The Complete
Fly Guide

Your #1 fly. First on your rig every single morning. Thread body is slimmer than standard Frenchie — sinks fast, jig hook rides point-up so it barely snags. Hot orange collar triggers strikes even when fish ignore everything else.

When: Every trip, all day, year-round. Change it only when you have a specific reason to. Most days you won't need to.

You have 6 of these — the most of any single fly. Spiky hare's ear dubbing traps tiny air bubbles making it look alive. The hot spot collar adds a trigger. Ideal dropper behind the Frenchie.

When: Year-round as dropper. If Frenchie isn't producing, tie Blowtorch as point fly and try a smaller nymph behind it.

Pheasant tail fibers perfectly imitate the slim segmented body of a mayfly nymph. The tungsten bead gets it to the bottom fast. Flash back wingcase triggers strikes — fish see it as the nymph about to hatch.

When: Year-round dropper behind Frenchie. Especially during BWO hatches when fish are keying on mayfly nymphs.

The original "when in doubt" nymph. Spiky dubbing traps air bubbles — looks alive on every drift. Imitates mayflies, small caddis, and stonefly nymphs all at once. The most versatile nymph in fly fishing.

When: Any time the Frenchie and Blowtorch aren't producing. Works in all seasons and both waters. Size 14 mountain, size 16 Hooch.

Attractor nymph that imitates nothing specifically but catches everything. The iridescent pearl body glows underwater. On bright sunny days when natural patterns go ignored, this wakes up lethargic fish.

When: Sunny days when other nymphs aren't working. Rotate in as dropper when Frenchie stops producing.

Same pearl attractor as above but heavier tungsten bead — gets deeper faster. Use when you need to get down in faster or deeper water where the standard RW can't sink quickly enough.

When: Deeper runs and faster pocket water. Anywhere you need the fly in the bottom third of the water column quickly.

Charlie Craven's precise imitation of a Blue Wing Olive nymph — the most common Georgia mayfly. That iridescent teal wingcase is the trigger. Use when you can see BWO adults hatching and fish are refusing dry flies — they're eating the nymph just below.

When: BWO hatches, overcast days spring and fall. When fish refuse Adams — switch to this subsurface.

Ultra-slim quill body on a jig hook — for heavily pressured fish that have seen bulkier patterns hundreds of times. The minimal profile is the key difference on educated tailwater trout.

When: When standard nymphs are getting refused. Switch to this when fish are inspecting and rejecting the Frenchie.

Rubber legs flutter with lifelike movement on every twitch. Imitates the large stonefly nymphs that crawl along the bottom of North Georgia mountain streams. Noontootla Creek is loaded with stoneflies — this fly belongs on your rig there.

May 11th: Fish deep runs early morning as point fly. Your best shot at a large brown trout.

Imitates a caddis pupa — the stage just before the caddis breaks through to become an adult. Fish eat these aggressively during caddis hatches when the pupae are rising through the water column.

When: Spring and fall caddis hatches. During afternoon caddis hatches at Noontootla before fish start rising to the surface.

Slim jig nymph with a hot bead. The thin profile imitates emerging mayfly nymphs with a more subdued color palette than the Frenchie — ideal when fish are being selective about flash.

When: When flashier nymphs are getting refused. Good change-up fly in clear low water conditions.

The original Frenchie with a bulkier dubbed body versus the Thread version. When fish want more profile and movement in the body, this one wins. Slightly more buoyant — rides a touch higher in the water column.

When: Alternate with Thread Frenchie when fish are responding to bulkier profiles. Mountain streams often prefer this over the slim thread version.

John Barr's BWO wet fly — fishes just below the surface film during a Blue Wing Olive hatch. The soft hackle pulses with life. Fish it on a tight line swing or dead drift just under the surface.

When: BWO hatches when fish are just below the surface and refusing dry flies. The bridge between nymphing and dry fly fishing.

After rain, earthworms wash into rivers and trout gorge on them. Silicone body wiggles exactly like a real worm. Check the weather before every trip — if it rained in the last 24 hours, tie this on immediately.

When: 24–48 hours after any rain event. Dead drift on the bottom on 4X. Not glamorous but devastatingly effective.

More segmented profile than the Squirmy Wormie — the twisted body creates a different silhouette. On pressured water where fish have seen Squirmy Wormies before, this different profile can be the difference.

When: Same post-rain conditions as Squirmy Wormie. Alternate between the two if one isn't producing.

Sowbugs are aquatic pill bugs — they live in the Chattahoochee year-round and trout eat them constantly. Most Hooch anglers don't carry this. It gives you an edge because you're matching a food source others ignore.

When: Year-round on the Hooch in slower deeper runs. Use as dropper behind Zebra Midge.

Translucent epoxy body perfectly imitates the tiny freshwater shrimp that live in the Chattahoochee tailwater. The clear body glows in certain light conditions. Another food source that most anglers completely overlook.

When: Slow deep pools on the Hooch when fish are refusing everything else. The see-through body is the trigger.

The most important Chattahoochee fly. Black thread body, silver wire rib, silver bead. Imitates the midge larva — a tiny worm-like creature that lives in bottom sediment. Trout eat millions of these every day.

When: Every Hooch trip, year-round, all day. Black first. Red is deadly in winter when blood midges dominate.

Hangs in the surface film imitating a midge that can't break through to become an adult. That sparkle wing catches light exactly like the emerging wing of a real midge. When fish are rising but refusing surface flies — this is the answer.

When: Fish making tiny sipping rings that refuse the Griffith's Gnat. Set indicator very shallow — 6 to 8 inches.

Black RS2 fishes slightly deeper than the Sparkle Wing — just below the film rather than in it. Black body matches darker midge species that hatch on the Hooch in winter and early spring.

When: Winter and early spring midge hatches. When Sparkle Wing RS2 isn't working, drop to this darker version.

BWO nymph with a flash wingcase — imitates the moment the mayfly nymph's wings begin to expand just below the surface. That flash catches light the way real wings do when they fill with air.

When: BWO hatches spring and fall when fish are in the film. Overcast days are prime — watch for olive-bodied mayflies on the water.

Pat Dorsey's minimal midge — just black wire, black bead. No frills. When fish are being extremely selective this simplicity wins. The black bead head is what separates it from the Zebra Midge.

When: Heavily pressured Hooch sections where fish have seen Zebra Midges a thousand times. Rotate in when Zebra is getting refused.

The mercury glass bead creates a trapped air bubble effect — exactly what a midge pupa looks like as it rises toward the surface with a tiny gas bubble inside its shuck. That glowing bead is unlike anything else in your box.

When: When fish are refusing standard Zebra and Black Beauty. The mercury bead unlocks even the most stubborn tailwater trout.

Brown midge larva — matches the warm-toned midges that hatch in spring and fall on the Hooch. A proven Chattahoochee pattern that has fooled thousands of educated tailwater trout.

When: Spring and fall as rotation midge when black patterns aren't producing. Brown is often the better color in warmer months.

Camel colored midge — a warm tan/cream that matches certain Hooch midge species. The name says it all. When nothing else is working, this warm-toned midge often surprises.

When: Rotation midge when your black and brown patterns aren't producing. Try it when you can see midges on the surface and they appear tan or cream colored.

Charlie Craven's two-tone segmented midge — olive and dark olive bands imitating the natural segmentation of a midge larva. The segmented look is more realistic than a single-color fly.

When: Spring and summer when olive-toned midges are hatching. Good rotation fly when Zebra Midge is getting refused.

Blood midges — red midge larvae — are extremely prevalent in the Chattahoochee year-round. Their red color comes from hemoglobin. Trout key on these heavily in winter. This red body matches them exactly.

When: Year-round but especially deadly December–March when blood midges dominate. Proven Hooch pattern.

Slim brown midge with a distinctive profile that differs from other patterns in your box. Sometimes fish key on a specific silhouette and this one breaks the mold enough to get takes when others are refused.

When: Last-resort rotation midge when you've tried everything else. The name doesn't lie — it can save a slow day.

A Chattahoochee classic — guides have been fishing this for decades. Simple black body with a sparse tail. The minimalism is the point. Sometimes a fly with less is more convincing to a trout that has seen everything.

When: Any time on the Hooch. One of the oldest proven Chattahoochee midge patterns. Try it when newer patterns fail.

Imitates a midge that has broken through the surface but is still dragging its old skin (shuck) behind it. This is the most vulnerable moment — the midge can't fly yet and can't dive back down. Trout eat these hard.

When: Active midge hatches when fish are just barely breaking the surface film. Fish almost like a dry fly — very shallow indicator.

CDC (duck feather) wing holds this fly right in the surface film. The gray color matches common Hooch midges. A reliable emerger when fish are refusing both dry flies and deep nymphs — they want something right in the film.

When: Fish making consistent sipping rings that refuse Griffith's Gnat and dry Zebra Midge. This sits right in their feeding lane.

Craven's classic film fly tied with mole fur — an incredibly soft natural material that absorbs water and sits perfectly in the surface film. One of the most subtle and effective Hooch patterns for educated fish.

When: Selective fish during calm flat-water midge hatches when every other emerger is getting refused. The ultra-subtle profile wins.

Goose biot body creates a precise segmented look — each segment clearly defined like the natural midge. The segmentation is more realistic than thread or wire bodies. Deadly on calm flat glassy water where fish can inspect every detail.

When: Clear calm conditions when fish are visible and feeding selectively. The biot segmentation passes inspection when others don't.

Imitates a cluster of midges bunched together on the surface — what trout see when a midge hatch is in full swing. When you see tiny sipping rings with barely any surface disturbance, this is your fly. The most important Chattahoochee surface fly.

When: Tiny sipping rings on the Hooch. Winter and spring mornings. Use 6X and a long light leader. Cast upstream of the rise ring.

The adult Blue Wing Olive — the most common Georgia mayfly. Small olive body, upright gray wings. This lives in Box 2 because on the Hooch, BWO hatches happen alongside midge hatches. Overcast rainy days are prime BWO conditions.

When: Overcast days spring and fall when you see small olive-bodied mayflies flying. Fish are rising with a clean sipping rise — not a splash.

Rides right in the surface film — half in, half out — imitating a BWO struggling to emerge. When fish are refusing a fully floating BWO dry, they often want this instead. The half-submerged position is exactly what the natural looks like at this stage.

When: BWO hatches when fish refuse your dry BWO. The film is where they're actually eating — not on top.

Similar to Griffith's Gnat but with a peacock herl body — imitates a cluster of midges stuck together on the surface. The iridescent peacock herl catches light differently than the Griffith's Gnat, giving fish a different look to choose from.

When: Midge hatches on the Hooch when Griffith's Gnat isn't producing. Rotate between the two.

Imitates the Yellow Sally stonefly — a small yellow stonefly that hatches on North Georgia streams starting in May. Crystal flash plus rubber legs give incredible movement. Fish it as an attractor dry or hopper-dropper indicator with a nymph below.

May 11th: Your primary attractor dry all morning. Yellow Sally stoneflies hatch right around May 11th at Noontootla. Fish with Frenchie dropper 18" below.

Foam body is essentially unsinkable — floats all day without floatant and supports a heavy tungsten nymph below. The premier hopper-dropper indicator for North Georgia. Rubber legs add incredible movement. Fish key on this when large insects are on the surface.

When: June–October hopper-dropper rig. Tie a nymph 18–24" below. Watch for the Chubby to dip or dart sideways — that's often the nymph being eaten.

Imitates a grasshopper that has fallen into the river from the tall grass along the bank. Foam body floats all day. The thick rubber legs create the struggling kicking motion of a real hopper. Cast it tight to the bank where hoppers actually fall from.

When: July–September along grassy streambanks. Cast to the bank, let it land with a splat — that's intentional. Big fish come from under the bank for this.

Foam attractor dry — red triggers aggressive strikes from North Georgia rainbow trout. Floats all day without floatant. The red color is highly visible both to fish looking up and to you tracking it on the surface. Great hopper-dropper indicator.

When: April–October on mountain streams as attractor dry or hopper-dropper indicator. Rotate with Crystal Stim when one stops working.

The most important North Georgia mountain dry fly. Elk hair wing floats all day without reapplying floatant. Imitates an adult caddisfly skating across the surface. The tent-shaped elk hair wing is exactly what a real caddis looks like from below.

May 11th afternoon: Switch to this the moment you see caddis flying and fish rising. Do not change it until they stop eating it. This is THE fly for that afternoon.

Foam stonefly dry — imitates the large adult stonefly floating on the surface after hatching. Stoneflies crawl out of the water to hatch and sometimes fall back in or skate on the surface. A big fly that triggers big fish.

When: Spring and early summer stonefly hatches on mountain streams. Especially effective in the morning before caddis hatches fire up.

The "missing link" between nymph and adult caddis — half emerged, body still in the shuck, wings just starting to unfold. Fish eat this hard because it's helpless at this stage. Fishes both on the surface and just under it.

When: During caddis hatches when fish are refusing the fully-hatched Elk Hair Caddis. They want the emerging stage, not the adult.

The most important dry fly ever tied. The white parachute post makes it visible on the water while the gray body imitates any mayfly. Your first reach when you see fish rising and don't know what they're eating. Works everywhere, all seasons.

When: Tie this on first every time fish are rising. Only change if they're refusing it consistently. Size 14 mountain streams, size 16 Hooch.

The Green Drake is the largest and most dramatic mayfly hatch in North America. When it happens fish go absolutely crazy. Green body, large upright wings. Not the most common Georgia hatch but when it fires on mountain streams it's unforgettable.

When: Late May through June on mountain streams when you see large yellow-green mayflies flying. A rare but spectacular hatch.

Flying ants fall into streams throughout summer — trout eat them whenever they appear. The two-segmented foam body perfectly imitates the ant's abdomen and thorax. Olive color matches the flying carpenter ants common in Georgia mountains.

When: Summer afternoons when you see ants on the water surface. Also works as a searching dry when nothing is hatching.

A precise adult BWO imitation — olive body, upright gray wings, two tails. When a BWO hatch is in full swing and fish are refusing the Parachute Adams, this more precise imitation often seals the deal. The exact profile of a real Blue Wing Olive.

When: BWO hatches spring and fall when fish are eating natural BWOs specifically and refusing more generic patterns.

PMD stands for Pale Morning Dun — a pale yellow-cream mayfly that hatches in summer mornings. Similar to BWO but warmer colored body. When you see cream-colored mayflies rather than olive ones, this is the switch to make.

When: Summer morning mayfly hatches when the naturals are pale yellow/cream rather than olive. June through August on mountain streams.

Half emerger half dry — a BWO that just broke through the surface but still has its shuck trailing behind. That z-lon shuck material matches the natural perfectly. When fish are eating at the surface but refusing standard dries, this is your answer.

When: BWO hatches when fish are sipping at the surface but refusing Adams and BWO dries. The trailing shuck is the key difference.

Beetles fall into streams constantly throughout summer — fish eat them eagerly. Green foam body imitates the shiny back of a beetle on the surface. The low-profile flush-floating position exactly matches a real beetle struggling on the surface.

When: Summer along wooded streambanks when you see beetles on the water. Also excellent as a change-up dry when nothing else is working.

Black flying ant — when ant swarms happen in late summer trout feed on them voraciously. The two-part foam body with a tiny rubber leg bundle nails the silhouette. Black ants are more visible to you on the water than the olive version.

When: Late summer ant falls — often after warm humid afternoons. If you see swarms of flying ants near the river, tie this on immediately.

The most versatile streamer ever tied. Marabou tail pulses with life on every twitch — looks like a leech, baitfish, or large aquatic creature. Black is your most important color — works in all light and water clarity conditions.

May 11th: First fly tied on at 6am. Last fly at dusk. Strip 6" at a time with 1-second pauses. Takes come on the pause. Strip set — do not lift the rod.

Smaller than the Woolly Bugger — imitates a small leech. When big streamers are spooking fish or water is very clear and low, the smaller profile gets takes. Also excellent swung like a wet fly at the end of a drift.

When: Last 20 minutes of dusk. Clear low water when Woolly Bugger spooks fish. Can also be swung wet fly style in slower currents.

Craven's articulated streamer — the two-hook jointed body creates a swimming action that perfectly imitates a small baitfish. Rainbow colors match the small rainbow trout and dace that large brown trout prey on at Noontootla. This is your trophy fly.

May 11th: First cast at dawn in the deepest pool you can find. Let it sink to the bottom, strip slowly. The big brown trout you're fishing for eats this.

Imitates a small wounded or dying baitfish — the easy meal that triggers the predator instinct in large brown trout. The irregular movement of this fly on a slow retrieve mimics something struggling and vulnerable.

When: When Baby Gonga is being refused. Rotate to this as your second-choice trophy fly. Also effective in slower deeper pools where Woolly Bugger is too fast.