 Hold your mouse pointer over the fly name for the fly description and picture. Click on Fly Name for full size picture and pattern materials. |
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Elk Hair Caddis Nelson Caddis Adams Dry Parachute Adams Black Stone Yellow Sally Light Hendrickson Light Cahill Blue Winged Olive BWO Parachute Thunderhead Tennessee Wullf Orange Stimulator Black Stimulator |
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Pheasant Tail Nymph Prince Nymph Hare's Ear Beadhead Zug Bug Golden Stone Creme Caddis Pupa Olive Caddis Pupa Green Tellico Tellico Nymph |
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Inch Worm HiVis Ant Hopper |
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The Elkhair Caddis can be tied in different colors and sizes to fit the many caddis hatches in the Smokies. Favorites are Olive, Black, Orange, Yellow and Tan tied with light elk hair wing in sizes 16 to 12. There is also a Gray caddis in sizes 18 to 14 with Deer hair wings for the many Dun colored caddis hatches.
The Nelson Caddis is just a local favorite that doesn't imitate any particular caddis but just looks good and catches fish even better. Used in sizes 14 to 12.
The Adams Dry Fly is arguably the most popular fly of the Great Smokies National Park as well as the world. It is used in the Smokies in sizes 20 to 10. Size 12 and 14 being the most popular, however a size 10 Adams can be murder on large early season browns in all the larger streams of the Smokies.
A variation of the Adams is the Female Adams. Many mayflies have an eggsac attached to the rear of the abdomen and the trout key in on this feature. It is usually yellow in color so the Female Adams is the fly of choice for imitating these insects.
Everything said about the Adams Dry fits for the Parachute Adams. It may be a better choice in slower pools and heavily fished waters. Sizes 18 to 12 are a must.
The Black Stone Dry (Black Trude) is for imitating the various darker stoneflies found in the Smokies. Usually the fish will key in on the nymphs but a large Black Stone Dry will bring up some large trout. Also great for fishing with a dropper nymph. Sizes 16 to 10 recommended.
In late June thru August there are several yellow stoneflies that hatch in the late evenings and a lot of people mistake them for mayflies. The Yellow Stone Dry (Yellow Sally or Yellow Trude) is the fly of choice in sizes 16 short up to 10 long shank for these hot evenings. There is also a chartreus or lime stonefly that hatches at the same times usually in size 16.
The Light Hendrickson is a great all around fly for the many Dun colored mayflies that hatch from March to October in sizes 18 to 12. Also the near cousin Red Quill is a fine choice and floats better with the quill body.
The Light Cahill has been around forever but still is a favorite for the light creme colored mayflies hatches everywhere. Used from April to August in sizes 14 and 12 and be sure to have a couple of Cahill Parachutes along too.
I never go out on the stream without a few Blue Winged Olives in sizes 18 to 14, anytime of year. It represents many mayflies that are usually small and graywinged with bodies from a light tannish olive to dark brownish olive.
For the colder months (Nov. to April), a Parachute BWO is essential for fooling sluggish trout in slow pools. Sizes 20 to 14.
The Thunderhead is a great fast water attractor pattern all over the Smokies. The white wings help with tracking the fly in fast riffles so you don't miss the split second strike. Sizes 14 and 12.
Another local favorite based on the tried and true Royal Wullf but with a Tennessee hillbilly twist. The Tennessee Wullf is for fast riffles and pocket water in sizes 14 and 12.
They say the Orange Stimulator is a stonefly imitation...well maybe an extraterrestrial stonefly but who cares, it catches trout all over the world! Great fast water pattern in May thru October. Sizes 14 to 10 long shank. Great for dropper work too but can startle you when the fish takes the Stimulator instead of the nymph.
The Black Stimulator is used a lot like the Orange but usually used earlier in the year like March to May in sizes 14 to 10 long.
What the Adams is to dries, the Pheasant Tail is to nymphs. 'Don't leave home without it' says it all. Good all year in sizes 18 to 10. This little nymph imitates many mayfly species that have dark brownish coloration and is used all over the world. Great in beadhead form.
The Prince Nymph is one of those flies that catches trout but I can't imagine what it imitates. I think the white goose biot wing gets the trouts attention then the peacock herl seduces him to bite. Best in sizes 16 to 10 all year long.
Another great all around mayfly nymph imitation. The Hare's Ear is good all the time but more so when there are light colored nymphs about. Not just for mayflies but imitates some caddis larva also. Sizes 18 to 10. Try a few with Hare's Ear dubbing dyed olive in the early season(Feb to April).
Call it 'Eye candy for trout' but be sure to have a few in sizes 14 to 10 in your vest. All year.
Around May to July, the Golden Stone is a good bet in sizes 14 to 10 long. If you aren't catching anything but you know the fish are there, try the Golden Stone.
Our bigger(14 to 10) caddis flies hatch from April to October and sometimes you can see flies coming off but the fish (good ones) won't touch a dry cause they are keyed in on the caddis pupa. The Creme Caddis Pupa can save the day. Best in sizes 16 to 10 and try a few in beadhead style.
Same as the above 'Creme Caddis Pupa' but for darker hued variety. Sizes 16 to 10 and April to October.
They say the Green Tellico imitates the Cadis larva but I think thats a stretch, it just looks good and trout love'm. The Green Tellico is best used in 14 to 10 and don't forget to try a few in beadhead form. All year but May thru July is best.
The Tellico Nymph was born and bred here in the Smokies and has since traveled the globe. I think there is something about yellow that trout like and the Tellico just looks buggy. A tried and true standard for the Park in sizes 14 to 10 all year long but best in April to October.
Around May to August the Inchworm is deadly. The easiest of flies to tie, it mimics the green catapillars that fall from trees to hungry fish below in a suicidal fashion. Good in sizes 12 to 8 on 2x long nymph hooks. Weight lightly.
We catch a lot of picky fish on the HiVis Ant. From March to November ants are around and fish know it. Have a few in sizes 16 to 12. Try a few without wings and fishing it like a nymph is a real killer.
There is nothing better (well maybe one) than slapping a hopper on the water tight against an undercut bank and watching a 16" trout come up and murder it. Hopper fishing is my favorite and good from June to October. Carry in sizes 14 long to 10 long for trout and 8 to 4 long for smallmouth.
