Fly Fishing with Egg Fishing Flies

Egg fishing flies are highly effective bait for trout and salmon during the fall when fish are swimming upstream and spawning. In fact, during this time of year, fresh eggs of their own kind make up a large portion of trout or salmon's diet. With so many fish swimming up stream during spawning season and so many nutritious eggs floating downstream, fly fishing with these can make for a bountiful trip.

A look under water:
While trout and salmon lay their eggs upstream in mostly-safe spawning beds, plenty of eggs are jarred loose and lost to the current. These loose eggs float downstream and into the waiting mouths of fish positioned downstream. The fish are naturally attracted to the eggs of their own species, which contain a rich variety essential nutrients and proteins.

The eggs of spawning fish, and consequently egg fishing flies, come in a variety of sizes and colors. Choose yellowish orange for Rainbow Trout, Steelhead, Coho Salmon, and Chinook. Bright orange quarter inch egg flies are better suited for Brown Trout. Be sure to also carry some white or off-white in your tackle box to mirror the color of the many unfertilized eggs that don't take on a color.

Casting:
Since eggs have no movement of their own, they must be cast for dead drifting downstream. Egg fishing flies should be cast far enough upstream from your target that the fly has time to settle on the bottom. Since these fishing flies are bottom drifters, they are prone to catching and sticking on plants and rocks on the river bottom, so be sure to pack lots of extra fishing flies.

The bright color of these fishing flies aid in the detection of a bite when the water is somewhat clear. In murky or deep waters, a strike indicator is necessary to determine a take. When using an indicator, you'll need to watch very carefully and strike just when fish subtly suck in the egg fishing flies.

Tackle and Line:
When fishing with egg flies, just about any standard rod or reel will do. An 8.5 to 9 foot rod and floating line is ideal for most waters while heavier rods can be used when facing big, hard-fighting fish. For maximum effectiveness, it's important for egg fishing flies to sink rapidly. In thick or fast moving waters, applying a little dish soap to the line can help the egg to slide to the bottom quickly.

The ideal time for fishing with egg fishing flies is right around the corner. The months of August through December are when salmon and trout are laying their eggs in the cool waters. So while you may employ your bug fishing fly for the majority of the year, the fall and winter months give you the opportunity to add a new weapon to your arsenal.