The best fishing conditions in the U.S happens during late winter, early spring, and the start of runoff. Rainbow trout is one of the fishes to look out for when fishing.
This trout is a frequent catch using flies, especially during the start of the season. Most stocked fish attack anything that falls into the water during this season. Rainbow trout become more cautious as the season progresses.
With this in mind, you will need good fishing skills and the right flies to catch a rainbow trout. In this article, we will take a closer look at the recommended flies for rainbow trout fishing.
What Flies Are Best For Trout Fishing
There are different methods of fly fishing to catch rainbow trout. Still, there are specific files that are more suitable for rainbow trout fishing. Here is a list of the best flies for trout fishing.
1. Woolly bugger
You can use streamer fishing to catch rainbow trouts on larger rivers. It will enable you to map a big area of water. The black woolly bugger with a chartreuse trigger is a pattern for clean and turbid water. You can find the Woolly Bugger Trout Fly Fishing Streamer Assortment on Amazon.
2. Orange blob
Another notable fly for trout fishing is the orange blob. Rainbow trout will enjoy the orange blob because of its great impact on the water.
You can tie it using a tungsten bead for nymphing. The trout can follow it from a great distance.
3. Squirmy worm
Squirmy worms are effective, although they are not always available. They are perfect for deep, muddy waters. It is not recommendable for shallow waters as it can scare trout away. It is easily noticeable in deep, muddy waters because of its size. Rainbow trout will be triggered to take a bite because of the movement squirmy worms give.
4. Redtag Jig
Redtag Jigs have red trigger patterns that are irresistible for rainbow trouts. It is catchy and attracts the attention of fish when used for trout fishing.
5. Sirupcik
Sirupcik is an example of a tungsten jig nymph for rainbow trout fishing. It is recommendable to use pink tungsten beads to tie with Sirupcik. Most fishes are attracted to Sirupcik with pink beads.
How to Choose a Fly For Rainbow Trout Fishing
Learning how to choose a fly for rainbow trout fishing can be challenging, especially for first-timers. It takes more than just selecting the right fly on the river. In choosing a good fly, you must prepare beforehand.
It also entails enough practice and progressive learning. Here are the steps in choosing a fly for rainbow trout fishing. Learning these steps gives you a sure win in catching more rainbow trout every time you go fishing.
1. Study the Seasonal and Daily Behaviors of Insects
Learn what seasons consist of insect hatching and its behavior. Some insects prefer morning hatches, while others do it late at night. Studying insects’ seasonal and daily behaviors will equip you to get the right flies for your trout fishing.
2. Understand Fly Pattern Imitation
Another thing that you must understand in rainbow trout fishing is the fly pattern imitation. These patterns relate to insects and are categorized into four fly pattern imitations. The following are the four categories:
- Search Patterns – a wide variety of insects imitation
- Attractor Patterns – no imitation but the high attraction
- Impressionistic Patterns – few insects imitated closely
- Imitative Patterns – specific insect imitation
3. Check for Shades
Shade refers to the fly’s color scheme. It does not have to be exact. Check for the natural fly shades. For example, if the shade is brown, then choose a similar pattern that matches that shade. If you have darker shades like a natural black shade, then select the corresponding dark pattern.
What Size Fly For Rainbow Trout Fishing
Picking out the right fly fish for rainbow trout can be tough if you do not know what size is ideal to use. In selecting the appropriate size for a fly, you do not have to apply exact science. Instead, focus on selecting flies that are close to the recommended size.
There is a vast range of trout patterns and sizes ranging from 2 to 24. Among these fly sizes, you can use the ones ranging from size 18 to size 22. It is recommendable to be closer to the natural size of the insects hatching.
Following this technique will help you attract more rainbow trout by easily deceiving them. Start with the general size but prepare a variety as well when moving to larger hatches.
There are cases when you want to match the hatch precisely. You can increase or decrease your fly size to give the trouts different options while keeping good fishing odds.
Recommended Wet Flies For Rainbow Trout Fishing
These different variations of wet flies make up a good staple selection for fly boxes during spring. You can start using wet flies to get better rainbow trout fishing results. Here is a list of the recommended wet flies for rainbow trout fishing.
1. WD-40
The WD-40 is a wet fly imitating the BWO emergers. It also imitates the characteristics of the other aquatic insects that trout treats as food. It is recommendable to put the WD-40 nymph in lower-to-mid water columns.
This technique will boost your success in fishing for rainbow trout. The WD-40 comes in different colors. You can choose from dark earth tones with sizes ranging from size 18 to 22. You can check out the Feeder Creek Fly Fishing Nymph Flies Assortment on Amazon.
2. San Juan Worm
The San Juan Worm is a simple yet effective wet fly for rainbow trout fishing. Fish prefer protein-rich worms during runoffs. You can try presenting a worm on the fish hide found at the bottom of a river bottom during the runoff.
Put the San Juan Worm on your nymph rig’s bottom. This part is typically below the midge or emerger. The San Juan Worm comes in various colors like red, orange, pink, and tan. You can find the Feeder Creek Fly Fishing Trout Flies San Juan Worm Pink Assortment on Amazon.
3. Zebra Midge
Anglers will enjoy rainbow trout fishing using the Zebra Midge. With it, you can run in the middle water column. What’s more, it’s perfect for late fall and spring fishing. Expect the unsuspecting fish to go after your Zebra Midge.
The Zebra Midge is a variation of the classic version with a wire wrap to attract fishes. It has dark colors and sizes range from 16 to 22. The Feeder Creek Fly Fishing Trout Flies – Zebra Midge Assortment is available on Amazon.
4. Sow Bug
The Sow Bug is a tailwater insect that trouts use as a food source throughout the year. It is used more prominently during mid-to-late spring. Expect many fishes to line up when you place your Sow Bug in the river.
It is a great wet fly alternative to nymphs with worms. You can place the Sow Bug in the middle water column. Moreover, it comes in different colors like gray, rainbow-gray, and tan, with sizes ranging from 14-18.
5. Bead Head Pheasant Tail Nymph
The Bead Head Pheasant Tail is unique among the other wet fly options. Fishes love this wet fly, and it is readily available in most fishing spots. It resembles fish food. The Bead Head Pheasant Tail is recommended to use for springtime in the middle water column.
It imitates small-to-medium stonefly nymphs. You also have the option to double it with a nymph rig, and a larger stonefly gets more size variation. Check out the Feeder Creek Pheasant Tail Bead Head Nymph Flies on Amazon.
6. Sculp Snack
Sculpin snacks imitate the small benthic sculpin fish that are located in U.S. waterways. These wet flies are perfect for runoff conditions and muddy waters. Give it ample time to reach the river bottom upon tossing to get the best fishing results.
Recommended Dry Flies For Rainbow Trout Fishing
Aside from using wet flies that are perfect for underwater, there are also dry flies that you can use. The majority of fishing happens under the surface using nymphs, but you can also incorporate dry flies. Here is a list of the recommended dry flies for rainbow trout fishing and various hatches.
1. Blue Winged Olive
The Blue Winged Olive fly is comparable to the WD-40. The only difference is that it is used as a dry fly. It is better to prepare with both wet and dry flies when going for rainbow trout fishing. Prepare the wet and dry versions in your fishing fly box to match the existing fishing conditions.
Expect that the temperature can vary when fishing. You can attach your Blue Winged Olive fly to a thin tippet, use a floatant, and lay it gently. It is recommendable to use sizes 14-22 to match the sizing of the hatch. Check out the Fly Fishing Place Blue Winged Olive BWO Classic on Amazon.
2. Elk Wing Caddis
The Elk Wing Caddis dry fly is available in all U.S. fly shops. It’s famous for a large caddis pupa population found in their nationwide riverbeds. This dry fly performs nicely on a dry surface with little floatant to keep it on the surface.
You can also opt to put a midge below the lighter tippet to have better rainbow trout fishing results. The Elk Wing Caddis works perfectly in its earth tones of tan, olive, and gray. The Flies Direct Elk Hare Caddis Olive Assortment is available on Amazon.
3. Adams Parachute
Another dry fly option is the Adams Parachute. It is a must-have dry fly in all fishing fly boxes. This dry fly has proven to be of great use in rainbow trout fishing and persists to be a relevant fly for worldwide fishing.
It resembles most aquatic bugs, which are useful in tricking hungry rainbow trout. The sizes of Adams Parachute range from sizes 12 to 16. Check out Flies Direct Adams Parachute Assortment on Amazon.
Ready to Head Out with your Flies?
Rainbow trout fishing can be challenging if you do not know which flies work best. But with this guide, your future rainbow trout fishing experiences will never be the same.
Finding success in fooling trout happens when you have a good background on the recommended flies and selection methods. Whatever fly caught your fancy, you will definitely have better chances of hooking rainbow trouts.
