Inland Trout
Best Flies for Brook Trout
Brook trout are the most agreeable fish in the region, possibly in any region. They live in the ANF headwaters, the Wiscoy Creek tributaries, the upper Cuyahoga feeders, and a quiet network of WNY State Land streams, and they will eat almost any fly thrown with reasonable competence onto their lie. A Royal Wulff, an Elk Hair Caddis, a Stimulator, and a small Wooly Bugger covers the whole season. The catch — and brook trout are nothing if not generous about this — is that you have to actually go to where they live.
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Top Picks at a Glance
Buyer's Guide
The brookie four-pattern kit
Royal Wulff (#12–#14), Elk Hair Caddis (#12–#16), Stimulator (#10–#14), and Wooly Bugger (#8–#12 in olive or black). That kit fishes the entire native brookie season from May through October.
Bright > technical
Brook trout in headwater freestoners are aggressive and unpressured. Bright attractors (Royal Wulff, Mickey Finn, orange-bellied patterns) outfish exact-match patterns 3:1. They are seeing food infrequently and are inclined to commit.
A small streamer is the upgrade
A #10 olive Wooly Bugger or #12 Mickey Finn stripped through plunge pools picks up the larger brookies that ignore dries. Especially effective in early season high water.
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