The Pink Lady says its over.
As the waters cool and the trout become more active, they focus on larger flies. There are two main reasons for this; trying to add weight before they spawn or protecting their territory from unknown invaders.
One of the most underappreciated colors in all of fly tying is pink. Fishing pink colored flies is very effective for all species of trout, but the color comes into major focus in the fall.
The Pink Lady nymph is a great pattern for trout in the Saco River early in the season. The Pink Lady wet fly attracts trout once the bugs begin to hatch in rivers and ponds.
The trout of Saco Lake can’t resist this fly. The Pink Lady dry fly is a fantastic dry fly for brook trout throughout the summer. Floating the Pink Lady dry fly through any pool in the upper Ellis River will yield a delightful afternoon on the water.
The Pink Lady bucktail streamer takes center stage in the Fall. This bucktail will bring strikes from all the salmonids that we pursue this time of the year. Fishing the Pink Lady bucktail on sinking lines signals the beginning of the Fall fishing. Once trout begin to take the Pink Lady bucktail, anglers can rest assured that the Fall fishing blitz is on.
Case in point. The fishing at Goodrich Falls has been rather slow this year. Low water. Warm water coming over the top of the dam. Swimmers and divers. With the recent cool down in water and the lessening of recreational activity, it was time to try the fishing at the base of the falls.
Fishing a variety of dry flies and nymphs brought no action. Fish were rising, just not interested in what was being offered. Perusing the fly box, a Pink Lady bucktail flashed into view.
The Pink Lady bucktail is simple as well as beautiful. Tied to a 6x long streamer hook with a golden pheasant tippet tail, pink floss body ribbed with silver tinsel, yellow hackle throat, and wing of white bucktail with natural bucktail over.
Tied to a 4X fluorocarbon leader the Pink Lady took to the sky. The cast landed right at the base of the falls. Counting to 20, the sinking line did its works to take the Pink Lady to the depths. Strip one. Strip two. Boom. The Scott Radian bent in an arc and the Pink Lady was tight to a fish.
The battle took a bit longer than usual. The fish was a beautiful pre-spawn brook trout of 15 inches. The fish could not resist the sirens call of the Pink Lady. The fish was scooped into the net and the barbless hook removed. The trout headed back to the depths of the pool.
Action continued with a variety of brook trout succumbing the Pink Lady’s wiles. It was a wakeup call as to the effectiveness of pink colored flies.
Pink can be integrated into many of your favorite trout flies. The Wood Special, an orange bodied fly, is tied with a pink body for Fall fishing. The Mickey Finn, a yellow-red-yellow bucktail, is tied white-pink-white.
Once the trout have stopped chasing and taking the Pink Lady bucktail, it is a sign that the trout season is coming to a conclusion. The fish are ignoring the sirens song and getting busy in creating the future generations of our trout.
Whether fishing rivers or ponds, fishing brightly colored bucktails, fly or jig, will yield favorable results for the remainder of the season.
Steve Angers, a native to the Conway area, is the author of the acclaimed book “Fly Fishing New Hampshire’s Secret Waters” and operates the North Country Angler.
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