On our homepage you’ll find eight recommended flies that consistently catch at Felix Farm. But what are they, how do they work, and when should you tie each one on? This guide explains every pattern, so you can open your fly box with confidence.
Remember: at Felix Farm it’s single fly only, with no droppers and no bite indicators. Choosing the right fly matters even more when you only have one on.
Lures vs imitations
Stillwater flies fall into two broad groups:
- Lures (attractors) don’t copy a specific insect. They trigger aggression or curiosity through colour and movement. They’re great for freshly stocked rainbows and coloured water.
- Imitative patterns copy natural food, such as nymphs, damsel larvae and terrestrial insects. They come into their own when fish are feeding selectively.
1. Cat’s Whisker
Type: Lure
A classic stillwater lure: a white marabou wing with a chartreuse body and bead-chain or bead eyes. The pulsing marabou is irresistible to rainbows. When: any time of year, especially when fish are chasing fry or the water is coloured. How: strip it back in varied pulls, and change your speed until you get a take.
2. Montana
Type: Lure / suggestive nymph
Black marabou tail, black chenille body and a fluorescent green or yellow thorax. It loosely suggests a large nymph or damsel larva. When: a reliable choice in cold months and on dull days. How: a slow figure-of-eight retrieve or short pulls.
3. Damsel (Damsel Nymph)
Type: Imitative
A slim olive pattern with a marabou tail that wiggles like a swimming damselfly larva. When: late spring through summer, when natural damsels are active around the margins and weed beds. How: a steady figure-of-eight, near the surface or just below.
4. Pheasant Tail Nymph
Type: Imitative
One of the oldest and most effective nymphs in fly fishing, tied from pheasant tail fibres and copper wire. It represents a wide range of small nymphs. When: all year, especially when fish are cruising and sipping near the surface. How: fish it very slowly on a floating line and watch the end of your line for any twitch.
5. Apps Worm
Type: Imitative / attractor
A simple, wriggly pattern made from a length of soft, stretchy material. It imitates bloodworms and other larvae, and the movement draws fish in. When: all year. It’s particularly good in cooler months. How: a slow retrieve with occasional pauses, letting it sink and flutter.
6. Daddy (Daddy Longlegs)
Type: Dry fly / terrestrial
Imitates the crane fly, which gets blown onto the water in late summer and autumn. Few things in fishing beat watching a big rainbow rise to a daddy. When: August to October, particularly on breezy days. How: cast it out and leave it, perhaps with an occasional twitch. Use floatant to keep it riding high.
7. Cosmix
Type: Lure
A bright attractor pattern that stands out in the water. Flashy materials make it visible from a distance. When: bright days, coloured water, or when fish aren’t responding to natural patterns. How: brisk pulls, and try different depths.
8. Black Fritz Booby
Type: Lure (buoyant)
A black Fritz body with two foam “booby” eyes that make it float. Usually fished on a sinking or intermediate line, so the fly hovers above the bottom and bobs enticingly as you retrieve. When: cold water and deep-lying fish, especially in winter and early spring. How: let the line sink, then use a slow retrieve with long pauses.
Quick selector
| Conditions | Try first |
|---|---|
| Cold water, fish deep | Black Fritz Booby, Montana, Apps Worm |
| Fish rising / cruising near surface | Pheasant Tail Nymph, Daddy (late summer) |
| Late spring / summer margins | Damsel |
| Coloured water or aggressive fish | Cat’s Whisker, Cosmix |
Building your first fly box
Buy two or three of each pattern in sizes 10–12. That’s a compact box that covers almost every situation on an English stillwater. Lost flies in trees are part of the game, so spares are essential!
Check our “What’s Catching?” updates on the homepage before your visit, and read our beginner gear guide for the rod and line to fish them on. See Tickets & Availability to plan your day.