I have owned fly gear for many yaers but have never, ever been able to use it cause I have been hooked on my spinning gear. This past weekend, a friend of mine took me out after brookies and I actually caught one. he didn’t , so that was kinda cool, haha.
I am looking on going again in September and am wondering if thats too late to go for trout. If its not, can anyone give me suggestions for types of flies to use.
Hi Process,
Welcome to the group. Castwell and Ladyfisher are off exploring the country so you may not be getting the official welcome for a couple of days. This is a great place with lots of wonderful information and good people to help you out.
In most areas of the country, trout fishing actually gets better in September and continues to improve through October and even later. But my suggestion is to find a local pond or small lake and take your fly fishing stuff there. Brim, bass and crappie are great fun on a fly rod. Your trout outfit will work fine and the same flies you used for trout will catch brim. Better yet, go to your local fly shop and buy a couple of poppers. If you find a good lake, your catch will be more than one fish-----40-50 fish would not rare. Try your local warmwater areas—great fun.
Once again welcome. Let us hear from you on a regular basis.
8T 
Welcome to FAOL. Nice to see someone from Halifax join the fray. I wish I could advise you on flies but it is area specific and I don’t really know what to suggest. I do nkow that Brookies are especially active in the fall. They fatten up for the winter and it is also spawning time. I try to avoid fishing during the spawning but before that time is a great time to go out.
I think some good streamers, Mickey Finns, a Brook Trout imitation or Wooley Buggers are pretty universal.
General nymphs would be a pheasant tail or a Gold Ribbed Hares Ear. They are usually close enough to something that they inspire a strike or two.
Enjoy and let us know how it goes. Don’t hesitate to post your questions here. Responses are generally forthcoming with a smile. :lol:
I will definetly usee all your suggestions too.
i am not down on the names of the flies yet, so will have to go to my favourite tackle shop and pick their brains.
Thanks again and will keep you all updated with the results.
Welcome to FAOL for Canadian flies and info, try this website www.hipwader.com. Lots of informed and friendly folks there.
Proc(),
A Warm Welcome to you. Hoyou drop by the Chat room some evening (or any time sundays).
Tight Lines,
Am normally on puter thru the day Mondays to fridays, not normally in evenings. Lots to do around house or gone fishin, lol.
Hi Process,
I studied at Dalhousie and lived in Halifax for years (grew up in Nova Scotia actually). Anyway, some flies that always produced well before would definately include the Mickey Finn, Parmachene Belle, dark Montreal, Jerry Madiddler, Royal Cochman (wet and dry), March browns, pheasant tail nymphs, prince nymph, zug bug, midge pupae, soft hackle spiders, mosquito’s, hmmm, I’m sure there’s more. Red and yellow are good colours to look for in wet flys and streamers.
I’ve posted a message that included a picture of a midge pupae pattern that a I gave to a friend of my dad’s, and he caught 10 brookies one day, and 27 on another, before the fly wore out. Nobody else was getting any strikes, so these seem to be the ticket (or were about 6 weeks ago; a lot will have changed since then). I’m not sure if you will find that exact pattern, but anything that looks similar would work as well I suspect (zebra midge is a common pattern that should do the trick).
Anyway, good luck and enjoy!
Welcome! I must say that I had the same fear not so long ago. I had all the spin gear and fished all the time but the first moment I went out and used fly gear I had ZERO luck but… I didn’t give up. All my friends used Spin gear and I was the first to convert to flyfishing. The second time I went out I ran into a guy out at the local river that had been flyfishing for a long time or many years and he got me set up! showed me some things and I actually caught my first fish on the fly that day and haven’t touched a spin rod since. It’s absolutely awesome to flyfish and I can’t imagine anything I’d rather be doing as a sport. Now most of the guys that fish with me use the flyrod…
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Can’t say for your neck of the woods, but round here I fish TROUT year round. I would suggest SCUDS or SOWBUGS because around here they are a main food source of the rivers. Also matching the hatch on PMD’s, BWO’s, Caddis, and terrestrials. Nymph, basics like HARESEAR, PHEASANT TAILS, COPPER JOHN’s, PRINCE NYMPHS, ZUG BUGS. The colder waters here require smaller attacks like ZEBRA’s, WD’s. Then there are the favorite, BACON & EGGS (San Juan Worm & Glow Bugs) and Wooly Buggers.
Then you have to determine size of each, retrieve, and depth or zone.
TIGHT LINES TO YOU
FG
I grew up in Baddeck NS, And from all the trout fishing i did growing up the mickey finn has to be the best brook trout fly out there. Atleast it always produced for me and still does in Alberta from time to time. I would also recommend doc spratleys, and rabbit fur or marabou leeches if you happen to fish any local stocked lakes, or beaver ponds. I know there should be a number of stocked ponds and lakes close to Halifax, there are numerous in The Highlands and in Guysbough County, That I have fished.
I would also say some of the best fishing down home is late fall and early in the spring. I was sitting on a pail on opening day over 30 inchs of ice on a secret lake my father inlaw took me too in the Highlands, some of the best fishing I ever seen down home. Second only to the same lake in the fall with mickey finns.
-Hillard