Adams

When rainbow trout start to rise at the surface it is time to put the streamer away and take out a dry fly, and few patterns are as reliable as Adams. The grey-mottled body does not imitate a single insect but resembles a lot of different hatching species, which makes it an obvious all-rounder when the fish looks up.

The quiet one among dry flies

The strength of Adams is that it looks “about right” in almost every situation. The mix of grey, brown and the light wing catches the general silhouette of a hatching mayfly or caddis, without locking onto one species. That means you rarely need to guess exactly what the fish is eating. If you see rises at the surface, an Adams in the right size is often the fastest way to get contact.

When it comes into its own

Dry-fly fishing in put and take works best when the fish is rising, usually morning and evening and during insect hatches when it is mild. If you see rings spreading on the surface the fish is eating in the surface film, and then a slowly drifting Adams can be irresistible. On warm summer days when the fish is otherwise sluggish, surface fishing can save the session – more under put and take in summer.

Size and presentation

Size 12 to 16 covers most hatches. Try to match the size of the insects you see on the water, and happily go a size smaller if the fish is rising but refuses your fly. Presentation is at least as important as the pattern: lay the fly down softly, let it drift free without dragging on the line, and treat it with floatant so it sits high on the surface. A natural drift almost always beats a perfect imitation.

Build out the surface fishing

With an Adams in a few sizes you have a base for dry-fly fishing for rainbow trout. Complement happily with a lighter and a darker fly so you can match different hatches. The basics of presentation we take under dry-fly fishing, and more species-adapted choices you find in flies for rainbow trout.