Favorite Jig pattern for small stream rainbows?

[AndyLane]

I haven't done any trout fishing in several years but I am hoping to change that this year. Curious to know... what are some of y'alls favorite jig patterns and jig sizes for small stream/river rainbows and browns.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Sizes: smallest size with adequate casting distance and control in the strike zone. Bombora posted success with 1/32 and Jungle Jim with 1/80. I can say from limited experience that the heavier the jig the more thrown hooks.

Patterns: IMO trout will hit almost anything when hungry, and nothing when wary. That being said I like dark buggy / sculpin colors + conservative flash accent if I could pick a fave.

 

[Shoemoo]

Can't go wrong tying a basic wooly bugger on a jig. If I'm trying to emulate a minnow, I'll tie it in white or silvery colors and leave off the palmered hackle. Black and olive also work well. I'll usually fish a size 4 down to an 8. Once you go smaller than that it gets hard to tie.

Strangely, I've also had a lot of luck on trout with a four colored jig I tied to emulate the Strike King Mr. Crappie Tooty Fruity tube. Dark blue body with a pink, yellow and chartreuse marabou tail. No, I'm not joking. Who knows what they think it is, but they sure want to eat it.

 

[Fatman]

Simple pheasant tail nymphs in 1/32 and 1/16th

 

[Hawnjigs]

Shoemoo's hook size choices are exactly mine. As for the Tooty Fruity, I think "hit almost anything when hungry" covers it.

Hey Fatman, is one of your balls flattened?

 

[Fatman]

No dip weed here after I posted that the first time realized I cut short with the gate shears!!! I haven't been using them anymore, just a wiggle and twisting the heads off the sprues. I looked and I had a few like that!!! pulled them and let my nephews have them.

 

[creekychub]

I've had a lot of luck on simple palmered marabou (longer profile) or bunny (shorter profile) on 1/32 oz jigs. Black, olive, purple, and rusty-orange are my favorites. And these small jigs are great for double rigging with light gear.
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[JUNGLEJIM1]

Buggers in 1/64 to 1/80 on a #8 has been a favorite of mine for many years. Usually white or gray early and black,brown or olive later in the day. Last year with drought conditions and low clear water 1/80 black or white hard body jigs tied on #12 sickles was hot. Caught two bows over 6lbs on white hardbody jigs. Black caught way more trout but the two big one's ignored the black and hit the white on the first or second cast after switching colors.

 

[Fatman]

Andy - Here's a link to another post on trout jigs it has a magazine article I attached about fly patterns on jigs. Hope it helps.
http://www.jigcraft.com/jigcraft/showthread.php?tid=3730&highlight=weighty+lures+for+weighty+fish

 

[AndyLane]

Thanks to all for the input! Great Info!

 

[Fatman]

Glad to help

 

[jiggerjohn]

I've always done well in streams with a 1/32 oz Boolie with gold flashabou & short ,thin bunny tail or mink. However , after this Spring, with a 1/30 -1/40 oz Red's "woolie" taking hundreds of trout during the past month, I'm changing my mind!!