The Fly Guide | October 2025
The Fly Guide: oct 2025
nymphing 101
A large portion of a trout’s diet comes from sub-surface insects, like caddis larva, midges and other macroinvertebrates – that’s where nymphing comes in. To catch trout and other fish feeding below the water’s surface, grab some stoneflies and midges and have these 5 tips in your back pocket!
Keep a tight drift: Removing slack from the system will help your drift look as natural and drag free as possible. The more line on the water, the more drag you will get from the different currents. By keeping your line short and using your rod length to reach where the fish might be, you will be better positioned for a drag free drift. End result: you present more realistic looking bugs and fish are much more willing to eat them up!
Fish as deep as possible: If you aren’t bumping the bottom you aren’t deep enough. You need to estimate the overall depth of the section you are fishing and set the indicator (it’s a bobber by another name). By setting your indicator to 1 to 1 1/2 of that depth you stand a good chance to get your fly to the bottom. But be careful not to set it so deep that there is too much line out in shallow water – resulting in too much drag and an unnatural drift. It’s a delicate balance that comes with practice.
Don’t be afraid of heavy flies or weight: Getting your fly to the depth that fish are feeding at is the name of the game. In most cases, this will require a weighted fly, split shot or a combination of the two. Experiment with different weights, combinations and flies to get you in the right zone.
Treat every bump as a strike: As you drift your fly along the bottom, bumping rocks and vegetation is inevitable. The tough part is determining what bumps are strikes (fish on!) and what is the bottom (potential lost flies). If you get in the habit of treating all bumps as strikes, you will stand a better chance of setting the hook on a subtle take.
Give your fly some movement: As insects move through the water, they don’t always follow a straight line or trajectory. By adding some movement by way of small twitches or swinging your fly through the current, you stand a better shot at getting that fish to bite.
how to find more fish
I totally get that landing fish – or even sighting fish – isn’t always the primary goal for a day on the water. Sometimes, it’s just shaking off the grey season or sipping your favorite drink with your buddies. But, let’s be honest: it sure is nice when the stars align and you fill that net, cast, after cast ,after cast.
So, if you’re looking to do more than take your rod and pack for a walk, keep reading…
Match the Hatch: People say this phrase time and time again. Why? Because it helps anglers land fish! Matching the hatch is all about observing your surroundings. Scope out the surface – What bugs are coming off the water? Reach under your feet – What bugs are hanging out under rocks?
If mayflies are coming off and swarming you, pick a dry from your fly box. If scuds are scurrying away when you pull the rocks above water, grab a look-alike from your box. And if you’re seeing fish either sipping the surface or rocketing out of the creek with no sign of bugs flying around, it’s time to tie on a dry-dropper rig so you can get some surface action with a wet fly and/or a beadhead nymph underneath to cover all levels of the water column.
You’re increasing your odds of landing fish when you use some quick situational awareness and match whatever bug(s)/action might be happening around you.
Keep on Keepin’ On: Some days, I can fish the lakeshore and crush it. I set up camp, let the dog/kids hang out in the shade, and I’m within arms-reach…all while landing fish., after fish, after fish. Unfortunately, that scenario isn’t always the case. Sometimes, you need to move for feet to find what you seek: more fish.
When fishing lakeshores, consider navigating your way around, aiming for the shaded sections on hot days or going deeper with a bugger, if needed. On the river, movement is nearly always a must. You might have a favorite a sweet spot behind some boulders, but keep moving upstream to the next hole to find equally-hungry fish.
Put ‘em Back: That’s right, this is your public service announcement for catch & release. I get it, you’re coming under the stars and you want a fish fry on the campfire tonight with the wild caught trout you proudly landed that morning. That’s totally cool! Go for it. But on an average day, on an average piece of water – and even on a dream day at a life-long destination spot – consider landing those fish (gently and respectfully), snap a photo and set them free.The more fish we land and release, the more bigger, older, (maybe even more challenging and fun!) fish we can chase another day.
Targeting pike on the fly
Northern Pike are known for their short temper, insatiable appetite, and toothy appearance. As an ambush predator they use speed to bombard baitfish and small mammals. While targeting pike has been a staple in the conventional fishing community, fly fishing for pike has quickly garnered the attention of fisherman looking for explosive eats and adrenaline pumping battles. Whether you're fishing a lake, river, or pond, pike can be targeted year-round. Check out our pike fishing tips below to learn more.
Prespawn Spring: The pre-spawn bite occurs when a body of water is unthawing from winter frost, usually water temps are in the upper 30s. During this time, large groups of pike move into river mouths, slack water eddies, and areas filled with dead reeds, thick cattails, and other debris. Due to frigid water temps, pre-spawn fish have a slow metabolism and neutral attitude toward a fly. These fish are looking to use the least amount of energy possible as they hunt prey. Typically, the most conducive time to fish for pre-spawn pike is on a warm sunny afternoon, since pike will be found laid up shallow soaking up the sun’s rays. As for fly choice, a neutrally buoyant fly that hovers over a pikes face for an extended period of time will elicit an aggressive strike. Our flat wing assortment has neutrally buoyant properties and ideal colors to get fish jazzed up. In terms of retrieve, a sharp strip followed by a long 15 to 20 second pause should draw a reaction. If the fish refuses the fly it’s important to change colors as some brighter colors such as chartreuse will provide a brighter profile for the fish. Generally, the pre-spawn bite can last about 3-4 weeks although once the water reaches 40 to 45 degrees the bite shuts down as pike begin to partake in spawning activity.
Post Spawn Spring: After the spawn is complete, pike will remain in proximity to spawning water to gorge and refuel on a variety of bait such as perch, crappie, and trout. Since post spawn water temperatures are 48 to 60 degrees, fish are more active in their search for food. At this time, pike will hide and ambush a fly at a moments notice so it’s important to make accurate casts at edges of tall grass, drop offs, and any wood debris. Additionally, track your fly through the column, pike are extremely stealthy and tend to follow the fly right to the rod tip. For your retrieve, try a slow constant double hand strip or a strip followed by a pause. In the event that a pike follows the fly without crushing it, simply speed up your retrieve and decrease the time of your pause.
Fall Pike: Another fantastic time to target pike is in the fall. During this time, these ferocious fish push back into shallow water to begin hunting for the winter. In their quest for calories, they chew on a variety of bait, such as perch and sunfish. Usually they hang out around down trees, dropoffs, gravel bars, and dense cattails. Keep in mind that these fish tend to be extremely fired up in September and October when colder nights contribute to dropping water temperatures. All it takes is a few nights in the 50s! Unlike the spring, you can work the fly with more vigor using fewer pauses and faster retrieval cadences. For fly choice, we’ve got you covered with our predator fly assortment; these flies are large streamers that glide and ungulate, the perfect big-ticket meal for a beast!
