This week this writer fished the American River around Auburn California on a limited access 8 mile section which had not been fished for at least four days before.  Always try to think like a fish, ask the question, Trout flies, why are trout fussy?  What makes them attack with lust or move away from your presentation.  When approaching  new water where wild trout have not been disturbed,  they are often quiet selective in what offering they will want.

Always start exploring with a mid sinking line with a leach or wooly bugger mid size, 12 or 10.  If no grabs you must rethink your offering.  The solution is to go smaller and slower in your presentation. As the mid range depth is fished with now grabs, try the top layer, still no garbs.. you are facing fussy fish that are actually intimidated by your larger size offering.  Try small nymphs and fish them in the same manner of depth slowly, still no grabs, go smaller still.  Start with a 12 and 14 trailing nymph, blood midge, hares ear your just searching.  Still not luck, go 16 and 18.

That was the secret for success and 15 native trout from 12 to 17 inches taker over a mid day four hour period.  Fish either swinging the tiny nymphs or under an indicator.  The largest fish an aggressive 17 rainbow took in a fast riffle, an 18 hares ear bead head.

The other observation when you begin searching is to watch and look.  That day no fish were feeding anywhere on the surface and it just felt like a shy day for the population.  This was proven when the tiny flies worked.  This writer has observed this condition many times over 30 years of fly fishing.  Trout flies, why are trout fussy… trout are in a sense weary of larger offerings.

On even selective trout fish a hares ear, prince nymph or Pt nymph slowly.  Its the size and dead drift that will save your day and up set theirs!

Hares ears nymphs, both bead head and standard 12-18

PT nymphs, both bead head and standard 12-18

Prince nymphs, both bead head and standard 12-18

For a great selection of the small size nymphs at a very reasonable $1.00 each,  see the flies at :  https://kaneklassics.com/shop/

Douglas Kulick, Maker and owner of Kane Klassics Bamboo Fly Rods, has been asked to recommend his top Five favorite trout fishing flies.  When we spoke to Doug on his favorites his comment was that all the flies offered by Kane Klassics are picked for versatility and a broad range of imitation offerings for trout all over the world.  We keep at him and finally he said that the following five he packed aboard the company plane’s emergency survival kit.  So with that answer what could we say!  If you had to survive, on five flies we’d certainly takes Doug Lead.

The Maker’s Top Five Trout Flies:

Parachute Adams  https://kaneklassics.com/product/parachute-adams

Royal Coachman  https://kaneklassics.com/product/royal-coachman/

Caddis Dry Fly  https://kaneklassics.com/product/elk-hair-caddis-tan/

Bead Heard Hares Ear Nymph  https://kaneklassics.com/product/bead-head-hares-ear-light/

Bead Head Prince Nymph  https://kaneklassics.com/product/bead-head-prince-nymph/

Bamboo Fly Rod Maker’s Recommended Top Five Trout Flies and all Kane Klassics Flies are available  on this link:    https://kaneklassics.com/shop/

The most productive flies your fly box can have are a selection of Hare’s Ear Nymphs.  Either the bead head or standard,  they simply catch more fish, in more waters then all other nymph patterns combined.  The reason is the buggy life likeness of the fly’s rabbit hair tying material.

In small sizes the Hare’s Ear Nymphs represent all forms of mayflies, and simply just edible chow for any hungry fish.  In larger sizes, any aquatic life form. They are a non-specific form of nymph, not matching any specific nymph but that in its own right justifies their number one edibility for any opportunistic predator.

I have often caught minnows that attacked and been hooked on this nymph where the nymph was half their size. I regularly hook 20 inch plus fish as well.

Hare’s Ear Nymphs can be best fished any number of ways.  As droppers under dry flies, dead drifted on floating and sinking fly lines, and under indicators. Here is a sure fire naughty trick when you really cant match an evening dry fly hatch.  Use floatant on a hare’s ear attached to a long leader and floating fly line; then and hold on. This effective floating the nymph in the surface film can make a lousy day excel. Always try Hare’s Ear Nymphs, you’ll be pleased.

See the kane klassics selection of quality tied hare ears on the links below.

BH Hare’s Ear Dark: https://kaneklassics.com/product/bead-head-hares-ear-dark/

DH Hare’s Ear Light: https://kaneklassics.com/product/bead-head-hares-ear-light/

Hare’s Ear Dark: https://kaneklassics.com/product/hares-ear/

Hare’s Ear Light: https://kaneklassics.com/product/hares-ear-light/