best flies for spring fly fishing in small rivers and lakes in the puget sound lowlands region and near bellingham washington

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FishGPT · Accepted Answer

**Top Spring Trout Flies for Puget Sound Lowlands and Whatcom Area**

Spring in the Puget Sound lowlands and around Bellingham brings chilly water, frequent showers, and hatch windows that wake up the trout. Here are my go-to patterns and tactics for small rivers and nearby lakes.

***Rivers and small streams near Bellingham***
- **Baetis nymphs and emergers** for the blue winged olive hatch. Try sizes 18-22 with a light bead. Good options: tiny RS2 emergers, bead head nymphs tied in olive or gray. Tie on a 6x tippet and dead-drift.
- **Pheasant Tail and Hare's Ear Nymphs** in sizes 14-18 cover general nymphing for early spring. They ride low and catch trout when water is stained from rain.
- **Prince Nymph** and **Copper John** in sizes 12-16 for a deeper sink in slower runs and pocket water.
- **Zebra Midge** patterns in black or red, sizes 18-22, for midges that hatch year round; pair with a small split shot if water is deep.
- **Dark Stonefly Nymphs** if flows are high and you see stonefly activity; a larger bead helps get down.
- **Woolly Bugger** in olive or black for a quick subsurface gradient; best fished slow and deep in pools.

*Techniques*: dead-drift with a long straight line, high sticking in pocket water, and a touch of swinging soft hackle in slower runs. Use a light strike indicator on brighter days and strip during warm afternoons to tempt surface feeders.

***Lakes in Puget Sound lowlands near Bellingham***
- **Chironomid midge patterns** (blood/mauve variations) tied beadhead in sizes 10-14; these dominate in clear spring lakes when the wind dies.
- **Chironomid pupae and larvae patterns** for mid-column feeding; use a slow sink rate.
- **Woolly Bugger and Leech patterns** in olive or olive/black; sizes 6-10 are good for depth and movement.
- Lightly weighted **scud patterns** can also draw out slow feeders on clearer days.

*Weather note*: early spring Puget Sound weather can be moody. Cool temps, overcast skies, and periodic rain keep water temps in the 38-48 F range. Hatches are most active after a warming afternoon or a passing front, so plan for mid-day windows, and have a small selection of midge and Baetis patterns tied in 6x to 7x tippet for finicky trout.

***Amazon picks for spring trout setups***
- 80 pcs YDIUDL Fly Fishing Flies Kit - handy starter kit for trout rivers and lakes: [B0FDR97S6L](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDR97S6L?tag=tacklenet-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)
- Slumpbuster Bouface Bunny Streamer Flies Collection - versatile streamer set for bigger takes: [B01758X4MU](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01758X4MU?tag=tacklenet-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)
- Bass Bug Collection - for larger trout or bass opportunists near lakes: [B014VNT9I0](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014VNT9I0?tag=tacklenet-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)

*Pro tips*: bring a light 7- or 8-ft rod for tight streams, and a mid weight 9 ft for lakes. Pack a few midge pupae colors and Baetis patterns in sizes 18-20; always have a streamer or bulky dry in case a cruising trout hits the surface. Use careful drift on overcast days; on sunny afternoons you might see more chironomids and rising fish.

Stay patient, stay adaptable, and keep a few micro-patterns ready for that first hint of a hatch. You’ve got this — the spring bite is worth the drizzle. 🎣

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