Fishermen and anglers have been using insects as baitto catch trout fish for a very long time. Without the insect fishing flies, you can’t catch a single fish. If you are new to fly fishing, learning about fishing flies is extremely important.
I have compiled all my knowledge about the insect fishing flies, which will help you in every possible way.
What Are The Different Types Of Fly Fishing Flies?
I’ll be discussing four different types of insect fishing flies here. Each type imitates the different stages an insect goes through, and each has a specific purpose and life cycle.
Wet Flies or Nymphs
A nymph or wet fly imitates the initial larval stages of aquatic insects after they hatch from the eggs. You can find nymphs underwater all the time. They are usually on sand, gravel, under the rocks, or on the fallen branches of the tree in water.
Wet flies do not have wings, so they can’t fly at this stage. Instead, they go deeper under the sea to find food for themselves.
Emergers (Pupa)
Emergers are lightweight. They imitate the insect life stage, where the insects, after passing through the nymph stage, they try to break through and come to the surface of the water.
Dry Flies (Dun)
Dry fly fishing insects emulate the adult stage, where the insects have gone through nymph and emerger stages. Now, the insect is floating on the surface of the water. These insect fishing flies consist of wings, post, and body.
The main difference between dry flies and wet flies is that dry flies float while wet flies sink. Dry flies are light, while the wet flies are some weight.
Streamers
Streamers flies are a type of insect fishing fly that imitates the characteristics of larger food sources such as crayfish and bait fish.
Streamer are pretty heavy, so they are hooked with a heavy fishing rod and fly line to make fish catching easier.
Categories of Insect Fishing Flies
Here are some of the best fly fishing insects that fly fishers use.
Mayflies
Mayfly species are abundant in the waters and have quite a long emergence period. Some say that their hatching stage lasts from early spring to late fall season.
Mayflies lay their eggs on top of the water, and the hatching happens between February and December. However, mayflies are consumed by Trouts in all their stages: i.e., nymph, emerger, dun, and spinner stages.
Don’t get confused between mayflies and stoneflies. Mayflies are available in different sizes. Parachute Adams, Patriot Adams, Blue Winged Olives (BWO), Pale Morning Duns (PMD), and the Green Drake are the most popular mayfly patterns.
Midges
Midges insect species are one of the most essential fly fishing insects. They are found in almost every water body and available all the time.
Midges live at the bottom of ponds, streams, and riverbeds. They are available in all sizes and colors.
Caddis
Caddis is another important insect in the fly angler’s guidebook. Caddis flies are usually found under the rocks where they can stick through easily. They look like a moths, but their wings look like a pup tent when laid down, which makes them different.
Caddis patterns are similar to those of all other insect groups, namely, nymph, larva, pup, and adult. Emerging caddisflies’ real struggle is reaching the surface of water. If they can’t reach the surface, they cannot transform into adults. This happens when they become a trout feed mid-journey.
Stonefly
Stonefly nymphs are bigger than all those mentioned above. You can recognize them by observing their wings and lay them flat on their body.
When they reach the adult stage, stoneflies become difficult to unsee and become an easy trout meal. Stoneflies are found in the water banks, mostly where the trout can easily spot them.
Stoneflies are crawlers. They crawl all along the water to reach the river banks and start looking for green grass. Once they reach the grassy area, they can now mate and begin their lifecycle once again. The dominant stonefly pattern among the fly fishers is the stimulator.
Terrestrials
Terrestrials are all major insects found on the river banks and shores, including beetles, ants, grasshoppers, and worms.
Guidance For A Good Fly Selection
After understanding the categories, you might try a new fly to catch more fish, but things might go south. It’s better to know how to choose and which fly to use.
- When you go to a river bank for fly fishing, take a deep look around and notice the insects in the surroundings.
- Shake some branches of the nearby trees and lift some rocks.
- Note down the size, shape, and color of the insects.
- Also note that which type of insects are present in large numbers.
- Check whether the fish are coming to the surface; this will help you understand whether you need nymphs, emergers, or dun streamers.
Having a deep understanding of the above points helps you determine the best fly pattern for fly fishing. You can also match the hatch to make your fly fishing experience worthwhile.
Why Insect Fishing Flies Are Used For Trout Catching?
A trout’s 70% diet consists of nymphs, bugs, and aquatic insects. Interestingly, the diet trout is looking for depends on the time of day.
Trouts feast on nymphs and larvae early in the morning. In the middle of the day, when the water temperature goes up. The bug activity increases. At this time of the day, Trout looks for emergers and pupa to feed on.
What Are The Best Flies To Choose From?
After reading all the above info, you now have a clear idea about freshwater flies. Now, check out the list that I have created for your convenience. It contains all the best options of insect fishing flies that you must carry with you.
They are also subdivided in different ways to use them to lure the Trout.
Attractor Pattern
Time of the day on the water when the bugs are nowhere in sight, go for the attractor pattern. It includes:
- Perdigon
- Jig Head Rainbow Warrior
- Psycho Prince Nymph
- Patriot Fly and Purple Haze
- Green Weenie Jig
Searching Patterns
Searching pattern is the way to go when you are only looking for Trouts. This includes:
- Jig Head Hares Ear or Honey Badger Jig
- Parachute Hares Ear
- Parachute Adams
- Stimulator
Impressionistic Flies
Impressionistic flies are used when you fully know what attracts the Trouts or other fish. This includes:
- Pheasant Tails
- Pat’s Rubber Leg
- Mop Fly
- Elk Hair Caddis
- CDC Cinnamon Ant
- Chubby Chernobyl
Imitative Flies
When you are 100% sure of the insect for fly fishing, go for imitative flies. This includes:
- Split Case Emerging PMDs and BWO’s
- Squirmy Wormy’s
- Juju Baetis
- CDC Compara Dun
- Dave Hopper
Conclusion
Don’t forget to put your fly box in the bag when you plan to go fly fishing.. Talk to experienced fly anglers and visit the fly shop to get the best products. A little extra effort in knowing the right flies will make your experience worthwhile.
