Name your one fly

wetline dave said:
A bunch more great options.

Is it the fly or the fisherman reading the water or personal preferences, so much to consider.

Dave
Click to expand...

Most people do not mention the body color of the dry fly. Probably for good reason. I know I did not for my humpy recommendation. It is because 'it depends'. I tie my humpies in cream, tan, yellow, orange, green and red body color. Then there is size e.g. 12 or 14 or 16 or ?. Each time I fish I need to find size and color that works best. It sometimes changes during the day. So there is not one clear answer except for having a box of flies with lots of options. Dang! Then add to the choices of high floating profile versus in the surface film. Gag!

Now PT's are more standard as are Carey specials imitating dragon or damsel nymphs (medium or dark olive). But what about marabou color - match fly body or black? But how long of a 'tail'?

So it comes down to experience, luck, guesses, or throwing a 'Hail Mary'. Once one figures it out the tippet is too short or will not fit through the eye of the hook due to all the changes and by the time you fix it, the fish move onto different choices... Welcome to the world of fly fishing and not fly catching! LOL!
 
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I’m going to say…

1. Adams
2. Daves panic button
3. I hate nymphing ( but if had to choose a Hare’s ear)
4. Lots of various soft hackles
 
Big dry: stimulator
Small dry: parachute Adams
Big nymph: pats rubber legs
Small nymph: hares ear in its many varieties
Streamer: woolly bugger in whatever color

Easy peasy.
 
Wright’s Royal
Hare’s ear
Pt soft hackle
Light spruce
I will on occasion use parachute adams if there is a hatch. My soft hackle close runner up is a starling and herl, which i use as an ant, a snail, a caddis or a whatever. Thats about it in my fly box.
 
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Dry Searching: Lime Trude
P1000177.jpg

Dry Aquatic Hatch: Compara Dun
Dry Terrestrial Hatch: Black Flying Ant
Emerger: Quigleys Paranymph
Moving Water Nymph: Birds Nest
Stillwater Nymph: J. Fairs Wiggletail
Diptera: Mosquito Larva
Freshwater Searching Streamer: Angora Bugger.
Freshwater Baitfish Streamer: Bucktail Pond Smelt
Pond Smelt.jpg
Ready to go..jpg

Freshwater Searching Streamer: Angora Bugger.
S.W. Streamer: Flashtail Clouser
 
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When I first heard about the Purple Haze I bought some and they didn't work for me (n), so I retired them. Then I tried it again on BSC and caught a 16" RB (y). The next time out same water. Hooked up with a 14" Brown (y). I ended up LDR. So I guess I will fish that fly until it quits working. I have a few of them tied up yet.
 
Trout Trekker said:
Dry Searching: Lime Trude
View attachment 6334

Dry Aquatic Hatch: Compara Dun
Dry Terrestrial Hatch: Black Flying Ant
Emerger: Quigleys Paranymph
Moving Water Nymph: Birds Nest
Stillwater Nymph: J. Fairs Wiggletail
Diptera: Mosquito Larva
Freshwater Searching Streamer: Angora Bugger.
Freshwater Baitfish Streamer: Bucktail Pond Smelt
View attachment 6324
View attachment 6325

Freshwater Searching Streamer: Angora Bugger.
S.W. Streamer: Flashtail Clouser
Click to expand...

Got a recipe for that smelt pattern?
Great looking fly.
SF
 
Stonedfish said:
Got a recipe for that smelt pattern?
Great looking fly.
SF
Click to expand...
Thank you,

Pond Smelt

Hook: TMC 9394. Those pictured are #6 which is my go-to size but I do have #4's & #2's as well.

Thread: Danville Grey 6/0.

Weight: 12 - 14 turns of .020 lead. Starting about 1/3 down the shank from the eye. Aft of where the throat tie in area will be.

Tail & Body: Opal ( C.C. # 010 ) Metallic RibbonFloss a.k.a Rad Floss. That's Ray Radley's flat braided mylar product that he used to sell at F.F. shows. Although I also have found the same product and color from other companies where the C.C. is 144F-10 Opal Metallic / Ribbon Floss.

Throat: Tufted Red Marabou or tufted web from the base of red saddle hackle, torn to length.

Underwing: White Bucktail

Laterals: Angel Hair ( Silver - Holo AHH-134 ) 8 -10 strands each side. Occasionally I augment the lats with three or four strands of Rainbow Pearl Crystal Flash.

Over wing: Pale Grey Bucktail.

Dorsal: Smoke Pearl Crystal Flash, 4 to 6 strands. Medium Olive Pearl Crystal Flash works nicely too.

Head:
1) Color preserver, let each stage dry completely. I never tie one or two and I use a three wheel turner which speeds up the process.
2) Base coat iris white acrylic paint
3) Iris, yellow acrylic paint.
4) Pupil, black acrylic paint.
5) Coat with color preserver. Need them now and don't care if the iris and pupil bleed a bit? Skip 5 and go to step 6.
6) Sally's Hard as Nails.


I've tied them in many color combos, next to the Pond Smelt nothing I've tried has had as wide of success with as many species, though the Barred Chartreuse has worked well for warm water species and Blue / White / Pink has worked better than the others for our landlocked Salmon. But for Trout ( RB, CT, BR & BN. ), Macks, Black Bass, larger members of panfish, landlocked schoolies and most everything that eats small fish around here which unfortunately includes Pike Minnows, the Pond Smelt is the one I most often start and finish with.


P. S. Barred Chart. White.JPGP. S. Blue White & Pink.JPG
 
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Trout Trekker said:
Pond Smelt

Hook: TMC 9394. Those pictured are #6 which is my go-to size for this but do have #4's & #2's as well.

Thread: Danville Grey 6/0.

Weight: 12 - 14 turns of .020 lead. Starting about 1/3 down the shank from the eye. Aft of where the throat tie in area will be.

Tail & Body: Opal ( C.C. # 010 ) Metal RibbonFloss a.k.a Rad Floss. That's Ray Radley's flat braided mylar product that he used to sell at F.F. shows. Although I also have found the same product and color from other companies where the C.C. is 144F-10 Opal Metallic / Ribbon Floss.

Throat: Tufted Red Marabou or tufted web from the base of red saddle hackle, torn to length.

Underwing: White Bucktail

Laterals: Angel Hair ( Silver - Holo AHH-134 ) 8 -10 strands each side. Occasionally I augment the lats with three or four strands of Rainbow Pearl Crystal Flash.

Over wing: Pale Grey Bucktail.

Dorsal: Smoke Pearl Crystal Flash, 4 to 6 strands. Medium Olive Pearl Crystal Flash works nicely too.

Head:
1) Color preserver, let each stage dry completely. I never tie one or two and I use a three well turner which speeds up the process.
2) Base coat iris white acrylic paint
3) Iris, yellow acrylic paint.
4) Pupil, black acrylic paint.
5) Coat with color preserver. Need them now and don't care if the iris and pupil bleed a bit? Skip 5 and go to step 6.
6) Sally's Hard as Nails.


I've tied them in many color combos, next to the Pond Smelt nothing I've tried has had as wide of success with as many species, though the Barred Chartreuse has worked well for warm water species and Blue / White / Pink has worked better than the others for our landlocked Salmon. But for Trout ( RB, CT, BR & BN. ), Macks, Black Bass, larger members of panfish, landlocked schoolies and most everything that eats small fish around here which unfortunately includes Pike Minnows, the Pond Smelt is the one I most often start and finish with.


View attachment 6366View attachment 6367
Click to expand...

Thank you. I like the other versions as well.
SF
 
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