Choosing a fishing fly can feel overwhelming. There are thousands of patterns, numerous sizes and colours, and fly boxes containing everything from tiny dry flies to brightly coloured lures.
The important thing is not to try to memorise every fly pattern. Instead, ask a few simple questions about **what the fish are doing, where they are feeding and what food is available**.
Very often, choosing the right fly is less about finding one magical pattern and more about selecting the correct **type, size and presentation**.
## Start by Looking at the Water
Before choosing a fly, take a moment to look at what is happening.
Ask yourself:
- Are fish rising?
- Are insects hatching?
- Can you see insects on the water?
- Are fish feeding just beneath the surface?
- Are they likely to be feeding near the bottom?
- Is there obvious terrestrial insect activity?
- Are small fish or fry present?
The behaviour of the fish can often tell you more than simply opening your fly box and choosing a favourite pattern.
## What Are the Fish Eating?
When fish are actively feeding, the most logical starting point is to consider their natural food.
For trout and grayling this might include:
- Upwinged flies.
- Caddis.
- Midges.
- Stoneflies.
- Freshwater shrimps.
- Terrestrial insects.
- Small fish and fry.
You don't necessarily need an exact imitation of a particular species.
Often a fly that matches the **approximate size, shape and behaviour** of the natural food is enough.
## Where Are the Fish Feeding?
This is one of the most important questions.
The correct fly is of little use if it is fishing in the wrong part of the water.
If trout are confidently taking insects from the surface, a dry fly or emerger is an obvious starting point.
If there is no surface activity, the majority of feeding may be taking place below the surface. A nymph, wet fly, buzzer, streamer or lure may then be more appropriate.
On stillwaters, fish might be feeding:
- At the surface.
- Just beneath the surface.
- In the upper layers.
- At mid-depth.
- Close to the bottom.
Choosing the correct **depth** can often be more important than changing between several similar fly patterns.
## Match the Size
Once you've identified what the fish might be feeding on, consider its size.
If small insects are hatching, a huge artificial is unlikely to be a convincing imitation.
Likewise, when trout are chasing substantial prey, a tiny fly may simply go unnoticed.
You don't need to measure every insect precisely. Try to match its general size and profile.
When uncertain between two sizes, changing the size of your fly can often be more productive than repeatedly changing between similar patterns.
## Does Colour Matter?
Yes, but colour should normally be considered alongside size, profile and presentation rather than in isolation.
When imitating natural food, choose a broadly appropriate colour.
Olive, brown, black and natural tones cover an enormous range of aquatic insects.
However, fishing flies do not always need to imitate natural food.
Bright colours, fluorescent hot spots and flash can attract attention and are particularly important in many stillwater, salmon and attractor patterns.
Water clarity and light conditions can also influence how visible different colours appear.
## Movement Matters
A fishing fly is not simply a static object.
Soft hackles, marabou, synthetic fibres, rubber legs and other materials can create movement in the water.
Sometimes this movement is a crucial part of what makes the fly effective.
A wet fly swinging through a current behaves very differently from a static nymph. A streamer retrieved through a pool behaves differently again.
Consider not only what your fly looks like in the box, but **what it will look like when it is actually fishing**.
## Presentation Before Constant Fly Changing
One of the easiest traps to fall into is continually changing flies.
If you've chosen a sensible fly but aren't catching, consider the presentation before assuming the pattern is wrong.
Ask:
- Is the fly at the correct depth?
- Is it moving at the correct speed?
- Is a dry fly dragging?
- Is the nymph reaching the fish?
- Is the retrieve too fast or too slow?
- Has the fish already seen the fly several times?
Changing the presentation can often make more difference than changing the pattern.
## What If Nothing Is Hatching?
There won't always be an obvious hatch to match.
When there is no clear indication of what the fish are eating, choose a proven general pattern appropriate for the water and fishing depth.
For example, a general nymph can represent several different aquatic food items without being an exact imitation of any one of them.
Attractor flies can also be extremely effective when fish are not obviously focused on a particular natural food source.
The objective is to make a sensible starting choice and then allow the fish to tell you whether it is working.
## Choosing Flies on Rivers
On rivers, pay particular attention to:
- Insects on and around the water.
- Fish rising.
- The type of rise.
- Water clarity.
- Current speed.
- Water depth.
- The presence of terrestrials.
- Whether fish appear to be feeding near the riverbed.
During a hatch, matching the approximate insect, size and stage of its lifecycle can be important.
At other times, general nymphs, spiders, wet flies and streamers can all have their place.
## Choosing Flies on Stillwaters
Stillwater fly choice can be influenced by:
- Natural food.
- Fishing depth.
- Water temperature.
- Water clarity.
- Wind.
- Fish activity.
- Time of year.
Buzzers, nymphs, terrestrials, fry patterns, streamers and attractor flies can all be effective depending on the conditions.
Again, finding the depth at which the fish are feeding can be more important than choosing between several similar patterns.
## Don't Carry Hundreds of Flies Just Because You Can
There is nothing wrong with owning lots of fishing flies - collecting and trying different patterns is part of the enjoyment of fly fishing.
But you don't **need** hundreds of different patterns to catch fish consistently.
A smaller selection of proven flies in useful sizes can cover an enormous range of situations.
Having confidence in what a fly does, where it fishes and why you have chosen it is far more useful than carrying a huge box of patterns you don't understand.
## Key Takeaways
- Start by observing the water rather than immediately opening your fly box.
- Consider what the fish might be eating.
- Work out where in the water the fish are feeding.
- Match the approximate size and profile of natural food when appropriate.
- Colour matters, but it is only one part of fly selection.
- Think about how the fly moves and behaves when fishing.
- Presentation and depth can be more important than the exact fly pattern.
- If there is no obvious food source, start with a proven general pattern.
- You don't need hundreds of different flies to fish effectively.
- Understanding **why you have chosen a fly** is more valuable than simply knowing its name.
