The best dry flies for Southern Brook Trout are going to be the ones your most comfortable with. That being said it’s not the answer you’re looking for.
So, when the weather is right and you’re itching for a top water bite then the flies listed below should be your go to’s. First let’s go over in a little more depth on when you should be fishing dry flies for Brook Trout and how to fish them.
What Gear is needed for dry fly fishing for Southern Brook Trout
In order to fish these flies properly and to give you any chance of catching these trout then you’ll need to have the right gear.
What Fly Line is Needed?
You’ll need to be using floating fly line if you want to properly fish dry flies. Any sort of sinking line is going to hamper your ability to keep your fly from becoming subsurface.
We all know nymphing and subsurface flies are the most efficient way to catch fish, but at what cost to our sanity? As great as it is feeling the tug on the end of the line, it’s preceded by seeing a trout rise to your fly only to dive down and the ensuing fight.
How long should the rod be?
Most of the time when your fishing for Brook Trout in the South you’ll be fishing in tight mountain streams. Where dogwood tree limbs stretch out over the water and rhododendron branches litter the shore line ready to snare your fly in its back cast.
Because of this it would be best to keep your rod as short as your willing to go. Something in the 7′ 6″ range would be great. However, if you feel comfortable enough then moving up to 8′ or 8′ 6″ is doable. Just get comfortable with a roll cast, or bow and arrow cast.
Best Rod weight for Southern Brook Trout
Ideally you want to be using a 3wt or lighter in order to use the delicate presentations needed to catch these fish.
However, if all you have is a 5wt then you’ll be able to get away it. It just may take a little more work and time on your part to learn how to get a solid drift on those smaller flies..
Best Southern Brook Trout Dry Fly Techniques
Finding native Brook Trout can be difficult, but what you find them you’ll see that most trout will be facing into the current. Which means its best to approach from downstream and use an upstream cast. This keeps you concealed and doesn’t allow the fish to realize your presence.
After taking a close look at the water try and land your fly several feet above where you see a fish holding, and allow it to drift down.
Ideally you’ll see a rise and hit withing a few seconds of your fly hitting the water. If you miss the hook set don’t be afraid to recast to the same spot. Many times the fish will come back and hit the fly again.
Best Dry flies for Brook Trout
Now that we’ve covered what kind of rod, and line is needed it’s now time to go over exactly what type of dry flies are best used when fishing for Southern Brook Trout.
Parachute Adams
One of the classic dry fly patterns, the Parachute Adams is a must have for any fly fisherman. It imitates a wide selection of mayflies, and can be found at just about fly shop.
Before making your first cast check the stream and see how big the mayflies are that morning. Match your fly size to what whats buzzing around the water. Typically this is going to be somewhere in the size range of 8-20.
Elk Hair Caddis
Similar to the Adams above, this is a quintessential dry fly that any fly fisherman worth their salt carries with them. It’s ideal for throwing anytime you see caddis hatching, and similar to the Adams its best to have a size 8-20 in your fly box.
In a pinch this could also serve as a hopper imitation. This is a great catch all fly.
Blue-Winged Olive (BWO)
The BWO imitates tiny mayflies all across the country. This fly is ideal to keep in your fly box no matter where you’re fishing.
If you’re seeing mayflies around and the Brook Trout aren’t hitting your Adams then give the BWO a shot. Keep these in a size 14-24.
Beetles/Hoppers
There are an incredible amount of beetle and hopper variations out there. It’s best to go to the local fly shop to find ones that will work the best on the river you plan on fishing.
These flies look like great, big meals to Brook Trout and are a great fly to throw come summer time. These are also ideal to throw if you’re looking to use a dry dropper.
Floating Ants
Another great summer time fly. The floating ant works great any time during the warm summer months as long as the water remains high.
However, they seem to work best after a nice rain storm that would wash ants and other terrestrials into the water. Look for these in a size 12-20.
Final Thoughts
Brook Trout fishing in the Southern Appalachian’s can be some of the most productive fishing you do all year. These aggressive little fish enjoy hitting just about anything that floats past them. Which can lead to large numbers of fish being caught in one outing.
Take some of the advice above and apply it your home stream, then put your own twist on it to meet the uniqueness of your home waters.
