# What's your go to fly?



## BootWarmer (Apr 20, 2008)

To start a day off or when fishing is tough, what's your go to fly?

When it's a slow day I try going deep and fishing the bottom with a wolly burger and try different colors.


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## FLYFSHR (Apr 16, 2008)

fishing mostly lakes I like wooly buggers. I view them simply as a slower version of a maribou jig.
deep water nymphing can also be fun.


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## jr1 (Dec 8, 2007)

When the going gets tough, a bead head pheasant tail nymph seems to always work for me.


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## Hounddog (Apr 9, 2008)

I really love the Elk Hair Caddis for my go to dry fly. They seem to float well and are quite durable and if you tie them with CDC they will float for days. Go to nymph for me is the good old Gold Ribbed Hares Ear nymph. Buggy and flashy... Need I say more?! And for a great catch em anywhere anytime +1 on the old Wolly Bugger. Tie in some Krystal Flash and it can't be beat. Everybody has their own fav's though. Just my 2cts.

Hounddog


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## catch&release (Nov 8, 2007)

Most stillwaters you can get away with just a few flies. I love the Bloodworm in sizes from 1" down to a size 18 in a scud hook. There has never been a stillwater that i could not catch a ton of fish on with a nice bloodworm. Midge is next and then PT or Copperjohn.


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## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

Don't laugh... it's the Woolly Worm for me. That thing can catch fish when nothing else will. 

The Diamond Midge comes in a close second.


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## flyfitch (Sep 22, 2007)

I always try different things on different waters, depending on what is in the water and what is hatching. But it seems like the other post stated, the hare's ear always works. It is one of the first flies I learned to tie when I was a kid, it is easy to tie, and I like to use gold ribs also to make it flashy. It almost always works in moving water. I have also invented a fly that always works great. It is a nymph but that is all I will say. I can't decide if I want to mass produce them and sell them or keep it a secret. I have not seen another fly like it. If anybody ever fishes with me, you will see it and I will probably give you a couple, but you must keep it a secret.


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## ScottyP (Sep 12, 2007)

Go to dries: 

parachute adams
CDC & elk
cluster midge
stimi

Go to wets:

soft hackle pheasant tail
soft hackle hares ear
damsel nymph
partridge & fill in the blank

Go to nymphs:

sow bug
pheasant tail
midge larva or pupa

Go to streamers:

buggers
zonkers
sex dungeon
seal leaches

But I carry hundreds of other patterns for when the go-to's aren't working.


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

SP basically covered it all. dry: Parachute Adams: wet- soft hackle : Streamer- a beast of my own. Nymph: PT. But- there is no substitute for boning up on your entomology, reading of water and basic understanding of trout behavior. These forums, library and time on the water are your best friends.


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## bushrat311 (Sep 11, 2007)

RnF said:


> Don't laugh... it's the Woolly Worm for me. That thing can catch fish when nothing else will.


Nice, another woolly worm fanatic! It was the first fly my great-grandpa taught me to tie and I still tie and fish them to remember him, I agree that when the match-the-hatch imitative patterns aren't working bouncing a woolly worm on the bottom will bring the fishes out to play.

FYI-ScottyP's list is pretty much dead on for flies that will usually but a bend in your rod.


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## BootWarmer (Apr 20, 2008)

Do you have a pic or tying instructions for a wolly worm?


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## cheech (Sep 25, 2007)

Go to flies....

Dry: Grumpy Frumpy, Bunny Midge, or Palomino Caddis

Nymph: See above. OR a Sasha's fuzzball sow... OR if it gets really nasty, the Euro Trash Sow.

Lake: Damsebaetis.

Streamer: Kemp bug. Probably my all time most effective fly.

Bass: Senko


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## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

bushrat311 said:


> RnF said:
> 
> 
> > Don't laugh... it's the Woolly Worm for me. That thing can catch fish when nothing else will.
> ...


That's pretty cool. I never knew any of my great grand-parents, that's a good memory to have.

It was also one of my first flies I learned how to tie. Super easy pattern and it works. You even fish it the same way I do. This pattern shines on high mountain lakes and streams, it can be killer up there. It's pretty much the only fly I need to use when out in the back country.



BootWarmer said:


> Do you have a pic or tying instructions for a wolly worm?


Ask and you shall receive...

Just keep in mind, this pattern can be tied in many different colors. Just try some out and see how they work.

Olive and Black color schemes are my more consistent patterns.

Here are a few pics and recipes. It is pretty much tied like a Woolly Bugger, just tie in red yarn instead of marabou for the tail. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

This is my favorite Woolly Worm Pattern
[attachment=4:15rwxpir]Scrshot1 copy.jpg[/attachment:15rwxpir]

[attachment=3:15rwxpir]Scrshot2 copy.jpg[/attachment:15rwxpir]

[attachment=2:15rwxpir]Scrshot3 copy.jpg[/attachment:15rwxpir]

[attachment=1:15rwxpir]Scrshot4copy.jpg[/attachment:15rwxpir]

[attachment=0:15rwxpir]Scrshot5 copy.jpg[/attachment:15rwxpir]


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## bushrat311 (Sep 11, 2007)

Nice post RnF,

My personal favorite Woolly worm uses red hackle fibers for the tail, ginger chenille body, and grizzly hackle. Fish it deep with split shot and hold on...


Cheech mentioned his Grumpy Frumpy, it is quickly becoming one of my favorites as well.


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## BootWarmer (Apr 20, 2008)

Wooly Worm - is the red yarn a GloBall yarn, or what type of yarn?


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## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

BootWarmer said:


> Wooly Worm - is the red yarn a GloBall yarn, or what type of yarn?


It usually comes on a spool like you find chenille on. Not as fluffy as the egg stuff, but fluffier than than Z-Lon or Antron yarns.

Any fly shop should have it.


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

go to dry is usually a humpy, royal wolf, or golden caddis....maybe a hopper if the weather is right.

go to wet usually boils down to a good old green&black wollybugger, or if im targeting smallies maybe a halloween.


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

bushrat311 said:


> Nice post RnF,
> 
> My personal favorite Woolly worm uses red hackle fibers for the tail, ginger chenille body, and grizzly hackle. Fish it deep with split shot and hold on...
> 
> Cheech mentioned his Grumpy Frumpy, it is quickly becoming one of my favorites as well.


_grumpy frumpy_? not famillar with that one.

do you mind posting a pic??


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## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

Longgun said:


> bushrat311 said:
> 
> 
> > Nice post RnF,
> ...


Here you go
http://flyfishfood.blogspot.com/2007/08 ... at-it.html


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## Quill Gordon (Jun 12, 2008)

_Elk Hair on top



















Phez Tail on the bottom


















Ba ha ha ha ha, ah ha!!!_
:wink:


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## BootWarmer (Apr 20, 2008)

Wow, those are some great photos Jim.


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## bushrat311 (Sep 11, 2007)

RnF said:


> BootWarmer said:
> 
> 
> > Wooly Worm - is the red yarn a GloBall yarn, or what type of yarn?
> ...


From you're description and photos, I think the yarn you use is poly yarn. Every tyer should have some in various colors, great stuff!


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## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

bushrat311 said:


> RnF said:
> 
> 
> > BootWarmer said:
> ...


hehe, tbh I am not sure what it is. But it doesn't really matter too much. Z-lon, poly yarn, wool yarn, atron, red hackle fibers, marabou, etc. It will all get the job done.


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## HighNDry (Dec 26, 2007)

I aways fish the patterns that imitate the insect that is known to hatch for the time of year I'm fishing. Whether there is a hatch happening at the moment or not, the fish have been used to seeing them, and so I'm confident I will catch some fish.


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

Dries:

Parachute Adams
Beatles
Crickets

Nymphs:

WD-40's 
Pheasant Tails
Zebra Midges 
Neon Nightmare


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## Quill Gordon (Jun 12, 2008)

BootWarmer said:


> Wow, those are some great photos Jim.


_Grazie, BootWarmer_ :lol:









:wink:


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

VERY NICE pic Jim!


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## Gordon (Sep 11, 2007)

Jim Nasium Hell!
Don't you guys recognize the great Quill Gordon?


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## Quill Gordon (Jun 12, 2008)

_Uh ooooh..._ :shock:









:wink:


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## Guest (Jun 13, 2008)

For dries I would have to say either a Griffiths Gnat or a Parachute Adams.

For nymphs I would go with either a PT, Hares Ear or Prince. San Juans are always a good standby too.

For streamers you cant beat a crystal bugger or muddler minnow.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Dry:
Renegade

Wet:
Renegade

Big Fish:
Double Renegade


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## scott_rn (Sep 11, 2007)

wyogoob said:


> Dry:
> Renegade
> 
> Wet:
> ...


I used to fish with a guy who claimed he could catch any trout in Utah on a Renegade. I never saw him catch anything, maybe that is because we were fishing in Oregon :lol:

I like copper johns, mosquitos, wooly buggers and hoppers when they are in season.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

scott_rn said:


> wyogoob said:
> 
> 
> > Dry:
> ...


He was probably using a cheap reel like myself.


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## sittingbull (Feb 1, 2008)

There are two flies that I use almost exclusively that will work in almost any situation:

1. bead-head hare's ear (tied rough on a #10 egg hook, natural or yellow)
2. flash-back hare's ear (I use Krystal flash for the tail and it attracts more fish)


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## SFWG (Sep 8, 2007)

A variation of a WD40.


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## flyguy7 (Sep 16, 2007)

Sittingbull - do you not fish dries or do you nymph with the giant hares ear through tiny midge and mayfly hatches?


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## ScottyP (Sep 12, 2007)

I've done well with a greased soft-hackle hares ear in the film during a PMD hatch.


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## sittingbull (Feb 1, 2008)

flyguy7 said:


> Sittingbull - do you not fish dries or do you nymph with the giant hares ear through tiny midge and mayfly hatches?


Oh yeah, I fish dries! If there's a hatch going on, then I match the hatch. But, if I could only have one fly in my box, it would be the bead-head hare's ear.


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## tap (Jun 27, 2008)

Nymph:
Beadhead Prince Nymph.
Badhead Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear
Beadhead Copper John

Dry:
Elk Hair Caddis
Parachute Hopper
Parachute Adams

On an interesting sidenote, Thomas McGuane in "The Longest Silence" (an excellent collection of short non-fiction stories on fishing) comments that a man he regards as one of the best flyfisherman of his time has stated that if he were strictly limited to only gold ribbed hare's ear and parachute adams he would still catch 90% of the fish he normally catches given his choice of the entire spectrum of flies available to modern fisherman.

Another of his acquaintances, a fly shop owner, admitted the truth of this evaluation of the lack of necessity of fly variety by saying that he had a huge variety of flies available at his store because "I sell flies to fishermen....not to fish [paraphrased]."

McGuane himself is a self-admitted utilizer of a broad spectrum of flies, and seems to include these quotes in self-acknowledgement that we use such a large variety of flies as much to amuse ourselves as to entice the fish.


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## Yahtahay (Jul 3, 2008)

Dry: 
Parachute Mating Midge
Comparaduns in Olive for Baetis/Green Drakes and Chartreuse for PMD's.
Elk Hair Caddis

Wet: 
Baetis Nymph with woodduck tail, bwo dubbed body and thorax wound with silver wire, woodduck case epoxied.
Brassies in every color.
Sow Bug and/or Scuds.


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## tap (Jun 27, 2008)

Yahtahay, are you Diné?


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## Yahtahay (Jul 3, 2008)

Navajo you mean? No, I am not, sorry. I am pure american whiteboy that just uses that catch phrase when I catch fish.


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