Late October Patterns?

Since I still have not caught a trout on a fly, I thought I would go out again on the last weekend in October at the Brookville Tailwaters here in Indiana.
What patterns do you recommend?
Thanks,
Alan

I fished over there on Friday. I few weeks from now and things could change but for me it's been all dries and emergers so far. I'm still finding small black ants (size 18's and 20's) and an olive snowshoe and pheasant tail emerger (size 18) very productive. Adams and other gray patterns (size 14, 16 and 18) have also produced some fish. My favorite over there is an olive and dark dun klinkhamer special (size 16 & 18) although it's not been very effective lately. I've only caught one fish on a nymph and it was something I tie and not a standard pattern. Folks I've talked to have all been using something different and everyone seems to catch fish.

Given that, I think you might still get some action on terrestrials (ant's, beetles, hoppers and crickets) as long as the day is bright, sunny and reasonable warm (or some combination of that weather type). I'd try dries but I'd keep them fairly small and dark colored. It might also be a good tactic to drop a small nymph or midge off the back of a dry just to double your chances. Small caddis still seem popular but I?ve seen very few caddis hatch lately.

You'll like BV. The fish are plentiful and generally cooperative. I've not had a bad day over there yet but I have had some frustrating days when the fish are actively feeding, just not on what I'm offering. I must also offer the disclaimer that I?m not an expert on the fishery. I?ve been over there at least a dozen times this year and it is just over 50 miles from my house but I?ve still got a lot to learn about the stream.

There are a few others on the board who fish it and I'm sure they will chime in with their thoughts. I'd offer to join you but I'm really hopping to get some Steelhead fishing in. But, if it doesn't rain, who knows, I might be over that weekend.

I've fished there about 10 times this year. I just found out about it this spring and with the hot summer and drought the local smallmouth and bluegill streams have just about dried up. That has left Brookville more or less my home water. I've fished with Joe (the fellow who replied just before me) a couple times and he catches a lot of fish there so you should listen to what he says.

I've been doing a lot better the last 4 or so times there as I learn the water.

The last couple trips here is what I've used to catch fish:
Griffith's gnat size 20 and 22
Parachute Adams size 18 and 20
Hopper size 10
black ant size 14 or so
royal coachman size 18
various numphs with prince nymph seeming to be good
white midge size 22

I've found the hoppers and ants work best in mid afternoon when the sun is high. The gnats, midge, and adams work when you see them feeding on the surface. The nymphs and coachman (and other stimulator dry flies) are desparation flies. When I'm frustrated and nothing is working, I just star trying different things. I have even tossed bluegill poppers and rubber spiders. Not much luck, I did have a really big brown come up and nail a popper but I missed the hookset.

So, for my fishing, it's the gnat and midge dry flies when I see them feeding on surface, an ant or a nymph when I don't see them feeding on surface, hoppers in mid afternoon when nothing else is working (I did catch a rather large 17-18" brown on a hopper) and I just experiment when nothing is working.

Now, for your fishing style, what is working for me may not work for you. I would just recommend getting flies in the 18-22 size range and start fishing. I think at brookville size and presentatin (drift) are more important than what fly.

Last Friday, Joe and I were standing side by side and fishing very different flies but they were both small and we were getting good drifts and we both caught fish.

Jeff