Egg Patterns
The egg pattern fly is often so effective during the spawning season in the spring and fall that no other fly fishing pattern comes close. Fish will take an egg fly pattern because eggs are nutrient-rich, and they won't have to expend energy chasing one down, unlike going after a baitfish. There's also a theory that the females will eat eggs of their own species as a way to increase the odds of their own eggs' survival. Those in Alaska know trout set up behind salmon during spawning season, eager to pounce on the eggs that drift their way. The power of fly fishing egg patterns is found in impressionism and simplicity, and for this reason, the Clown Egg Fly pattern and Estaz Egg Fly are both proven producers. If you want to focus on egg fly patterns for trout, brown trout eggs are typically golden yellow, while rainbow trout eggs tend to have an orangish or reddish hue. Both types of eggs are about 5-6mm in size. Egg fly patterns for steelhead come in various colors, from translucent yellow to yellowish-orange. When eggs are unfertilized or dead, they tend to get stuck in the rocks and turn into a cream to light pink color. The color of these eggs depends on how long they have been in the water. Keeping the egg fly on a dead drift near the bottom is preferred. Fly anglers report success both when fishing a single egg fly or one egg cluster fly pattern like the Sucker Spawn Egg Fly and the Scrambled Egg Fly. A Crystal Meth Egg Fly pattern is a killer in Great Lakes tributaries for steelhead.