# Essential UP Brook Trout Flies



## ghost_of_inges_past (Nov 3, 2014)

A buddy and myself spent a few days hitting a couple of unmentionable rivers in the UP with spinning gear last year. I brought my 9' 5wt along with me but couldn't find the room I needed on the tight rivers we were hitting so I was happy to have brought my spinning gear with me. This year I'm bringing along my 6' 3wt and although I'm somewhat new to fly fishing and fly tying I would like to tie up a few patterns to bring along with me this year for our now annual trip in early July. I've attached one of my epoxy ants I tied this winter in anticipation of this trip.


Are there any particular patterns that work better than others for yourself?
Any recommendations on the size of these flies?
Any luck with streamers like wooly buggers or crayfish patterns?


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## Benzie Rover (Mar 17, 2008)

Nice looking ant. Those should work fine, but if you're not hooking them well you may want to reduce the circumference of the rear abdomen section - it appears like it might have reduced the hook-gap slightly, but can't tell for sure without fishing it. Dry fly wise, unless there are specific mayflies hatching or spinning, I do best with the old school Michigan skunks - buggy looking general terrestrial attractor. I fish them mostly dry, but wet stripping under the surface works great too. Use white, thin, rubber legs.
I also have done well with a rascal streamer - check out Hawkins website, they have instructions. Simply, effective, quick-to-tie streamer - sizes 6-10. Most good brookie streams are too snaggy for me to spend time with nymphs, so can't tell ya much there. Good luck.


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## Wild Thing (Mar 19, 2010)

Here are some patterns tied by John Voelker from my wife's collection. If they worked for him I am sure they will work for you. Looks like the flies are a little blurry though. I will post a close up and see if I can do better.










Here is a better photo:


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## neazor91 (Aug 4, 2008)

Weighted muddlers, size 6 3X long.


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## Teggs (Mar 20, 2013)

Only thing you need is a pile of stimulators in olive or orange and black ghosts. Size 10/12/14


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## ghost_of_inges_past (Nov 3, 2014)

neazor91 said:


> Weighted muddlers, size 6 3X long.


How do you work these?


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## Superior Outfitter (Feb 19, 2018)

Here are the hot sellers in my shop for summer brookies.

Dries
Elk hair caddis tan 12-14
Elk hair Caddis Black 18
Stimulators 6-12
Rusty spinner 12-20
Brown Drakes 8-10 (June mainly)
Ants and beetles 12-18 

Streamers
Schmidt rattlesnakes variety of colors/sizes
Ghosts 2-8
Mickey Finns 2-8
Marabou muddlers olive and white 2-6

Nymphs ect
Sparkle Emergers
Hares ear olive and reg tan 12-18
Prince nymphs 12-18
Brooks montana stones 8,10


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## ghost_of_inges_past (Nov 3, 2014)

Superior Outfitter said:


> Here are the hot sellers in my shop for summer brookies.
> 
> Dries
> Elk hair caddis tan 12-14
> ...


Thank you for your really detailed reply! Hoping to make our way to your shop while we're up. have you ever had any luck mousing for brookies up there?


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

Teggs said:


> Only thing you need is a pile of stimulators in olive or orange and black ghosts. Size 10/12/14


 The brookies cannot resist a stimulator


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## Superior Outfitter (Feb 19, 2018)

No problem. I haven't given it much effort, but I have caught them waking large stones and moth like patterns at night.I know that people do it with a degree of success. They typically just downsize a little bit and use stinger hooks.


ghost_of_inges_past said:


> Thank you for your really detailed reply! Hoping to make our way to your shop while we're up. have you ever had any luck mousing for brookies up there?


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## Martin Looker (Jul 16, 2015)

Springs wigglers work good on some of the bigger streams up in the keweenaw.


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## neazor91 (Aug 4, 2008)

Across and downstream. Twitch them. Roll cast them up tight in the pockets of tags.


ghost_of_inges_past said:


> How do you work these?


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## grapestomper (Jan 9, 2012)

Royal Coachman is my favorite.


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## grp (Jun 7, 2011)

wildthing said:


> Here are some patterns tied by John Voelker from my wife's collection. If they worked for him I am sure they will work for you. Looks like the flies are a little blurry though. I will post a close up and see if I can do better.
> 
> View attachment 315122
> 
> ...


-------------
Hello 
I met "Danny and The Boys" 
As a young man from lower MI, I had still managed to discover the huge "lake that isn't there anymore" with it's great small mouth bass , brook trout (notably large the waterfall) and wild trout creeks flowing in. 
One fall we decided to deer hunt the area by canoe. With it and 200 lbs.of gear to get to the lake, we walked past the "no trespassing" sign , to "their" and the power co.s' cabin at the east shore 
Knocking on the door, we hoped to get permission to access the lake via their driveway 
.. Greeted w smiling faces, they gave us access. Then we, 2 of us, were invited in, and talked mostly about the area and the outdoors . Eventually they asked "do you know who we are ?" We said "no"
They replied "We're Danny and The Boys" real life fishing buddies of
author John Voelker (not there at the time) , and the characters that he fictionalized in that book
---
As a kid , the UP and trout were a savior of sort from being a lost to the pressures of the city At 21, I scotch taped together cutouts of county maps to make a map of the UP over 12 feet long . . to plan fishing trips and find the most idyllic wild trout areas
The above place was it.
----
I'm planning a video piece on that area (lake and streams) to tell the story on how magical it and its fishing was
That , and similar stories in all our minds, need to be told and shared
nowdays even more
And this is impt. .. I will not film any features and especially new structures that identify the lake or streams.
-----
I'm looking for help in finding photos of that 2 story cabin
especially of the inside of its great room. It had many large windows that looked out at the big lake,with loons paddling about, and wild creeks flowing in. 
The interior logs wall were painted light grey though -- definitely from a different time ! ! !
Otherwise 
Very nice to see another fan of Voelker, the UP, brook trout and the world that they and many of us need, to live


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