Favorite Blue Line Flies

[BigBass123]

What’s y’all’s go to flies for blue lining?

Same flies year round or changing season to season? Let’s say the average pool is 2-3’ deep, with deeper pools mixed in.

 

[NCHillbilly]

90% of the time if I'm fishing a small creek, I'm dry fly fishing. And they're usually not picky. Usually just the same old reliable traditional patterns-#10-#14 Thunderhead, #10-#14 yellow Stimulator, #12-#14 Yellow Palmer, #12-#14 yellow or gray Haystack, #12-#14 parachute Female Adams, #14 gray or green Elkhair Caddis, #10-#12 Charlie Whopper. In late summer and fall, #10-#14 Orange Palmer.
About the only time I nymph fish small creeks much is if the water is high or dingy, or I see a big, deep hole that I think might have a nice fish in it, but nothing shows interest in the dry fly. Then, it's usually #10-#14 Tellico, yellow-winged Prince nymph, a couple nymphs of my own design, or a #12 Pat's Rubber Legs.
I don't carry anything smaller than a #14.
I don't usually fish those small mountain creeks much in the winter, they tend to shut down.

 

[dawgvet]

I agree with Hillbilly. Love wild fish as they will take a dry fly. Only dunk a nymph if I have to. Usually #16 pheasant tail or Rainbow Warrior can save a skunking though some days. Use 6x fluoro to tie on dropper

 

[SRQRusty]

90% of the time if I'm fishing a small creek, I'm dry fly fishing. And they're usually not picky. Usually just the same old reliable traditional patterns-#10-#14 Thunderhead, #10-#14 yellow Stimulator, #12-#14 Yellow Palmer, #12-#14 yellow or gray Haystack, #12-#14 parachute Female Adams, #14 gray or green Elkhair Caddis, #10-#12 Charlie Whopper. In late summer and fall, #10-#14 Orange Palmer.
About the only time I nymph fish small creeks much is if the water is high or dingy, or I see a big, deep hole that I think might have a nice fish in it, but nothing shows interest in the dry fly. Then, it's usually #10-#14 Tellico, yellow-winged Prince nymph, a couple nymphs of my own design, or a #12 Pat's Rubber Legs.
I don't carry anything smaller than a #14.
I don't usually fish those small mountain creeks much in the winter, they tend to shut down.

I just screen shot this...thanks

 

[splatek]

I really like a yellow or black stimi up top, possibly alone if it's that kind of day. I usually use a small dropper and almost exclusively choose between one of 3 flies: tellico, frenchie, or experience. The experience fly is just something I named a fly that catched a metric ____ ton of fish. Small hook, black thread, silver tungsten bead, pearl flash (occasionally a bit of fluro orange for a collar) It takes about 60 seconds (max to tie) and can be durable if you use some clear nail polish/UV stuff. Have caught stockers, wilds, tailwater trouts with it; panfish, bass, etc. It's a generalist fly that imitates nothing, but apparently looks tasty.

can't wait to get back on a stream with my boys.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I really like a yellow or black stimi up top, possibly alone if it's that kind of day. I usually use a small dropper and almost exclusively choose between one of 3 flies: tellico, frenchie, or experience. The experience fly is just something I named a fly that catched a metric ____ ton of fish. Small hook, black thread, silver tungsten bead, pearl flash (occasionally a bit of fluro orange for a collar) It takes about 60 seconds (max to tie) and can be durable if you use some clear nail polish/UV stuff. Have caught stockers, wilds, tailwater trouts with it; panfish, bass, etc. It's a generalist fly that imitates nothing, but apparently looks tasty.

can't wait to get back on a stream with my boys.

Yeah, I use a lot of those non-descript flies that I've came up with myself over the years that just work.

 

[splatek]

I’m wholly convinced on a sunny day a brook trout will hit an empty, shiny hook.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I’m wholly convinced on a sunny day a brook trout will hit an empty, shiny hook.

As long as you don't get close enough to the water to cast the hook in there.

 

[Concrete Pete]

Dries - front end loader caddis (sz 14), ehc (sz 16-12)

Nymphs - flashback pheasant tail (sz 18), zebra midge (sz 20-16), walts worm (sz 20-16)

If you have a good presentation and don’t spook them they’ll find that dry. It’s awesome when they shoot out from under a rock in a pool.

This little fish shot 2-3 out from under a rock in a pool for a front end loader caddis. It’s weird because I’ve never seen a coal colored rainbow before. I guess he was living under that rock and adapted. Anyway, my point is that they really aren’t picky.

 

[Robust Redhorse]

Dry - #14 Yellow Humpy

Dropper - #18 Pheasant tail or Rainbow Warrior

 

[whitetailfreak]

90% of the time if I'm fishing a small creek, I'm dry fly fishing. And they're usually not picky. Usually just the same old reliable traditional patterns-#10-#14 Thunderhead, #10-#14 yellow Stimulator, #12-#14 Yellow Palmer, #12-#14 yellow or gray Haystack, #12-#14 parachute Female Adams, #14 gray or green Elkhair Caddis, #10-#12 Charlie Whopper. In late summer and fall, #10-#14 Orange Palmer.
About the only time I nymph fish small creeks much is if the water is high or dingy, or I see a big, deep hole that I think might have a nice fish in it, but nothing shows interest in the dry fly. Then, it's usually #10-#14 Tellico, yellow-winged Prince nymph, a couple nymphs of my own design, or a #12 Pat's Rubber Legs.
I don't carry anything smaller than a #14.
I don't usually fish those small mountain creeks much in the winter, they tend to shut down.

What he said...