Trout Fishing Tips | Do Trout Eat Dragonflies?

Dragonflies are hard to miss. Big, fast, and buzzing over trout streams like little helicopters, they’re the opposite of subtle.

If a trout can pick out a size 22 mayfly, it certainly isn’t blind to a size 4 dragonfly. And yet, you almost never see fish rising to them — and nobody talks about a “dragonfly hatch.”

Trout & Adult Dragonflies

There’s a reason – adult dragonflies are just too damn fast. They’re among the fastest flying insects, clocked at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. Adult dragonflies actually feed on the same insects that trout do, like midges and little mayflies. So rather than a food source for trout, they’re actually competitors.

Every once in a while a trout will eat an adult dragonfly in a feat of impressive acrobatics, but don't bet on it.

Dragonfly Nymphs: A Steady Trout Food

Underwater, it’s a different story. Unlike adult dragonflies, the nymphs are chunky, slow, and easy prey for trout.

They spend the first 1 to 4 years of their lives in the nymph phase, which means that multiple generations overlap. So, in trout streams that support them, there are always dragonfly nymphs around to eat.

Where to Fish Dragonfly Nymphs

Short answer: slow water. Unlike mayfly and stonefly nymphs that cling to rocks, dragonfly nymphs make their home in soft stream bottoms and weeds. Fast currents don’t offer the kind of habitat they need.

Ponds, lakes, spring creeks, beaver ponds, and the slow backwaters of fast-flowing rivers are prime dragonfly nymph habitat.

How to Fish Dragonfly Nymphs

When it comes to presentation, treat a dragonfly nymph like you would a small streamer. They swim in short bursts, so small strips are the best way to mimic their movement.

Because dragonfly nymphs hug stream bottoms, you’ll want to fish your fly low in the water column. Weighted flies work best – with an unweighted fly, it might take a splitshot or two to get down to the right depth.

Best Dragonfly Patterns for Trout

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a dragonfly pattern at a fly shop. The drawers are always full of mayflies, caddis, stoneflies, midges, and terrestrials – but rarely anything for stillwater anglers.

If you want to fish dragonfly nymphs, your best bet is to order them online.

Trout & Dragonflies: The Bottom Line

Yes, trout do eat dragonflies – just not the ones that you see zipping by above the water’s surface. A dragonfly nymph won't work everywhere, but if you spend some time on stillwaters or slow creeks, it deserves a spot in your fly box.

If nothing else, it’s cool to say you caught a trout on a dragonfly.