The 10 Best Flies For Early Season Trout

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Trout fishing in the early season can be extremely productive with the right flies. In many regions, the spring offers unpressured trout, plus an opportunity to fish bigger flies than we might fish later in the year. Today, we'll share our top 10 favorite flies for early-season trout fishing and what makes them so effective.

This list is composed of flies that work well during pre-runoff or runoff conditions. Think attractor patterns and generalist flies that can widely imitate lots of trout food. For runoff, we've selected some heavy patterns that sink quickly to the strike zone. We also included a couple of dry fly patterns for good measure, as certain fisheries can offer epic springtime hatches. Use this list as a general guideline, but tailor it to your fishery as needed.

Mop

Love 'em or hate 'em, mop flies can be deadly - especially during the early season. The mop fly is an attractor nymph pattern that looks vaguely like an immature caddis, a dragonfly nymph, a worm, or even a small baitfish. The mop is designed to be seen - often fished in larger sizes (8-12) and tied in loud colors such as chartreuse or fluorescent orange. After a long winter with minimal hatches, trout are eager to move a few extra inches for a large, highly visible meal like the mop.

Sculpzilla

The Sculpzilla is a heavy, slender streamer pattern designed to imitate the profile of a Sculpin, a bottom-dwelling baitfish found in many rivers and streams. We like the Sculpzilla in the early season because it sinks to the strike zone quickly, and can be stripped, jigged, or swung to entice eats from lazy springtime Trout.

Large Jig Nymphs

In most trout streams, the early season means minimal hatches, which is why large attractor-style jig nymphs are so effective. There are lots of great jig patterns available, but we love the CDC Jigged Pheasant Tail for early-season trout because it sinks quickly and looks like a wide range of aquatic insects. In larger sizes, such as 12 or 10, the jig PT could be a stonefly or a big green drake nymph. In smaller sizes, like 16 or 14, it closely resembles a caddis pupa or a smaller mayfly nymph. What's more, the jig hook keeps your fly drifting hook-point up, meaning fewer snags and better hookups.

Parachute BWO

Certain fisheries offer spectacular springtime BWO hatches, like Utah's Green River in the Flaming Gorge. If you find yourself amid an early-season BWO hatch, have some Parachute BWOs handy. This is a tried and true olive-colored Parachute Adams that is easy to see and consistently fools rising fish - here's how to tie the Parachute Adams yourself.

Griffiths Gnat

When fish are eating midges by the mouthful, it's hard to beat a good ole Griffiths Gnat. This simple pattern imitates a midge cluster and has caught countless early-season trout over the years. Grab a few sizes and never hit the river without them!

Eggs

In any river with a springtime spawn, eggs are an easy source of protein for trout as they helplessly drift downstream. Typically, you'll want to fish egg patterns in rivers with species like wild rainbows, cutthroats, suckers, or early-running salmon species that spawn in the spring. Research which species spawn during spring on your home waters, and match the size and color of their eggs. We like Otter's Soft Milking Egg, but you could also fish a yarn egg in a wide variety of colors and sizes.

Squirmy Wormie

With spring runoff comes more aquatic worms in the system, and worm imitations can be incredibly effective when flows are high. Although traditional chenille worms work well, jigged Squirmy Wormies offer a much more lifelike movement and a quick sink rate. Try one next time you're faced with cold, turbid water conditions during the early season.

Pats Rubberlegs

One of the best Stonefly nymphs ever created, the Pats Rubberlegs is an early season killer. This generalistic pattern doesn't look much like a real stonefly, but it has the correct profile and lots of movement underwater. You can find the Pats in a variety of sizes and colors to match any species of stonefly, including springtime favorites like Tiny Black Stones, Skwalas, and Goldens.

Baby Gonga

Charlie Craven did us all a favor when he created the Gonga, an articulated streamer pattern with rubber legs and lots of movement. The Baby Gonga is a mini version of the original and is perfect for pre-runoff fishing when flows are still low. This pattern features dumbbell eyes to get down, but is still lightweight enough to strip slowly for lethargic trout. We love this pattern in tan/yellow and black for early-season sessions.

Black Woolly Bugger

No trout fly list would be complete without the legendary Woolly Bugger. This fly is responsible for thousands - maybe even millions of fish caught. In the early season when flows are up, we like the jigged Crystal Bugger variety in black. This versatile fly can mimic a sculpin, a leech, or a stonefly nymph. Try dead-drifting or jigging this simple bugger on your next early-season trout mission.