You Know the Feeling.
You walk into a fly shop with $30 in your pocket and a wall of 500 patterns staring back at you. Half of them look the same. The guy behind the counter starts talking about PMDs and BWOs and you nod like you understand. You walk out with 12 flies you’re not sure about and no plan for how to fish them.
This kit fixes that.
Seven Flies. Every Depth.
Trout don’t always feed in the same spot. Some days they’re sipping mayflies off the surface. Most days they’re eating nymphs underwater where you can’t see them. This kit covers every zone from top to bottom, so you’re not guessing where the fish are. You’re covering all of them.
Surface: Parachute Adams (#14)
The one dry fly every angler needs. The white poly-yarn post stands out on the water, even in choppy riffles. Dead drift it through a seam or a foam line. When a trout sips it under, you’ll see it. This fly matches mayflies, midges, and about a dozen other bugs trout eat off the surface.
Mid-Column: Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear (#14) x2 + Prince Nymph (#14)
The GRHE is the most versatile nymph in fly fishing. The rough dubbed body traps tiny air bubbles and looks like just about any mayfly or caddis larva tumbling along the bottom. You get two because you’ll lose one. The Prince Nymph adds flash with its white biot wings. When trout aren’t keyed in on a specific bug, the Prince pulls them in out of curiosity.
Deep: Tungsten Frenchie Jig Nymph (#14)
This is your anchor fly. The tungsten bead is heavier than brass, so it drops into the strike zone faster. The jig hook rides point-up, which means fewer snags on the bottom. Dead drift it under an indicator or as the point fly on a Euro nymph rig. In cold water or deep runs, this is usually the fly that gets the first take.
Stillwater: Red Buzzer (#16)
Buzzers imitate midge pupae hanging in the water column. On lakes, ponds, and slow tailwaters, trout eat these all day long. Fish it on a long leader with a slow retrieve, or suspend it under a dry fly. Size 16 is a good all-around match for most chironomid hatches.
The Big Gun: Woolly Bugger (Olive #10)
When nothing else is working, tie on a Woolly Bugger and strip it back. It looks like a leech, a baitfish, a crayfish, or whatever a trout decides it looks like. Cast it across and let it swing, or strip it through a deep pool. This fly catches trout, bass, and just about everything else that swims.
How to Fish This Kit: The Dry-Dropper Rig
Tie the Parachute Adams to your tippet. Then tie 18 to 24 inches of 5X tippet off the hook bend, and attach a Hare’s Ear or the Frenchie Jig at the end. You’re now fishing two flies at two depths. The dry fly floats on top and acts as your strike indicator. When it dips or moves sideways, set the hook. This rig is the single best way to learn what depth trout are feeding at.
What’s in the Box
| Pattern | Type | Hook Size | Qty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parachute Adams | Dry Fly | #14 | 1 |
| Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear | Nymph | #14 | 2 |
| Prince Nymph | Nymph | #14 | 1 |
| Tungsten Frenchie Jig | Jig Nymph | #14 | 1 |
| Red Buzzer | Chironomid | #16 | 1 |
| Woolly Bugger (Olive) | Streamer | #10 | 1 |
Decent starter kit. Good mix of dries, nymphs, and streamers. Nothing fancy but everything fished well. Wish there were a couple more patterns included but for this price I can’t really complain.
Bought this after my buddy dragged me to the Hocking River and I had zero clue what flies to use. Honestly I was just gonna grab whatever was cheapest at the gas station near the put-in. Glad I didn’t. The flies in this kit actually look like something a fish would eat — not like the janky stuff I’ve seen in other beginner packs. Caught two smallmouth on my second trip out. Not gonna pretend I know exactly what I’m doing yet, but this kit isn’t holding me back.
Got this for my boyfriend who wanted to try fly fishing. Nice variety of patterns and the price was right. He caught his first trout on one of the nymphs. A few of the flies seemed a little basic but honestly for a beginner kit that’s fine.