Best Fly Fishing Flies for Clear Ponds: A Beginner's Guide

Question
ok so i am new to the sport of fly fishing and need to know what flies to use in a pond the water is pretty much clear and suggestions

Answer
Hi Nick,

It depends a lot on what fish you are trying to catch.  It also depends a lot on what is going on in the pond.  Are there insects hatching?  Are there minnows around?  Leeches, crawfish, etc, etc?  "Matching the hatch", or the food source present is always the best bet for starters.  

That all said, have a few streamer patterns along to imitate minnows.  Have some nymphs along to imitate subsurface bug life.  Have some dry flies in case the fish are feeding on the surface.

Then it comes to my favorite catch-all fly of all time.  The wooly bugger!  It will catch nearly anything in fresh water.  I don't know what it imitates.  Nothing and everything!!!  Carry some in sizes from 8 to 1 and you can catch trout, panfish and even bass.  Black, olive, white, and even purple work well.  When I don't know what to start with it is usually a wooly bugger.

Good luck on your pond!

Marc