# Which Fly?



## Dckhunter13 (Sep 20, 2007)

Hey guys I am kinda new to the fly fishing game. I have gone about a dozen times this summer with some decent success. I have all of the knots and techniques down. 

I am getting to the point now where I am wondering how to now which fly is the right one to use. Or even which fly is which. What I have done in the past is asked the local fly shop what is working and go from there. 

So what I am asking is what do you guys do to know which hatch is going on? or what type of nymph to use. Is there any good books or tips that anyone can give me? Thanks in advance.

P.s. I am going to fish the Provo sometime this week if anyone wants to meet me there shoot me a PM.


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

A good "Utah" reference book is "Flyfisher's Guide to Utah" by James B. DeMoux. It helps to give you an initial idea about certain waters and what has worked in general.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

JuddCT said:


> A good "Utah" reference book is "Flyfisher's Guide to Utah" by James B. DeMoux. It helps to give you an initial idea about certain waters and what has worked in general.


It's the "go to" flyfishing book for Utah.

uh...I'm in the Acknowledgements, page XVI. 8)


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

wyogoob said:


> JuddCT said:
> 
> 
> > A good "Utah" reference book is "Flyfisher's Guide to Utah" by James B. DeMoux. It helps to give you an initial idea about certain waters and what has worked in general.
> ...


Cool :mrgreen:


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

Get yourself a piece of screen material look what is in the water naturally, pick up and turn over some rocks. A lot can be learned by seeing what flows downstream naturally. Do the san juan shuffle!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

orvis1 said:


> Get yourself a piece of screen material look what is in the water naturally, pick up and turn over some rocks. A lot can be learned by seeing what flows downstream naturally. Do the san juan shuffle!


+1 - great idea

If you keep a fish to eat, cut it's stomach open and look at the contents.


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

wyogoob said:


> orvis1 said:
> 
> 
> > Get yourself a piece of screen material look what is in the water naturally, pick up and turn over some rocks. A lot can be learned by seeing what flows downstream naturally. Do the san juan shuffle!
> ...


Or another approach is to get a stomach pump. Get one fish pump the stomach and you can see exactly what was on the menu.


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## flyguy7 (Sep 16, 2007)

No offense goob but I would most definitely NOT recommend the fly fishers guide to utah. Most of the information is very dated and inaccurate. Let's just say Demoux has been passed over by modern fly fishing techniques and fly selection MANY years ago. If I were to recommend it would be the utah fishing guide by steve cook. I worked with him for a lot of years and he knows every fishy water in this state intimately.


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

So how about a starter fly assortment to help.
I'll start with a few dries.
Royal Wulff size 12 to 18
Griffith Gnat size 18 to 20

Nymphs
Pheasant Tail size 16 to 18
Prince Nymph size 14 to 16
Copper John size 16 to 20
Hair's Ear size 12 to 16
Zebra Midge size 16 to 18

Streamer
Woolly Bugger in black, olive or brown size 6 to 10
San Juan Worm in red or brown

This is very basic but should be a good selection for starting out.

Others will add their favorite flies to the list.

Try to keep it simple and don't get a huge assortment of flies to start with.
I do suggest that you have 3 or 4 of each pattern though.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

flyguy7 said:


> No offense goob but I would most definitely NOT recommend the fly fishers guide to utah. Most of the information is very dated and inaccurate. Let's just say Demoux has been passed over by modern fly fishing techniques and fly selection MANY years ago. If I were to recommend it would be the utah fishing guide by steve cook. I worked with him for a lot of years and he knows every fishy water in this state intimately.


Yeah, yeah, yeah...you may be right, thanks. Time goes by pretty fast. Uh...what the hell is wrong with dated and inaccurate?

Steve Cook? sounds familiar, probably someone I taught how to fly fish years ago.

What's the name of his book? :lol:


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## flyguy7 (Sep 16, 2007)

I would bet that you taught a lot of people to flyfish. Btw, I might be up in your neck of the woods later this week. Pm me if you will be around... it hog hunting time!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

flyguy7 said:


> I would bet that you taught a lot of people to flyfish. Btw, I might be up in your neck of the woods later this week. Pm me if you will be around... it hog hunting time!


He, he, he.....uh, I might have taught someone how to cook fish...I get mixed up sometimes.


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## browntrout (Apr 27, 2008)

flyguy7 said:


> No offense goob but I would most definitely NOT recommend the fly fishers guide to utah. Most of the information is very dated and inaccurate. Let's just say Demoux has been passed over by modern fly fishing techniques and fly selection MANY years ago. If I were to recommend it would be the utah fishing guide by steve cook. I worked with him for a lot of years and he knows every fishy water in this state intimately.


Flyguy7,
Is 1999 the most current edition of the book?

Thanks---


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

My book is 2001.


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## trout bum (Oct 5, 2010)

Forget about the books and learn how to do it the right way. Look at a hatch chart and learn the hatch timelines. Go to the river and be observant. flip rocks, shake bushes, sien the water. Learning to do that will teach you a lot more than any outdated book. What are you going to do when the book doesnt cover the water you are wanting to fish? Do your homework and learn to read the river and the bugs that live in it and you will be a lot better off in the long run. Dont get me wrong, I own these books and they are great for finding locations of streams in the state that you maybe didnt know about and for access( which can change as often as the popular fly) but you shouldnt depend on them.


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

trout bum said:


> Forget about the books and learn how to do it the right way. Look at a hatch chart and learn the hatch timelines. Go to the river and be observant. flip rocks, shake bushes, sien the water. Learning to do that will teach you a lot more than any outdated book. What are you going to do when the book doesnt cover the water you are wanting to fish? Do your homework and learn to read the river and the bugs that live in it and you will be a lot better off in the long run. Dont get me wrong, I own these books and they are great for finding locations of streams in the state that you maybe didnt know about and for access( which can change as often as the popular fly) but you shouldnt depend on them.


I think we all agree with you but they are a great starting point, then when you get there you do all the things you mentioned.


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## drsx (Sep 8, 2010)

Im also new to fly fishing, some of you may have seen my other posts. Sooo..... what about advice techniques? I'm not talking casting techniques, I mean when to use a dry fly or wet fly? How to present it, and why? About the only thing I know is a few dry flies and cast it up stream and follow it down trying to get it right strike zone. And it worked so far on my 1 and only day out using my new fly rod. But I don't know much else, the DVD that came with my stuff teaches basic casting techniques etc. and even when I google or youtube videos thats all I get. But I'd like more or different presentations what they are and when you use them..... thanks


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

I'd recommend actually taking a beginning/intermediate fly fishing course if you can't get out with an experienced friend/mentor. I know a couple of my friends from high school (never fished then) took a course up in Davis County from an old High School teacher (navidomskis -spelling?-) that they loved and that was how they go into fly fishing. They all thought I was crazy in high school going out fly fishing and now they are hooked!


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## lunkerjunker (Aug 8, 2011)

Grandpa D said:


> So how about a starter fly assortment to help.
> I'll start with a few dries.
> Royal Wulff size 12 to 18
> Griffith Gnat size 18 to 20
> ...


I think this is a pretty good list. With those nymps you can pretty much catch fish anywhere at any any time of the year. As for the basic dry flies I would add a parachute Adams and and Elk Hair Caddis.


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## trout bum (Oct 5, 2010)

I would add sow bugs and scudds as a back-up. They are in all tail-waters all year long no matter what is hatching. Although most of us would rather catch fish on dries, trout do the majority of thier feeding sub-surface. So you may have a little more success nymphing rather than trying to match the hatch.


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

trout bum said:


> So you may have a little more success nymphing rather than trying to match the hatch.


Great advice to follow!


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