April and into May. It is very important to understand that there are multiple patterns and materials that are used to imitate these insects. Different materials causes different patterned caddises to float and perform in different ways. It is crucial to try multiple different patterns before giving up on this fantastic fly.  Some of the best patterns to utilize during the spring months are candy caddis, elk hair caddis, caddis deer hair, and CDC caddis emerge. All of these patterns are best if used in the size range from #12 - #18. 

Caddis Deer Hair 

Caddis 

                                                

Stonefly

    Fly fishing with stoneflies can bring lots of success and lots of fish on the end of your fly. Stoneflies are great to use from early still cold spring days to later spring months. This flies are best fished deep in the early months of spring with a weighted pattern then move up to shallower areas using a weightless pattern. This also all depends on the rivers volume and depth. The number one pattern and highly used stonefly is the pat's rubber legs. This stonefly pattern is made in many different colors, sizes, and weights. It is important to  take note of what hatch is happening in your chosen region to know what colors will bring you most success. The sizes typically range from #16 - #22.