5 Flies

Chris54

Chris54

Just Hatched
Forum Supporter
I was recently ask this question while killing time. I want to know you guys would choose.

You’re going on a three day trip. Let’s say Idaho somewhere. Mid June. You can only take 5 different fly patterns. What are you taking?
 
It would help to know style of fishing e.g. dry, nymph, emerger, streamer. Also type of water e.g. river, stream or lake.

Also recognize that time of year water is high water time and snow at higher elevations.

With that being said wooly buggers, large stone nymphs, pheasant tail and hare's ear nymphs. Midge's of course.
 
Bead head softhackle hare's ear, light tones, sz. 8
Bead head softhackle hare's ear, dark tones, sz. 10
Partridge and orange, sz. 14
Pat's Rubberlegs Coffee/Black, 8 3xl
Black Stimulator, sz. 8 R200.
First 4 are solid bets. The last one, maybe sub a size 12 diving caddis, or Zak's muddler.
 
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At this point we’re just naming our confidence flies right? Right.

1. Opal and X Caddis size 16
2. Light brown fat caddis (Andrew grillos pattern) size 16
3. Parachute adams (thin quill bodied with a dubbed thorax size 14)
4. Rainbow warrior perdigon with a 2mm tungsten beac
5. Purple hippy stomper size 10

MAYBE swap out the fat caddis for a bugger, but I don’t fish them in rivers that much. Could also swap them out for a soft hackle.
 
One more, it is Idaho, and If I thought I'd have a shot at dry fly fishing for cutts, I'd have a sz. 12 Renegade.
 
Wow. Definetly two leeches one in black. The other color probably lean towards olive over other colors. Tough choice. Then next I would use what the local fly shop recommended for next three and it wouldn’t surprise me that the three they recommended would be the winner of the day.
 
Surprised so many dry fly recommendations when we do not the type of water and knowing it is still a colder part of the summer.

If I was to recommend a dry fly it would be an attractor like the Royal Wulff or Bi-Visible
 
  1. Wooly Bugger
  2. Hare’s Ear
  3. Walt’s Worm
  4. Pat’s Stonefly
  5. Mop Fly
I would have each one in at least 3 different hook sizes. Eg. #10, #6 and #2, for the wooly bugger. For each hook size, I would have at least 3 different weights. Eg. 4.6mm, 3.8mm and 3.3mm, for the wooly bugger. For each combination, I would want at least two flies. If my math is correct, I would end up with at least 90 flies, just for those 5 patterns. This is why I don’t use a lot of different patterns.
 
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RCF said:
Surprised so many dry fly recommendations when we do not the type of water and knowing it is still a colder part of the summer.

If I was to recommend a dry fly it would be an attractor like the Royal Wulff or Bi-Visible
Click to expand...
I was thinking the same thing…. I’d be reluctant to put all my eggs in the dry fly basket in June. I’d be more like MG Tom and have those BH hares ears, soft hackles, Pats stones plus maybe one attractor dry like a stimmy or royal wulff
 
RCF said:
Surprised so many dry fly recommendations when we do not the type of water and knowing it is still a colder part of the summer.

If I was to recommend a dry fly it would be an attractor like the Royal Wulff or Bi-Visible
Click to expand...


Geen drake hatch on the Harriman ranch.
Salmon fly hatch on the South Fork
Silver creek PMDs
Caddis everywhere

June should be prime dry fly time
 
Olive Comparadun
Olive Comparadun
Olive Comparadun
Olive Comparadun
Olive Comparadun

All kidding aside

Olive Comparadun
EHC
Stimulator
Olive Bugger
Beadhead PTN

The Olive Comparadun would be fished the majority of the time. It mimics multiple hatches and is very effective fished as a dry and emerger on rivers, lakes, and all seasons.
 
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