On the Swift, really, smaller is better. At least if midges are the fly of choice. Believe it or not, I caught 90% of my Swift trout without using fly smaller than size 24, but just last year I began experimenting with 28-32 sized flies. And I wish I had done it earlier, because I
Category: Flies and fly tying
Special Hooks for Midges
It was a great pleasure to meet Joe C. at the Y Pool. He’s an accomplished angler. A great tip he shared was about using “big eye” midge hooks. Putting on a size 30 midge emerger is a total pain, and it requires thin tippet. But, if you’re fishing for the big ‘bows at the
‘Three Great Wet Flies for Summer’
If you’re looking to read some fun and interesting content, read Steve Culton’s blog. He fishes the Farmington, is a guide, and offers clinics. He’s also a great writer and composes some entertaining prose. His blog recently linked to an article he wrote on “Three Great Wet Flies for Summer.” To chase brown trout, I
The Serendipity
I carry with me many emerger patterns. I think those flies look like sitting ducks to trout. They mimic vulnerable bugs that attempt to rise to the water’s surface. They’re high-percentage snacks. Most of the takes I’ve had this summer have been on emergers: flies with shucks, materials suggesting air bubbles on their backs, and/or