Flies for a Newbie

[Big Hit]

This will be my first year fly fishing. I'll be doing most of my fishing in SE MN streams and W Sconie. What flies and sizes would anyone suggest for the first few months of the season?

[JohnS]

Orange scuds #12, 14

Pink Squirrels #14

Pheasant Tail nymphs #14, 16

Black Wooley Bugger #8

Elk Hair Caddis #16, 18

Parachute Adams, #14, 16, 18

[mark p]

Don't want to make the list too big but have to add bead head prince nymph in sizes 14 & 16.

My favorite size pheasant tail is 18

[carpmanjake]

i have yet to catch a trout. so i would also like to ask how u fish streams, techniques you use for trout.

i am NOT new to fly fishing, as you can see by my signature, i am an avid angler for carp on the fly.

but i want to expand my fly fishing from carp, bowfin, panfish and pike, to bass, trout and maybe some walleye if im lucky so im looking for any tips on catching trout, or anything

[Big Hit]

Thanks for the info everyone. I'm going to be doing some fly shopping this weekend. This will be of great help.

[gtfourmn]

As already mentioned, you can't go wrong with a black woolly bugger for a first fly.

[Sam Sterner]

Another vote for the bugger, or streamers in general. Easiest to use, cant really screw them up. Can be fished in a variety of ways and come in colors to match anything. For other nymphs, start with the prince, great all around pattern. For dries, I think an adams or parachute adams will match plenty of hatches and non hatches.

[OnAFly]

A #16 Flashback Hares Ear is one of my favorites, with bead head and without. Also, if you are going out a little later in spring you'll want Blue Winged Olive and Caddis dry flies and emergers. I've gotten into some great action with those little guys. They are a pain to tie on though. I like #18 and #20 for the BWO and #14 and #16 for the Caddis. If you see fish rising to something but can't see what it is and they won't hit what you have, tie on the emerger or use it as a dropper.

[JoshM]

Now that is some good info!

[JoshM]

carp man what is your favorite fly to use for carp in the spring?

[Nate McVey]

All really good tips for flies, I enjoy I nice foam hopper pattern as the temps rise mid summer. Poppers are great for browns once the sun goes down too.

[itchmesir]

only fly i have ever used on a stream has been a black copper john.. since i don't own my own fly rod, just borrowed a friends a few times.. and that has always produced well for me

@carpmanjake - a good place to start is tossing your fly over riffles and just at the end of any riffles.. outsides of bends where the water carves in deep.. around and over structure... stay away from slack.. sure there may be a few trout in the slack.. but most are gonna be found at swift turns, riffles, and structure..

PS: this is only my 3rd season trout fishing, i love it... i can't believe it took me so long to get out there, but when you don't trout fish, it can be tough to find out where you can go, cant go, etc..