43 - Best Autumn Flies

9 Great fly patterns to fish this autumn


With so much great sport on offer, it’s a shame so many fly anglers hang up their rods as it gets colder. Besides excellent stillwater fly fishing for trout, there’s also excellent fun to be had with grayling, pike and other species. Here are some of the best flies to try as the leaves fall and the water cools this autumn. 

Weighted Dark Shrimp (£0.50)

 

 

 

Even on the coolest autumn days, freshwater shrimp are a staple for grayling, chub and other river species. That said, they are also a year round presence on many stillwaters, making this a great natural forage fly at any time of year.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 Tungsten Grayling Bug - Hare’s Ear and Pearl (£1.15)

 

 

Autumn is a fabulous time to try fly fishing for grayling. But as we get closer to the end of the year, these fish can become less inclined to move far from the riverbed to find their food. Be sure to pack some neat, fast sinking nymphs for your next trip. This one combines attractive traditional materials, along with a bit of flash and a fast sink rate. 

 

 

 

 

 

Hot Head Tadpole (£1.10)


 

 

 

 
Dark colours really come to the fore as water temperatures start to sink. This fly offers a bold silhouette along with a bright target point. A cracking fly for rainbow trout, and one we’d fish right through the autumn and winter on stillwaters of all sizes.

 

 

 

 

Crystal Viva Booby (£1.10)

 

 

 

Booby style flies are a great way to give you a totally different presentation. This fly will really search through the different water layers on a sinking fly line, making it ideal for cooler days when you’re not sure which depth the fish might be sitting. Ideal as a point fly with a team of three or four, or fished alone. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Neon Quill Epoxy Buzzer (£0.60)

 

 

Buzzers will hatch right through the year, but be prepared to adjust your timing and fly sizes on chillier, shorter days. Mid to late afternoon is often your best chance of a decent hatch, while natural buzzers are likely to be smaller and less abundant than those found in summer. Patterns like our quill series offer smaller sizes and a lovely slim profile to keep the takes coming. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Highland Shuttle Emerger Buzzer (£1.10)

 

 

 

 

On the subject of buzzers, don’t write off dry fly sport in the autumn! You’ll still find rising fish during a hatch. Feeding is unlikely to be as frenzied from October onwards, however, so opt for small, convincing flies and lighter tippet materials. Our various Highland Shuttle patterns are a great option.  
 

 

 

 

 

 

Floating Fry –White  (£0.65)

 

 

 

 

No list of stillwater trout flies for autumn would be complete without at least one fry pattern. Any large stillwater with a head of coarse fish is worth keeping a close eye on as the days shorten. Very often this is the time to find some monster rainbows and browns hunting down fry; this fly represents a stunned tiddler waiting to be mopped up. 

 

 

 

Frost Bite (£2.25)

 

 

 

For those seeking variety, autumn is also a good time to fish for pike on the fly. If you’re newer to predator fishing, however, the last thing you want is a huge, hard to cast pattern. This modest sized pike fly is easy to cast, even on an eight weight, and ideal for jack hunting on canals and small rivers. Don’t be surprised if larger trout and perch also take a look at it! 

 

 

 

 


Pike Flasher (£2.25)


 

 

 

Subtle they aren’t, but pike flies packed with tinsel are a great choice to kick off your pike campaign each season. Perfect for predators feeding up for the coming winter, we’ve had great success with these flies on drains and reservoirs alike. Simple, great value and bursting with flash, they work a treat when you see pike smashing up shoals of roach and bleak.

 

 

 

 

 

A Broadland pike on an overcast, mild winter’s day- great conditions for piking.