Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear
The Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear is a superb impressionistic pattern, meaning it imitates almost any mayfly. The hare's mask dubbing creates a nice buggy look, and the gold wire rib is not only durable, but very visible to trout and resembles the segmented body of most natural mayflies. On the Guadalupe, this fly is a great imitation of the Slate Drake mayfly, which hatches almost year round, and is most abundant November - March. The regular or bead head version both work well in a size 12 or 14, and size 18's are great imitations for the blue wing olives.
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Bead Head Prince Nymph
The Bead Head Prince Nymph may be one of the best flies ever created. I've used this fly everywhere I've fished, and have never been let down. It imitates all sorts of bugs - stoneflies, mayflies, caddis, and any bug that just looks buggy. On the Guadalupe, this fly works year round. Size 12 and 14's are the best attractors, and the 14's and 16's imitate the smaller mayflies and caddis and whatever else the fish can imagine. Don't leave home without it.
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Pheasant Tail Nymph
Another classic, the Pheasant Tail Nymph is an impressionistic pattern which is a great mayfly imitation. The body is tied with pheasant tail fibers, which when wrapped around a hook stand up a little, creating a buggy and segmented effect. Sizes 14&16 imitate the Light Cahill's and younger Slate Drakes, and size 18 is a great imitation for the Blue Wing Olives which hatch during the winter and are heaviest between February and late April. The choice between bead-head and regular is yours...they both work so go with whichever you trust the most.
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Foam Wing Emerger
The first time I used this fly was on the San Juan River tailwater in New Mexico....and I've never been without it since. Foam Wing Emergers imitate mayflies and midges, which are both important foods for Guadalupe trout. The size 18 is a great Blue Wing Olive imitation; the 20's and 22's imitate BWO's or midges, which is one reason they're so effective -- one fly imitates two bugs. The slender thread body is perfect for imitating small flies, and the foam wing imitates the opening thorax and unfolding wings of emergers, or a midge pupa's enlarged thorax. The slightly curved hook helps give the impression of a squirming emerger. The best colors for the Guadalupe are brown and grey.
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Brassie
Another classic, the brassie imitates both midge and caddis larva and pupae. This fly is very effective when fished as the second fly under a bigger mayfly, or as the first fly above a smaller emerger or larva. I tie the bodies with copper wire, which creates an obvious segmented look. I use either peacock herl dubbing or a clear or gold bead for the head/thorax. Each version is effective on the Guadalupe, though the bead head versions seem to work better bet when there's a midge hatch. I tie my brassies and bead head zebra midges (below) on Tiemco 2488H hooks. Tiemco 2488's have the widest gape of this hook style, which is important on this type of fly because it allows a higher probability of hooking and holding in the fish's mouth.
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Bead Head Zebra Midge
TThe Bead Head Zebra Midge has been my go-to fly for the past few years. Like the Brassie, this fly imitates caddis and midge pupa, and can be fished the same way. A slender thread body and fine wire ribbing help make this fly recognizable as food to the trout, and the clear bead head imitates the midge pupa's enlarged head/thorax. Size 18 is the best all-purpose size, and when the fish get picky or zone in on midge pupa, go to the 20 or 22. I like olive as the best searching color, since I've found the majority of midges in the Guadalupe are an olive green. It's a good idea to have a dark (black), darkish (brown), and medium (olive) shade with you. Like the Brassie (above), I tie these on Tiemco 2488H's.
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CDC Caddis Emerger
When the caddis hatch is on, the fish are on, and the CDC Caddis Emerger is the answer. This caddis emerger imitation has it all -- folded back antennae, wings folded down under the abdomen, a segmented body, and a cdc (cul-de-canard) underwing which adds lifelike movement. When the fish are making splashy rises and coming out of the water, dead drift this fly through the line, which will get you takes, and also let it swing at the end of the drift -- and use soft hands so you don't break the tippet when the fish hits hard.
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Red Hot
Red Hots imitate midge larva and annelids, or aquatic worms. These flies are indeed red, a common midge larva color. Although the translucent red bead head doesn't belong on a midge larva, it certainly seems to help trigger the fish. Best used as the first fly if fishing it tandem with an emerger, or as the second fly when searching. When you can't figure out what they're eating, tie one of these on to change things up.
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San Juan Worm
Named after the aquatic worm found in great abundance on New Mexico's San Juan River, the San Juan Worm works well on the Guadalupe too. After all, what fish doesn't eat worms? I like to use SJ Worms when the Guadalupe is slightly off color due to rain or flow fluctuations, which wash worms into the river. Best used as the top fly in a two-fly setup, because it often attracts a fish, and even if that fish has second thoughts, those second thoughts might lead that fish to your second fly. I tie these in a burgandy color, which has been by far my most successful color on the Guadalupe. I use Tiemco 3769 hooks in a size 12 -- the shank length provides for just enough body movement, and the nice wide gap holds fish.
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Wooly Bugger
The Wooly Bugger catches fish on any piece of water in the world, so why not have them on the Guadalupe? If you need more reason that than, the Guadalupe is full of crayfish and forage fish, holds some leaches, and has plenty of dragonflies. Dead drift, strip, it all works...but not all the time. A few weeks immediately after stockings the fish will eat these, but since 85% of the fishermen are throwing them, the fish figure them out fast.
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Tungsten Head Wooly Bugger
I tie these on size 8 streamer hooks like a standard wooly bugger, but use a heavy tungsten bead so the fly gets to the bottom quickly. When stripping wooly buggers, having the heavy tungsten head and leaving off the split shot is the way to go. The heavy bead also enhances the jigging action if you fish it dead-drift style with a little lift.
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