One fly that has been absolutely killer for browns is something I’m calling “The Slim Reaper.”

I don’t know why, but brown trout go crazy for it. Maybe it’s because we’re in caddis season. Maybe it’s a combo of pink, ginger, and chartreuse. Maybe it’s because the Angora fur is super-buggy.

Regardless, the fly has been deadly on the swing, but also, on a dead-drift and on the rise at the end of a drift.

My fly is a derivation from Steve Culton’s Squirrel & Ginger fly. A big hat tip to him. He fishes the famed Farmington and says that his fly is very effective with brown trout. Photo of Steve’s fly below.

Honestly, my tweaks are pretty minor, but I feel good about them. Here’s the recipe: