LAKESIDE FLIES
Hand Crafted Originals
Welcome
~~~WELCOME TO LAKESIDE FLIES~~~
"Making Fisherman happy one fly at a time"
Here on my site you will find flies I have created which reflect my passion for fishing and growing up here in the beautiful state of Maine. Styling and creating some of my original flies to use in the beautiful Maine waters, started as a fun hobby like so many others. Now it has grown into a full time business with my sincere passion & challenge to create new unique patterns or add my own twists on the good ole' classics.
♡♡I Love to tie, it is a true art.♡♡
As most of you know my name is Kat and I am the sole fly tyer here at Lakeside Flies. For those that don't know me yet, Hello 👍😁
oh and a tidbit about me.....I will not let anyone else assist or tie my flies. I'm stubborn in that way.😜 So sometimes creation takes a bit of time. But I always try and get your orders to you in a timely fashion.
It does get crazy when the frenzy of spring fishing season starts. So always get your orders in about 3 weeks before in April!
I truly love each creation I tie and want you, more than anything to catch fish with them! My flies are like my babies sending off to a new home when I am done.🤣🎣👍
So to all of you ~ I thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me grow and keep our fishing heritage alive for generations to come.
I want my flies in those fly boxes years from now, like the ones I cherish from past tyers.❤
~~As of July 2021~~
Orders are shipping within 2 - 5 days. Depending on order size. 🎣
Again Thank You for your patience & understanding. I always try and make it worth the wait!!!
So try a few of my flies ..
trust me, they aim to catch your eyes but really catch some fish! 🎣
All of lakeside flies are tied to order which is great to customize any requests just for you !
I am working daily to build stock to open for foot traffic in fall of 2021.
Shop hours of operation are
Monday thru Friday 8am-5pm
Open for phone orders and curbside pickup if you are local.
Fall 2021 Newsletter
September/October Fall Newsletter:
First off we would like to welcome Layce Young a 13 year old local up and coming Maine artist to Lakeside Flies!
We are so happy to support such a young talent and share her beautiful artwork. Please check out her paintings and also follow her on Facebook and Etsy. She is always creating. ❤
Layce's Facebook
Layce's Etsy Shop
And for those of you that still like to have a mask handy ~ we have them. Another young local talent ~Jayde Young Creations will stitch you a fashionable mask.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!
Pictures have been pouring in all summer. The fisherman and women behind the flies are truly magnificent. You pair them with flies that are meant to catch and its a lethal combination for hungry predator fish.
I'm sharing only a few of the fly patterns that the species have been liking this season . Putting fish in the nets these flies along with many others having proven their worth. Tied to attract , they've done their jobs . Happy fisherman ~ one fish at a time!
Flies for the win! 🎣🏆
Beautiful Rainbows caught on "Fall furys" , "green ghosts", "gray ghosts", "perch patterns" , "pumpkinheads" & "little maynards" .
Feisty Landlocked Salmons caught on "blue smelts, "queen bees", "supervisors", " red ghosts", "dace and "smelt patterns" .
Big ole' Browns caught on " black smelts"," yellow perch" , "Brownie delights", " pink ghosts & "black ghosts".
Big lunker ~Lakers caught on "red hot rebels", "Champlain specials", "big white ghosts" & " beaded gray ghosts".
Skill, patience, perseverance & passion along with a stocked box of the best selection of flies keeps the fishing alive from spring till fall.
You can always find the fish. Some days it may seem like they've disappeared. But they are there , they need to eat .You just need to have what they want. Trolling a well presented fly right at daybreak always seems to work without fail..
Nothing mimics food that big predatory fish like to eat better than streamer flies tied with natural hair, fibers and a bit of flash. They are also incredibly easy to troll using a variety of easy setups. The biggest advantage of trolling flies is their ability to mimic the natural prey of big trout while adding extreme realism to the bait. Spoons, spinners and crankbaits just can’t match the tantalizing movements of a fly tied with fur and feathers.
Keep in mind that you don’t need to purchase trolling specific flies to catch fish. Streamer patterns like the wooly bugger, muddler minnow, matuka, freshwater clouser and small minnows all produce good catches.
Also remember, dragging a fly through the water without giving it any action is little better that dragging a wet sock behind the boat. Random swimming action with lots of vibration gives fish a reason to chase down a fly. So make it move!
SOME FYI TIPS:
How to rig trolling flies:
There’s no limit to the number of ways you can rig up for trolling with flies. However, for the sake of helping you start with the most successful setups, we’ll focus on just a few ways to rig up trolling flies that are killer for trout.Flat lining
Flat line (or long line) trolling is one of the most effective ways to stealthily present a fly to wary trout. The main idea is to get the fly far enough behind the boat so that it won’t spook the fish. This is extremely useful when targeting trout in shallows or the upper reaches of the water column.Without weight, trolling flies fished 100 feet back stay in the top 3-5 feet of water. Add various weights of lead split shot or an egg sinker to reach 10 to 20 feet at the same distance behind the boat. Some anglers prefer using lead core line when long lining to get the fly into 30 or 40 feet of water.
Rigging up to flat line troll is simple. The basic rig starts with tying a good quality barrel swivel to the main line. You can also use a snap swivel to make changing out flies easier. This is also where you need to decide if you are going to add weight. You can slide on an egg sinker above the swivel or just crimp on a split-shot.
Next, tie on about 36 inches of mono leader to the swivel. Then, slide on your Action Disc, followed by a bobber stop if needed. Now, tie on the fly. Position the disc where you want it by using the bobber stop to keep it in front of the fly.
You’re now ready to troll. Always check the action of the fly beside the boat before letting out the line. It should be wiggling, not spinning. Make adjustments as necessary to achieve the desired action.
Dodgers
On larger lakes or where I might be targeting trout suspended in deep water, adding some flash helps draw attention to the fly. Small dodgers that you might use when trolling for kokanee are perfect.Tie the dodger to the main line and run a 12 to 18 inch leader back to the fly. Skip the Action Disc for this setup since the dodger should give the fly plenty of side to side movement.
This setup is best fished with a downrigger but you can add a trolling weight in front of the dodger. Lake trolls
Nothing gets a trout’s attention quite like a lake troll. The long chain of spinning blades produces tons of vibration and flash. It’s a great tactic when there is some color to the water or the skies are overcast. Late fall is a great time for trolling flies behind a lake troll.Attach the lake troll to your main line (put the weight on first if you need it). Then, use a 20 to 30 inch mono leader on the back end of the lake troll. Since flashers spin and don’t dodge like a dodger, you’ll need to put on an Action Disc. Slide on the disc and a bobber stop. Tie on the fly and you’re all set.
Make sure you troll just fast enough to get a consistent rotation from the blades. Usually around 1.2 mph. Troll too slow and the blades will wobble instead of spin. Troll too fast and you’ll loose vibration and have trouble with line twist.Trolling setup and tips
There is hardly a wrong way to troll with flies. However, here are some tips that we’ve learned along the way.- Pick fly patterns that most closely match the forage in the lake. If you don’t know, start with natural colors or try a searching color like orange, pink or white.
- For long line trolling, try to fish at least 75 to 100 feet behind the boat. Use a line counter reel to measure the distance where you catch fish.
- When using a downrigger, put the fly back 40 to 50 feet behind the boat before connecting the line to the downrigger. If you have trouble keeping the fly at the right depth, add a bit of weight near the fly.
- Get your flies away from the boat by using planner boards. You can fish multiple lines at one time to test out various colors and setups.
- Trolling speed matters. The best speeds for trolling with flies is between 0.8 and 2.0 mph depending on how you are rigged up. It’s all about experimenting and duplicating what works.
- Don’t troll in a straight line. Use “S” curves to add variation to the fly’s speed and depth. Often, fish have a preference for an inside or outside rod from day to day.
- Troll with flies in areas where big trout hunt. Focus your path along depth changes and structure edges. Key in on points and especially inside turns along shore. Bait fish tend to congregate in these areas.
- Scale up your gear when fishing in trophy waters. Big rainbows and browns hit trolling flies hard and medium weight rods with stronger line are a good idea.
When to use flies:
Anytime is a good time to use trolling flies. Although, biggest fish are caught in the spring and fall. At this time, trout suspend higher in the water column and in shallow breaks where baitfish are plentiful. Smelt are always being hunted spring ,summer and fall.Early morning and late evening showcase the most aggressive feeding times. Don't miss out get on it early to get the fish! Trophy fish seem to be more accessible year-round during these low light hours.
REMEMBER: During summer hotness🔥 fish move to deeper water but flies are still highly effective. Use flashers or dodgers to grab a fish’s attention. Even during summer, trout move shallow throughout the night and during cool mornings.⁰
Since trolling flies mimic natural forage, you can catch other species of fish using the same techniques.
Everything from salmon to trout readily hit a trolling fly and many anglers catch bass, crappie and even perch incidentally while trolling for trout.
"Making fisherman happy one fly at a time"
I tie each and every fly with one goal in mind~~it needs to catch !
Fall in New England is stunning with its colorful foliage backdrop~ get out and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us❤
🌞 Happy Fishing & Tight lines!
Checkout the "Hot Deals " !
And feel free to shoot a message for any special requests. I love trying to re-create lost patterns. And love special requests.
Always remember, Free shipping over $50.00.
And every order ALWAYS gets a FREE FLY ! Who doesn't love a free surprise Fly?
Thank You~Kat & Crew ♡
New Arrival
Lakeside Fly Products
Photos
The Crew
Kat
Owner, Tier
I do all the designing and all the tying. I design each fly with one purpose...to catch fish. I was brought up 1st born girl with 3 sisters and one brother .I was a Daddys girl right from the start, wherever he went I wanted to go . Whatever he was doing I wanted to tag along .He taught me to love the outdoors. He taught me about Family, heritage, life skills , compassion and self worth. I loved fishing with him as young as I can remember. Camping trips with our family in the wilderness of Maine & NH. Helping him in his butcher shop bringing the bucktails and hides to local tiers back when I was young . I always loved the flies created from the goods my Dad brought in . Years passed and my Dad was showing me mangled flies in his box that were his favorites. He said he couldn't find the patterns anymore . So it began , I got a vise , materials from a friend and started to tie, self taught. My Dad always told me I was talented I'm my artwork and so many other areas of my life and he said my flies were beautiful. After he passed I created more and more . He was a great Sportsman and fisherman and most of all an amazing Dad.....he is truly missed with all my heart..... he gave me what I needed to raise 4 amazing Sons of my own .... I see him in each of them in their own ways ❤ Now I seem to fill a void in my life with all the fisherman I speak too and their stories and their love of my beautiful flies I create. It's a passion, a journey and I'm just going to keep on tying ..........
Lance
Business Financial Manager
Lance is my Fiance. He handles all the marketing,ordering, shipping & receiving, finances and ME! I'm a hard boss at times lol We have committed together to start this business and left our other careers behind. We love what we are doing and will never look back. It's been an all in venture and the business is continually growing. Lance is also the boat Captain, product tester, fishing trip planner and chef for any "keepers" .
Gronk
Devoted Companion/ Co-Captain
What can I say, he is our devoted companion. Actually he's MY total baby, MOMMA'S BOY! ❤🥰❤ We absolutely love our fishing mascot and he never misses a fishing trip! He always makes sure to "kiss & release" the fish. He gets very mad if we don't let him!!
Contact Me
- 110 Cottage Road, Windham, Maine, United States
- (207) 272-4047
- kat@lakesideflies.com
- By appointment only
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