Trout
Rainbow trout
Most fly fishermen would rather catch rainbow trout than any other species of fish on the fly. Rainbow trout feed on a variety of baits and they have
built the reputation of being one of the best-fighting freshwater fish. They also taste great. Rainbow trout feed on a variety of things such as worms,
eggs, small bait fish, crustaceans, aquatic insects and terrestrial insects. This gives you many options when you dig into your tackle box looking for a
fly. More info on Rainbow Trout. Click Here.
Rainbow trout can be found near or in faster water than most other trout. Rainbow trout will be found in slack areas, whether they are just current
breaks from a rock or overhanging branches or just pools of slack water, but they tend to be near faster water or even in the faster water. Faster
currents typically hold more rainbow trout than slack pools, but you will find fish in both areas. Try finding current breaks and pools near fast water
and cast throughout the entire area. This will help you pinpoint where the fish are feeding.
Steelhead
Rainbow trout that return to rivers for spawning are called steelhead. Steelhead will enter the rivers to spawn just like salmon, but steelhead will still
feed once they get into the river. This means that you need to figure out what they are feeding on so you can present a fly that will tempt a fish into
eating your fly. In rivers, steelhead will eat a variety of things such as insects, small bait fish, worms and even crustaceans. You can find some rivers
that have spring and fall spawning runs. There is a strain of steelhead called the “Skamania” steelhead and these fish make a summer spawning
run. Steelhead are known for their great fighting ability and they taste great. More info on Steelhead. Click Here.
Brook trout
Brook trout are great for beginner fly fishermen. They are fairly small, averaging less than 12 inches in length, but they are very aggressive and they
will eat almost anything you can find in your fly fishing box. Brook trout prefer areas of the river or stream that offer plenty of protection. Deep holes,
undercut banks, brush, log jams and any other type of cover in the stream or river will be a good place to fish for brook trout. More info on Brown
Trout. Click Here.
Brown trout
Brown trout are tougher to catch than some of the other types of trout. Presenting a fly in the perfect location can be the key to landing a trophy
brown trout. If you find fish, stay on them, but make sure to change your presentations until something triggers a strike. They can be fussy, but they
will eat if you present something that looks appealing to them. Don’t be afraid to change flies. If you are stubborn to make changes, brown trout will
win the battle most of the time and you will go home empty-handed.
Brown trout prefer cooler temperatures. They can be caught into late fall and early winter when most anglers are at home watching football. If you
can brave the temperatures, you can find plenty of water all to yourself. These times of year provide the least fishing pressure and some excellent
fishing for brown trout. More info on Brown Trout. Click Here.
Other Trout
- Cutthroat Trout
- Golden Trout
- Apache Trout
- Dolly Varden
- Grayling
Salmon
Chinook Salmon
Chinook salmon, also called King salmon, are known for making their famous fall spawning runs. In some places in Alaska, Chinook will make their
spawning run in the summer. Chinook salmon will swim up rivers to make their annual spawning run and these rivers make it possible for anglers to
catch these fish on a fly rod. Hooking a 20 to 50 pound salmon on a fly rod is an experience that you will remember for a long time. It is common to
catch 15 to 20 pound Chinook salmon in the Great Lakes’ tributaries as well as on the west coast. In Alaska, you have a chance of landing a 50
pound fish with many fish in the 25 to 35 pound range. More info on Chinook Salmon. Click Here.
When Chinook make their spawning run, they are in the river to get upstream and spawn. They will not feed once they enter the river. Many anglers
disagree with the reason why they will hit a fly, egg or even some small lures in the river, but it doesn’t really matter why they hit these lures. It’s just
important to know that these are the types of lures that they will still bite once they get into the river. Most fly fishermen have success with a single
egg pattern, black flies, woolly buggers and a variety of others flies. You can catch Chinook in slack water as well as faster-moving currents. Once
fish get into the river, they keep moving upstream and they will only stop to rest. Many fish are caught in the main river current as well as in the slack
areas or pools near the main currents. One of the best spots to catch Chinook in the river is in a pool just above current. They will use this as a
resting place.
Coho Salmon
Coho salmon spawn in most of the same rivers that you will find Chinook salmon. They typically come into the river after Chinook salmon. If you time
the run correctly, you can catch both species, which makes fishing a lot of fun. Coho will be found in the same areas that you find Chinook in the
rivers. They will also strike the same types of flies. Many anglers report good catches of coho on bright, colorful flies to go along with the standard
single egg patterns, black flies and woolly buggers. More info on Coho Salmon. Click Here.
Other Salmon
- Pink Salmon
- Sockeye Salmon
- Chum Salmon
Freshwater Fish
Largemouth Bass
Fly fishing for largemouth bass is not very popular among bass fishermen, but there are plenty of anglers out there that enjoy catching a largemouth
bass on the fly rod. It can be exciting because largemouth bass can be caught on the surface in shallow water. Shallow weeds, flats, shady docks
and timber are great areas to target largemouth bass on a fly. Top water poppers and flies will work well from late spring through early fall. To catch
bass below the surface, streamers do a great job of mimicking a minnow or small bait fish. Targeting largemouth bass in ponds is a great way to
learn the sport of fly fishing. There are many flies that will catch plenty of bluegill and even crappie in between largemouth bass bites. More info on
Largemouth Bass. Click Here.
Smallmouth Bass
Using a fly rod for smallmouth bass is a little more popular than targeting largemouth bass with a fly. The reason is simple: Smallmouth bass thrive in
many rivers and streams. Trout fishermen love fishing rivers and streams, so switching to smallmouth bass doesn’t require them getting out of their
comfort zone. Smallmouth bass can be caught in a lot of the same places as trout. Current breaks, undercut banks, pools, and even the main
current areas will hold smallmouth bass. Poppers, hair bugs, streamers and hellgrammite flies work well for smallmouth bass. More info on
Smallmouth Bass. Click Here.
Northern Pike
Pike fishing has its niche in the fly fishing community. We wouldn’t say that it is popular, but there are plenty of anglers that enjoy using a fly rod to
land a northern pike. The best time to target northern pike on a fly rod is during the spawning period. You will find plenty of fish in the shallows at
this time and they will attack almost anything that resembles food. Poppers and streamers work well for northern pike during the spawn. Sometimes,
pike will attack any top water popper or fly that disturbs their area. Other times, it will be tough to get a top water strike. This is the time to fish with a
streamer to mimic small bait fish. More info on Northern Pike. Click Here.
Bluegill and Sunfish
Fly fishing is fairly popular for bluegill and sunfish. These small panfish are what most fly fishermen target when they are first learning how to fly fish.
The nice thing about learning how to fly fish at a nearby pond is that you will usually have plenty of room to cast, you will get plenty of bites and the
fish that you miss aren’t going to cause you to lose any sleep. Bluegill and other sunfish in the 6 to 8 inch range can be caught in most ponds. More
info on Bluegill. Click Here.
Other Panfish
Saltwater Fish
Tarpon
Tarpon are enormous fish. 50 to 60 pound tarpon are considered small and fish over 100 pounds are fairly common. Even though tarpon will eat
large bait fish, whole crabs and a variety of other bigger baits, they will also take a small fly (for saltwater fishing). Fly fishermen typically target
tarpon in shallow water. Some inlets and flats can produce some monsters. More info on Tarpon. Click Here.
Barracuda
Barracuda are a great fish to target with a fly rod. Think of barracuda as the northern pike of saltwater, except these fish are bigger, stronger, faster
and even more aggressive. Just imagine the fight they could put up on a fly rod. Barracuda can be found in many shallow water areas as they
ambush a variety of smaller bait fish. Make sure to imitate a wounded baitfish and you will have a good chance of getting a strike from a barracuda.
More info on Barracuda. Click Here.
Bonefish
Bonefish might be the most popular saltwater fish caught on the fly. Fishermen from all over the world head to the Florida Keys and the Bahamas to
fish for bonefish on the flats. Guides will use a pole to move the boat slowly along the flats as they look for bonefish. Once they see a bonefish, the
guide will position the boat so the fishermen can make a perfect cast. When you set the hook on a bonefish, expect a long run and a screaming
drag. Bonefish are so fast and explosive and they will continue to make runs until they are exhausted. Shrimp and crab imitations are the most
popular presentations for bonefish. More info on Bonefish. Click Here.
Permit
Catching a permit on the fly is like the holy grail of fly fishing. Many anglers consider permit the hardest fish to catch on a fly. They are very difficult
to fool into biting and they are extremely difficult to land because they are so strong. You can find permit on the flats just like bonefish. Anglers will
sight-fish for them, meaning you will see the fish before you make a cast. Permit’s tails can be seen above the surface as their head is positioned
towards the bottom feeding on crabs. Avoid spooking them, present a fly pattern that imitates a crab, get them to eat it, then hold on. More info on
Permit. Click Here.
Redfish
Redfish are a favorite of many fly fishermen. You can often find many fish tailing on the flats in the morning. If you can present a crab or shrimp fly
pattern to these tailing redfish, you should be able to catch a few of them. Redfish are easier to catch than bonefish or permit, but they can still be
spooked, so make sure to stalk them carefully. More info on Redfish. Click Here.
Sea Trout
Sea trout are very popular among inshore fishermen. They are located in shallow water near grass and sandy areas. Sea trout will eat a variety of
different food such as crabs, shrimp and other bait fish. Some popular bait fish are anchovies, mullet, pinfish, menhaden and silversides. To catch
trout, try imitating crabs, shrimp and small bait fish. Large trout will feed mostly on other fish, so bait fish fly patterns will consistently catch bigger sea
trout. More info on Sea Trout. Click Here.
Snook
Snook are another common fish among inshore anglers. Snook are similar to largemouth bass, but much bigger. Snook hang out around docks,
rock piles, bridges, trees, mangroves, inlets and backwaters. Bass fishermen usually have no problem learning how to catch snook. The types of
baits are different, but the types of cover that hold snook are very similar to where bass would hang out if they were a saltwater species. Snook feed
on shrimp, crab and bait fish. More info on Snook. Click Here.
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