Top 10 Flies To Take Along

[ScottP]

I don't want to tie 30 different patterns and end up using only 5 or 6. I carry way too many flies with me and I'm trying to narrow my selction.

Bruce,

That makes good sense. First time I went out there, I did the same thing. Spent a lot of days fishing one or two flies, at least until evening (or early morning) when different stuff happened. Some places you can try 10 or more different flies before you figure out what they're biting on, other streams you fish 10 different flies to figure out what they won't take. You've received good advise from others on patterns; also on checking Troutfitters site - good shop, reports are light on the BS.
Don't fish nymphs much but I'd definitely bring PTs 14-20 in variety of dress - standard, flashback, bead-head, soft-hackle; Copper Johns, Hares Ears, Prince, something big/black/rubber-legged. Actually, a variety of soft-hackles would be nice to have - they cover stages of caddis, mayfly hatches and can do good things.
For streamers, I'd have buggers (black, brown, olive), Marabou Muddlers with and without conehead, Double Bunnies.
One other general tying thing - for a lot of my dries, I try to incorporate foam or more hackle; many of the rivers are bigger than what I fish back east and this helps to keep them floating in rougher water.

Regards,
Scott

[lastchance]

Thanks, Scott. That's a great idea about adding foam to the dry flies. I'll probably still have too many flies. Each time I speak to my buddy he adds more to the list. I always laugh to myself when I think of all the flies I carry with me compared to the few I actually use.

[hardhat]

1)Elk Hare caddis 12-14-16
2)humpy yellow 12-14
3)stone fly 12-14
4)beadhead stone fly 16
5)yellow sally 14-12
6)green sparkle caddis emerger 18
7)SJ worm 14 red / natural
white mayfly 14
9) hopper 10
10) prince numph 16-18
I usually end up carrying way too many flies also. If I was going to bring along 10 types of flies these would be the ones. However I would stop iin the local shops and ask what is going on. So this collection would probably grow at that time.

[Lotech]

lastchance,
At the bottom of the home page here at FAOL is a set of 42 links. Click on "Great Rivers" (6th from last) and look for the Madison and the Yellowstone. The Gallatin isn't listed. When you get to your river of choice, scroll down to the end of the article and click on the link for "Flies." That information could prove to be very helpful.

[st.croixguy]

1) PMD sz 14 16 18

2) Hopper patterns , at least 3 different colors

3) Royal trude sz 14"ish"

4) Elk hair caddis sz 12-18 (IN ALL COLORS!)

5) BWOs sz 16-20

6) Prince nymph sz 10-14

7) Cased caddis sz 10-14

Yellow sally sz 10-12

9) PED or Light Hendrickson (I like the para versions) sz 16-20

10) Clarks stone BIG! ( with rubber legs prefureably) sz 8-10


Try the big flies with a dropper, the Prince Nymph works well for me.

Might want to add an 11th fly, a may fly nymph pattern. A pheasant tail in a small size ("18ish") or a small emerger type, both are killer as droppers.

Also the cased caddis with an emerger fished DEEP in a two or three nymph rig is good for the hot mid day times with no hatch on.

This list WILL get you by on most big western rivers.