Which Fly to buy

[Tom.S]

So after much research on flies and reading many opinions I have come to a recognize I have a problem. Articles read buy a leach it’s a solid go to, buy a stone fly it’s a solid go to, buy an Adam’s parachute it’s a solid go to, buy a wooly burger, yep you guessed it, it’s a solid go to. One thing was notice almost every article I read referenced an olive green underbelly. Anyway I either have a beginner’s solid go to fly tackle box or I just spent money aimlessly. Lol

What is your solid go to fly for the Yakima river? I’ve read on this forum many agree with a SF. I’m guessing one in olive green.

 

[Pink Nighty]

So after much research on flies and reading many opinions I have come to a recognize I have a problem. Articles read buy a leach it’s a solid go to, buy a stone fly it’s a solid go to, buy an Adam’s parachute it’s a solid go to, buy a wooly burger, yep you guessed it, it’s a solid go to. One thing was notice almost every article I read referenced an olive green underbelly. Anyway I either have a beginner’s solid go to fly tackle box or I just spent money aimlessly. Lol

What is your solid go to fly for the Yakima river? I’ve read on this forum many agree with a SF. I’m guessing one in olive green.

Buy them all my friend. You have there a great collection of searching flies, flies that imitate lots of things depending on how you fish them and will catch fish on all water. I routinely throw one of those on when I'm not sure what to imitate.

You will never have too many flies.

 

[Westelyea]

My usual go to to start a day on a single hand is a pats with a lightening bug dropper. But I rarely fish single hand. So I usually have a trout Spey. Then it’s an olive bigger in the winter and a soft hackle in the summer

 

[N. Metz]

I would recommend learning to tie. Tying is a great hobby, a lot of fun, and allows you to think about fishing when you can't actually be on the water. In my opinion, tying makes you a better fisherman. It allows you to fine tune things even more than buying flies from the store.

You will be on a trip somewhere, have a frustrating day of fishing due to trout or whatever being selective SOB's, and be unable to duplicate what is hatching because the nearest fly shop is 200 miles away, and they may not even have the right fly.

I first tied a fly when I was maybe 8 or 10. Didn't really take it up until my early twenties. Wish I had taken it up sooner.

 

[Buzzy]

I would recommend learning to tie. Tying is a great hobby, a lot of fun, and allows you to think about fishing when you can't actually be on the water. In my opinion, tying makes you a better fisherman. It allows you to fine tune things even more than buying flies from the store.

You will be on a trip somewhere, have a frustrating day of fishing due to trout or whatever being selective SOB's, and be unable to duplicate what is hatching because the nearest fly shop is 200 miles away, and they may not even have the right fly.

I first tied a fly when I was maybe 8 or 10. Didn't really take it up until my early twenties. Wish I had taken it up sooner.

I agree with N. Metz on learning to tie - I'm guessing most active fly fishers are also fly tyers. On my extended annual trip to BC (lake fishing), I take a lot of tying materials with me. One thing to understand if you do decide to get into the tying game: you won't be saving money tying versus buying.

 

[Tom Butler]

Rivers; sz. 8 pats rubber legs, brown, black and or combo, size 12 hares ear nymph, gold bead head and no. Lakes (and streams if you choose) size 8 wooly buggers, carey specials and simi seal leeches, olive, brown and black.
Those are a good start, learning to cast and present those will get fish most of the time. Don't get enamored chasing flies, learn to fish with a few tried and true patterns. Tell the guy at the shop where your going and buy the recommended flies. It's worth it. My wife got me selections from Big Y fly co. over the years and that got me using other flies than those I grew up with and learned to tie. Do learn to tie. Check out in your vice and other threads. Over time you'll acquire flies that don't get fished.

 

[jaredoconnor]

Below are all of the flies that I use, if I want to reliably catch fish. I constantly experiment with other flies, but very few ever become citizens of my fly box.

• Dark brown bead head wooly bugger (#6, #10)
• Bead head Pat's rubber leg stonefly (#6, #10)
• Bead head hare's ear nymph (#10, #14, #18)
• Bead head Walt's worm (#14)
• Chubby Chernobyl (#6, #10)
• Parachute Adams (#10, #14, #18)
• Elk hair caddis (#14)
• Stimulator (#6, #10)

 

[Tom.S]

Buy them all my friend. You have there a great collection of searching flies, flies that imitate lots of things depending on how you fish them and will catch fish on all water. I routinely throw one of those on when I'm not sure what to imitate.

You will never have too many flies.

Thank you

 

[Tom.S]

Below are all of the flies that I use, if I want to reliably catch fish. I constantly experiment with other flies, but very few ever become citizens of my fly box.

• Dark brown bead head wooly bugger (#6, #10)
• Bead head Pat's rubber leg stonefly (#6, #10)
• Bead head hare's ear nymph (#10, #14, #18)
• Bead head Walt's worm (#14)
• Chubby Chernobyl (#6, #10)
• Parachute Adams (#10, #14, #18)
• Elk hair caddis (#14)
• Stimulator (#6, #10)

Thank you. Off to the store I go.

 

[Long_Rod_Silvers]

So after much research on flies and reading many opinions I have come to a recognize I have a problem. Articles read buy a leach it’s a solid go to, buy a stone fly it’s a solid go to, buy an Adam’s parachute it’s a solid go to, buy a wooly burger, yep you guessed it, it’s a solid go to. One thing was notice almost every article I read referenced an olive green underbelly. Anyway I either have a beginner’s solid go to fly tackle box or I just spent money aimlessly. Lol

What is your solid go to fly for the Yakima river? I’ve read on this forum many agree with a SF. I’m guessing one in olive green.

Scott, try using this chart as your starting point for the yak. It's pretty decent. Some of these hatches occur with a lot more gusto than others (for example, the mothers day caddis hatch is normally a monster hatch). And the timing may vary a bit (e.g. you may see skwala in April some times). But it's a good general guide for what to keep an eye out for and what to be expecting.

Worley Bugger Fly Co.-Yakima River Hatch Chart

 

[Tom Butler]

About a dozen years ago I went to fish the yak on the way to seattle. Started talking to the shop fellow at Reds and soon he set me up with some Pat's and a couple tiny beadheads. The Pats became one of my year 'round favorites. Now it's a go to down here too. I really think some time talking to shop guys, and also folks you meet, about the areas you want to fish, will really help you get started in the right direction. I think it was about $20 well spent that day.
I tend to pick somewhat impressionistic subsurface flies that represent foods available to the fish all year. I may play match the hatch, but usually, when I'm out and run into one, I realize I don't have the flies with me. I saw this when I had a primary box of terrestrials with me and I'm a mile and a half from the rig. I did have some tucked into a second box of course. You can get too many flies and boxes to carry.

 

[Brute]

First fly I ever fished was an olive wooly buggar, size 8 or 10…caught a small trout. I still have olive crystal buggars in my box. First nymph was a hare’s ear…caught a small trout. I still have variations of hare’s ears in my box.

My first true fly revelation was soft hackles, both swinging in tandem or tying one to the bend of a buggar or leech…this now my go to searching rig if an apparent hatch is not going off…

 

[clarkman]

Excellent advice above. I'd start with @Tom Butler 's list, then gradually expand to @jaredoconnor 's list. Those flies listed will catch you trout wherever they swim.

Personally I'm partial to olive wooly buggers if fishing streamers that small & pheasant tails for my all around nymph. Prince nymphs will also catch trout wherever they swim as well.

 

[dirty dog]

First flies I fished with were Brown hackle peacock, and a gray hackle yellow.
Then I moved to Bend, OR and the elk hair caddis became the go to.
I tied an elk hair peacock #14 and fished it on the N. Umpqua the other day and caught many RB's.
I then changed to a yellow sally #12 and caught many more RB's

 

[Zak]

Muddler Minnows are a nice versatile fly to have in your box, too. They make a decent hopper imitation on the dead drift and then you can strip them back up stream to imitate a small minnow.

 

[Old Man]

I used to tie what I used and I only used a few different flies. I can't tie anymore because my hands shake to much when I do something small. If I sit down in my P/U and tie up a set up to fish it takes me over 5 minutes to tie on a fly. That's one fly, if I want to add a dropper well that's almost another 10 minutes to do. Did I mention that I shake a lot.

 

[RCF]

My go to flies:

Lakes -
dragon fly nymph, size 10-12 in olive.

Streams -
Pheasant tail, size 10-14;
flash back - size 12-16,
humpy, size 12-16, various body colors including cream, orange;
elk hair caddis - size 12-16, various colors;
stimulators, size 8-12, orange is primary body color,

 

[Tom.S]

I would recommend learning to tie. Tying is a great hobby, a lot of fun, and allows you to think about fishing when you can't actually be on the water. In my opinion, tying makes you a better fisherman. It allows you to fine tune things even more than buying flies from the store.

You will be on a trip somewhere, have a frustrating day of fishing due to trout or whatever being selective SOB's, and be unable to duplicate what is hatching because the nearest fly shop is 200 miles away, and they may not even have the right fly.

I first tied a fly when I was maybe 8 or 10. Didn't really take it up until my early twenties. Wish I had taken it up sooner.

I do very much want to learn to tie flies. I hope to learn one day.

 

[Tom.S]

I used to tie what I used and I only used a few different flies. I can't tie anymore because my hands shake to much when I do something small. If I sit down in my P/U and tie up a set up to fish it takes me over 5 minutes to tie on a fly. That's one fly, if I want to add a dropper well that's almost another 10 minutes to do. Did I mention that I shake a lot.

You can still out tie me and probably be a better quality fly at that.

 

[Tom.S]

First flies I fished with were Brown hackle peacock, and a gray hackle yellow.
Then I moved to Bend, OR and the elk hair caddis became the go to.
I tied an elk hair peacock #14 and fished it on the N. Umpqua the other day and caught many RB's.
I then changed to a yellow sally #12 and caught many more RB's

Skill set well earned no doubt.