Ausable River Trip [Surface Flies That Worked]

Very little of our fishing was for rising trout.  Mostly we fished pockets and back eddies and behind boulders.  Basically we fished everywhere we thought fish  would be holding, even if we didn't see any.  With the water flowing at near historic speed and height (for June) we usually found fish in the pockets where rocks created a break in the flow or along seams between fast and slow water.

I guess you would call our strategy "prospecting for trout".  Perhaps the most frequently used tactic was a "hopper-dropper" set up.  With a big dry fly floating on top and a weighted nymph tied to 18"-24" of tippet material tied to the bend of the dry fly hook, we felt two flies presented this way would increase our chances for a hook up.

Personally, I had never tried two-flies-at-once before, falsely thinking I would mess up my leader and spend my time in frustration.  But if you keep your casting short and maintain an open loop in your backcast, this tactic can be enjoyable.  I never once tangled my leader.  (I did get a few wind knots here and there, however.  But, hey, it was windy.)

A big Stimulator stonefly immitation with rubber legs worked
very nicely.  I think all five of us used this version or one
without legs. Tied by Paul DiNolo

Rob was a fan of this all peacock herl Stimulator

This is the traditional Stimulator.  Paul tied this one a bit smaller
than the rubber legged ones shown above.  Tied by Paul DiNolo

Jim fished the Ausable Wulff.  I think he used it alone sometimes, but 
at other times he tied a small beadhead at the end of
18" of tippet tied to the  bend of the hook.  All of Jim's are tied
on downeyes.  For this picture I only had one tied on an upturned salmon hook.

Two smaller dry flies used as searching patterns are shown below.  A number of us tie our parachutes with florescent pink posts so we can see them better.  I highly recommend the pink post for eyes that don't see as well as they used to.  I don't think the fish care one way or another.  

Paul calls this a "Hot Spot".  Use this pattern wherever and
whenever you would use an Adams. Tied by Paul DiNolo

Another concoction of Paul's.  I call it a pink post parachute caddis. I don't know
what Paul calls it.  Maybe it's a grasshopper?  Hmmm, or maybe it's a stonefly?
Tied by Paul DiNolo

In the evenings we looked for hatches to match.  Though we saw rising bugs and rising fish in a couple of flat calm spots, there really were no hatches to speak of.  John used these opportunities to use a CDC Caddis.  

The CDC Caddis is a productive pattern.  But be sure to tie a bunch
of them because once they are slimed you'll need to tie on another one.
Tied my John Morrison.