Big Browns What To Use

[bobw]

It's time for the big browns to move up. What is the beat fly to use to have a chance to catch one in the day time?

[Trevor K]

i was hoping somebody would answer that question myself

[DoveTail]

They are there now. Egg patterns, San Juan worms, scuds, sowbugs, scuplin patterns and midge. Streamers will work also. I have seen some big browns caught on tiny scuds in size #24, also bigger ones in size #10.

[The Caddis]

what about soft-hackles?

[bobw]

I'm not a good indicator fisherman at all. I guess the eggs, scuds and sow bugs are fished under indicators. How do you all rig your idicators? I want to tie up some scuds, what is the best color and do you weight them when you tie them. Or use split shot to weight them?

[DoveTail]

For scuds if they are tiny, it is almost impossible to get any weight on the hooks without filling the gap. With the tiny scuds in the #24s use some #6 split shot about 12" up the tippet from your scud. I weight my bigger scuds in #16 and #10s. I think the key is to keep them on the bottom.

An indicator can be a big dry fly, you never know when a trout may decide on the surface for a meal. Anything for an indicator will work. If you can watch the tip of your fly line and see it, you can get by without an indicator. When you have a slight pause, that's when you probably have a strike. With the ripples and the small size of your fly line, a pause may be hard to see. There are indicators that just have a toothpick to wedge the tippet in place, bright colored foam adhesive that pinches on, tons of options. To rig it, just have enough tippet out to keep your fly on the bottom. You need to put the food source where the trout are looking and expect to find it.

You can catch trout on about anything and I have thrown it all at them. The previously mentioned patterns always produce. If those are working try something that starts getting some hits. I would just try to find what color and size they are looking for in the eggs, worms, scuds, sow bugs, midge and sculpin patterns.

For scuds I have tan, brown, olive, black, white and yellow. Probably any color would work with the right presentation.

[DoveTail]

The #6 split shot is when the flood gates are not open!

[Dave Cook]

Soft Hackles are a good fly for big browns. From first light until a couple of hours after sun-up, I've had good luck on them.

[laker67]

It's time for the big browns to move up. What is the beat fly to use to have a chance to catch one in the day time?

Best make plans for Arkansas. With all of the warmer water temps at taney, the big browns have spawned up and moved back to the deeper water. Anyone that fished taney this weekend will tell you that anything bigger than 5 pounds have come and gone. The normal group of resident browns along with some new small fish is all that is left. Arkansas has the same problem with DO and water temps. This year, their spawn should occur in Nov and Dec. versus Dec and Jan. The big males will be on the move right now. I'm relocating to Norfork and Little Red.

[jjtroutbum]

Best make plans for Arkansas. With all of the warmer water temps at taney, the big browns have spawned up and moved back to the deeper water. Anyone that fished taney this weekend will tell you that anything bigger than 5 pounds have come and gone. The normal group of resident browns along with some new small fish is all that is left. Arkansas has the same problem with DO and water temps. This year, their spawn should occur in Nov and Dec. versus Dec and Jan. The big males will be on the move right now. I'm relocating to Norfork and Little Red.

Anyone else want to confirm or deny this accusation. It was my understanding that the best is yet to come. Maybe I heard wrong but the reports I have been reading openly and in private seem to not be in agreement.