Trout Candy: Five Essential Flies for Spring Trout Fishing

As winter gives way to warmer days and rivers begin to wake up, it's time to stock your fly box for spring. This time of year brings some of the most dynamic hatches and unpredictable weather, so having a versatile lineup is key. Whether you're chasing early risers on a sunny afternoon or covering water on a cloudy, drizzly day, these flies will help you match the hatch and secure plenty of fish in the net.

Here are our top five essential flies for spring trout fishing (+ a bonus wildcard) that should be in every angler’s arsenal:

Caddis Emerger - This spring, grab a caddis emerger with a soft hackle. This imitates a bug making its way to the surface, and it looks like an easy meal for a trout. Consider sizing down to a 18-20. Letting it swing in the current will give even more of an “emerging” look as the fly floats just under the water’s surface, and the trout won’t be able to resist.

Elk Hair Caddis - Wanting more of a topwater bug? Opt for an elk hair caddis for when you see fish eating off the surface. Size 12-16 will do.

Slumpbuster - The slumpbuster is a must-have in your fly box! Spring showers bring dingy water, and you don’t want your day blown out. When the water gets dirty, tie on a slumpbuster for maximum visibility and productivity. Tie the fly on using a nonslip loop knot for more articulation and movement of this streamer pattern. 

Blue-Winged Olive - Nothing says spring fly fishing like a blue-winged olive. Especially as we continue into May, a size 18–20 dry or emerger pattern can keep you in fish all afternoon.

Chubby Chernobyl - As the water warms up and trout munch on topwater flies, a Chubby Chernobyl could be a great option. With low and slow stretches of water, hang a smaller zebra midge or other subsurface fly underneath this foam-bodied fly to rig a "hopper-dropper" setup. In this case, the Chubby Chernobyl doubles as your strike indicator and allows you to forgo the traditional indicator.

Bonus Fly! Griffith’s Gnat - The Griffith’s Gnat (which imitates a cluster of midges) is an excellent option for calm, slow water. With sizes ranging from 18-22, this fly lands lightly on the water and can be a killer choice for when trout are sipping flies off the surface. 

These flies are just a few of the many you can choose in the springtime! Play around with patterns, sizes and colors to find the secret sauce and what the fish are interested in. The most satisfaction for an angler undoubtedly comes from selecting the right fly, and we leave it to the fish to let us know what the "right" fly really is.