Trout Flies
Walk into any fly shop and the trout fly selection can feel overwhelming. Our’s especially because there are more than 1500 different trout fly patterns. There are tiny nymphs, bushy dry flies, foam terrestrials, weighted streamers, beadhead patterns, emergers, mayflies, caddis, midges, worms, eggs and all sorts of wild creations that look like they were designed during a late-night fly tying session.
The good news? Choosing trout flies doesn’t need to be complicated - and we can help when required.
For most Australian trout fishing, you can cover a huge range of situations with a sensible selection of nymphs, dry flies, terrestrials and streamers. The trick is understanding what each fly is trying to imitate, when to use it, and how to choose the right size, weight and profile for the water in front of you.
What Are Trout Flies?
Trout flies are artificial flyfishing flies designed to imitate, suggest or provoke the food trout naturally eat. That might be aquatic insects, land-based insects, baitfish, worms, eggs or even something that simply looks alive enough to trigger a reaction.
Most trout flies fall into four broad categories:
1. Nymphs — imitate immature aquatic insects below the surface.
2. Dry flies — float on top and imitate adult insects or insects trapped in the surface film.
3. Terrestrials — imitate land insects such as beetles, ants, hoppers, cicadas and blowflies.
4. Streamers — imitate baitfish, leeches, galaxias, bullies, tadpoles or other larger prey.
Trout Fly Sizes Explained
Fly sizes are based on hook size, and the numbering can feel backwards at first. With most trout flies, the bigger the number, the smaller the fly.
As a general guide for Australian trout fishing:
• Size 10–12 — imitate immature aquatic insects below the surface.
• Size 14–16 — float on top and imitate adult insects or insects trapped in the surface film.
• Size 18–20 — imitate land insects such as beetles, ants, hoppers, cicadas and blowflies.
For most river fishing in Australia, a good starting point is a selection of flies from size 10 through to size 18. You can go smaller for tricky tailwaters like the Goulburn and stillwaters when midge show up, or larger when trout are feeding aggressively on big terrestrials or baitfish.
Trout Flies for Australia
1. Nymph Trout Flies
Yes dry fly fishing is arguably more fun and visual, but if you want to catch more trout, you need nymphs in your fly box. Trout feed below the surface far more often than they feed on top. Nymphs imitate the immature stage of aquatic insects such as mayflies, caddis and stoneflies, and they are effective in rivers, streams and lakes across Australia.
The exact pattern is often less important than the weight, depth and presentation. A simple nymph fished at the correct depth will usually beat a fancy fly drifting too high above the fish. Our experienced staff have curated the best nymph flies for Australian trout that you need in your fly box.
Pheasant Tail Nymph
The Pheasant Tail is one of the most useful trout flies ever tied. It has a slim, natural profile and suggests a wide range of mayfly nymphs. It works in clear water, fast water, small streams and larger rivers.
Carry it in a few bead sizes and hook sizes so you can adjust depth without constantly changing fly style.
• Best sizes: 12, 14, 16, 18
• Best colours: natural, brown, olive, black
• Best use: mayfly nymphs, searching, dry-dropper rigs, indicator nymphing
Hares Ear
The Hare & Copper or Hares Ear is a classic Australian and New Zealand trout nymph for good reason. It looks buggy, sinks well, and works across a huge range of rivers and streams.
It’s especially useful when you don’t know exactly what trout are eating but want something natural with a bit of movement and flash.
• Best sizes: 12, 14, 16
• Best use: rivers, freestone streams, deeper runs, general nymphing
Copper John
When you need a nymph to sink quickly, the Copper John is hard to beat. Its slim body and extra weight make it ideal for faster runs, deeper pools and pocket water.
This is a great fly when you need to get down quickly without using a huge, bulky pattern.
• Best sizes: 12, 14, 16
• Best colours: copper, red, green, black
• Best use: fast water, deep runs, dry-dropper rigs
2. Dry Trout Flies
Dry fly fishing is the style most anglers dream about. A trout rises, the fly disappears, and for a split second everything stops. Dry flies imitate adult insects floating on the surface or insects trapped in the film. They are especially useful when trout are rising, but they can also work as searching flies in broken water, pocket water and small streams.
Keep scrolling to see the top five best dry flies for trout in Australia according to The Flyfisher team.
Parachute Adams
The Parachute Adams is one of the most versatile dry flies in the world. It can suggest mayflies, midges and a range of small insects. It lands well, sits nicely in the surface film and remains easy to see.
If you are building a trout fly box, this is one of the first dry flies to add.
• Best sizes: 12, 14, 16, 18
• Best use: mayfly hatches, searching, slower glides, evening rises
Klinkhammer
The Klinkhammer is brilliant when trout are feeding on emergers rather than fully hatched adult insects. It sits with part of the body below the surface, imitating an insect stuck in the vulnerable stage between nymph and adult.
When trout are rising but refusing high-floating dries, try a Klinkhammer.
• Best sizes: 12, 14, 16
• Best colours: olive, black, tan, grey
• Best use: emergers, tricky rises, slower water, technical trout
Royal Wulff
The Royal Wulff is not the most realistic fly in the box, but it is highly visible, buoyant and very effective in rougher water. It’s fantastic searching dry on high-country streams, faster rivers and broken pocket water.
It also works well as the top fly in a dry-dropper rig.
• Best sizes: 10, 12, 14
• Best use: fast water, pocket water, small streams, dry-dropper fishing
3. Terrestrial Trout Flies
In summer, trout eat a lot of insects that fall from bankside grass, trees and overhanging vegetation. Beetles, ants, hoppers, cicadas and blowflies can all become important food sources. Terrestrial fishing is some of the most exciting fly fishing in Australia. The takes are often aggressive, the flies are easy to see, and the fishing suits small streams, windy banks, lake edges and undercut banks.
We recommend using the below terrestrial trout flies in Australia:
• Beetles
• Ants
• Hoppers
• Cicadas
• Stimulators and Foam Attractors
4. Streamer Trout Flies
Streamers imitate baitfish, galaxias, bullies, small trout, leeches and other larger prey. They are especially useful when trout are aggressive, when the water is dirty, when light is low, or when you are targeting bigger fish. Streamer fishing can be extremely effective in Australian lakes, tailwaters and rivers.
Discover the following streamer trout flies for bigger and more aggressive fish:
• Woolly Bugger
• Zonkers & Rabbit Sreamers
• Smelt & Baitfish Patterns
How to Choose the Right Trout Fly in Australia
Rather than constantly changing flies, ask yourself these five questions to find the best trout fly. There is no one-size-fits-all solution and selecting the right fly takes practice.
How Many Trout Flies Do You Really Need?
You don’t need hundreds of flies to catch trout. A better approach is to carry a smaller number of proven patterns in a useful range of sizes and weights.
A smart beginner trout fly box might include:
• 4–6 nymph patterns in different weights
• 4–6 dry fly patterns in different sizes
• A few beetles, ants and hoppers
• A few Woolly Buggers or streamers
• A couple of worms or egg patterns for specific conditions
Confidence matters. It’s better to know how to fish a handful of effective trout flies well than to constantly change patterns without a plan. For handpicked options, shop pour Premium Lake Fly Collection or Premium River Fly Collection for the perfect assortment of 24 flies.
Lastly: The Best Trout Fly Is The One Fished Well
Walk into any fly shop and the trout fly selection can feel overwhelming. Our’s especially because there are more than 1500 different trout fly patterns. There are tiny nymphs, bushy dry flies, foam terrestrials, weighted streamers, beadhead patterns, emergers, mayflies, caddis, midges, worms, eggs and all sorts of wild creations that look like they were designed during a late-night fly tying session.
The good news? Choosing trout flies doesn’t need to be complicated - and we can help when required.
For most Australian trout fishing, you can cover a huge range of situations with a sensible selection of nymphs, dry flies, terrestrials and streamers. The trick is understanding what each fly is trying to imitate, when to use it, and how to choose the right size, weight and profile for the water in front of you.
Need Help Choosing Trout Flies in Australia?
At The Flyfisher, we stock a huge range of trout flies for Australian rivers, lakes and streams, from proven nymphs and dries to terrestrials, streamers and locally relevant patterns.
Established in 1967, The Flyfisher is the leading Australian provider of quality flyfishing equipment, accessories and advice. We stock leading fly brands like Simms, Orvis, Scientific Anglers, Sage and much more to give you the widest AND best range.
Drop into the shop or browse our trout fly range online so we can help you build a fly box that actually makes sense for where you fish.
A: 211 Moray Street, South Melbourne, VIC, 3205
P: (03) 9621 1246
E: shop@theflyfisher.com.au
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