Top 10 Dry Flies

Grand Lake Stream, Maine

Of course timing is critical when fishing dry flies – both season and time of day.  Variations in patterns are good to try – Klinkhammer, parachute, spinner, emerger or traditional upright.  Size also varies depending of the season, but generally a 16 or 14 will work.

  • Red Quill
  • Light Hendrickson
  • Dark Hendrickson

 

Hendricksons typically first appear mid-May and will, like clockwork begin hatching at 1 PM.  There will be some sporadic hatches early or late, but the midafternoon hatch is very reliable and can be planned around – A morning catching smallmouth on the beds, followed by an afternoon of salmon on Hendricksons. As the water is warmer the farther you get from West Grand Lake, the hatches will accordingly begin in the lower river to Big Lake. If you catch it just right, it will be an afternoon you will never forget!

  • PMD – Pale Morning Dun
  • BWO – Blue Winged Olive

 

These hatches are intermittent through June and into July.  BWO’s are also very common in October as well, but are difficult to fish as a dry.  Small (size 20) soft hackle emergers will work well when casting to rising fish.

  • Sulphur

Sulfur hatches can be exciting mid-day in the lower river mid-late June.  The rise is slow and deliberate, and often you will pull the fly away from the fish before they get it in their mouth.

  • Adams
  • Quill Gordon
  • Elk Hair Caddis
  • Goddard Caddis

 

Grand Lake Stream is a caddis river and it is loaded with caddis larva, with bright green a predominant color. So plan your caddis colors accordingly.  Hatches typically begin late May and run through June.  Evening hatches can be explosive, but the caddis will hatch throughout the day, usually in the upper river predominantly.

See our fly recommendations for all seasons here.