i am an absolute idiot when it comes to fly fishing, i know little if any thing, i do know how to cast, read the book and watched the video. I would really like some advice on what flys or patterns work well on silvers????

Depends, where do you want to fish for them? Salt, tidal flux, or freshwater rivers? I use different flies for different areas. I use more baitfish flies in salt. I'll use baitfish/shrimp flies in tidal flux. Then i'll use more shrimp, egg, and bright flashy flies for rivers. I will say, I've had much more success hitting silvers in tidal flux/mouth of rivers. But, have had some success with bright marabou flies with lots of krystal flash as well. But, I must admit, I love throwing hardware and eggs for silvers, always my first 2 choices. But I have had success with flies (especially in the salt/tidal flux).

Looking at your homeport, I'd say you fish the Kalama often.... If your fishing the Beginner's Hole- 3 Flies:

Size 10 chartreuse ***** Creek (yes a ***** Creek.....)
Size 8 purple Flash Fly
Size 10 Kalama Steelhead Bee

If fishing is slow, try a small Pink Clouser!

For some reason, Silvers don't like the larger flies on the Kalama... I am not saying you won't catch fish, just not as many.

Downriggin'

The "hands down" most effective all around fly pattern for Silvers in the Puget Sound area is the Clouser Minnow. Everyone has their own special color combination whether it be green & white, chartreuse & white, pink & white or olive & white. Most tie a size #4 to #8. My "go to " Clouser is a green "baitfish" angel hair over pearl angel hair tied somewhat sparsely in a #4. Second to that is a green poly-bear over white northern bucktail, also on a #4 hook. Do you need tying instructions for the Clouser pattern?

I have these for my fave saltwater and fresh water.

This is my #1 fo all saltwater Salmon, but this is the color for Silvers.



This is my 2nd choice for this year.



These have been doing well for me in the fresh water.

thanks for the info, im fishing fresh water and i only fish the kalama for springers. Divers thanks for the pictures that makes it real easy for me.

I allways had good luck in the SW rivers with cerise and black marabou combination. I usually tied it on a downturned eye hook (like a tiemco 700) and wrapped the shank with silver braided tinsel or pearl tinsel. The addition of holographic flash material or flashabou in pearl, pink, or silver helped depending on the flow and colr of water. Keeping it slim in profile seemed to be more effective than building a bushy fly for whatever reason. But for silver in the rivers cerise and black was my go-to color combo.

Divers,,,,,,nice flys, nice pics.......
I like your # 2, looks like a good salt fly......
Will you explain how to do the long mylar tail 'thingy'??
Thanks,

Periwinkle, that fly was tied for me by Keith at Salmon Bay Tackle. he will set you up with the Material.

The 1st fly has been much more effective here in the sound for me for the past 2 years.

I will be testing it out on the fresh Silvers I have seen in the Sound tommrow.

Two Flies...

Saltwater: Chartruese/white clouser minnow, with BLACK dumbell eyes! The eyes are important, look in the water at a school of herring, first thing you'll see is BIG BLACK EYES. Tried other colors, black works best. Use bucktail, or angel hair. You dont need another pattern in the salt. I fish all summer and catch hundreds of silvers in the salt

Fresh: fusha bunny leech. I have really good luch with this pattern. I use a gold conehead in off colored water, and silver if its clearer. Black head if water is low. I use other patterns too, but remember lines catch fish, not flies!

I use a fly thats called a black widow. it resembles some of the east coast variant spiders tied NW style on size 6 saltwater hooks. Cast a big silouette but are a small fly when the fish move up on them. Email and I'll send some pics.

~steelymann~