Went out this afternoon to my local community lake that was just stocked with trout on Thursday (2 days ago). I struck out pretty terribly while all the powerbait/worm people were doing decent. I guess my question is, is that to be expected? Is it really worth attempting to catch these little stockers on a fly and if so, what type of flys/strategies should I be trying?

Thanks for any help!

I have always had luck useing a olive wooly bugger,Y2K, and an occasional dry fly( mostly on the few streams that they stock). They thing that I have noticed, the first couple of days after stocking, flies and lures work better. After a week, it switches over to powerbait. I'm not a purist or anything like that, Have never been able to keep powerbait on a hook, but have done well with corn on my little 2wt.

Stocker trout are keyed to being fed pellets, not scavenging for aquatic insects, so they are generally harder to catch on flies than on bait. It's possible to simulate the hatchery feed with flies or egg patterns (Dan Bailey sells a sparkle egg in "Pellet Olive"). I've also had luck with small Cracklebacks (size 16) and Cinnamon Ants, both of which resemble a floating or slowly sinking pellet. That said, my best luck in the first few days after stocking has been with olive woolly buggers.

I caught a few here this weekend on Pistol Petes...they were hitting them pretty hard.

These stocker Bows will hit a beadhead pheasant tail or hares ear nymph under an indicator 2 or 3 feet above the fly.

Caught a couple dozen in 2 hours down at the hatchery in Athens last weekend.

BHR

Welcome, Troy. My limited experience mirrors yours—garlic-Velveeta completely outfishing soft hackles. It's ironic that commentators can be so disdainful of "factory" trout, yet those very fish can be some of the most impossible to catch on the fly.

cover your fly in powerbait