Flies that don't fish ....

[JohnScott]

.... for you ??

Dennis' Fishing Report for his outing last Friday on the South Fork of the Snake in ID got me to thinking about this question, again. Dennis reported that most of the fishies he caught ate a prince nymph.

The prince nymph is undoubtedly one of the most popular nymph patterns around and is the "go to" fly for a great number of folks who nymph fish regularly.

I CAN'T SEEM TO CATCH A FISH ON THIS PATTERN. I have no trouble tying what seems to be a very good version of the prince nymph. BUT I swear, every time ( with two exceptions ) I have fished one, I lose it almost immediately or fail to catch anything with it.

Same thing with a WOOLY BUGGER. I did have one good day swinging and stripping a couple bugger patterns, and that was that.

So - what proven patterns don't work for you ??

John

[Cold]

Traditional catskill dries.

I just started dry fly fishing this year, and did VERY well for a newbie...Caught fish on parachutes, wulffs, hairwings, comparaduns, etc. But not the standard dry fly tie. I did get one fish on a light cahill...but it was after the current had pulled it under and it was tumbling along underwater.

I'm sure I'll eventually do it, but I just havent had great luck with them yet.

[Silverexpress]

Plain hook undressed. Never worked for me.

This is in comparison to a fly I was given that was nothing more than micro chennille tied to a size 20 hook. This fly when fished as a nymph can catch fish all day.

[Eric-WD]

I have never caught a fish on a bugger or an Adams.

Part of the problem is that I try the flies that have worked for me first. When I do this and catch fish it reinforces that these flies catch fish making it more likely that I will start with them next time. Its when I am not catching that I dig into the box and try something new or different. IE buggers and Adams etc when I continue not to catch fish on them it reinforces that they don't work for me.


Eric

[tailingloop]

Muddler Minnow. Fish must fear these because when I put one on they disappear. Of course, I have given muddlers from my box to other anglers and watched them hook up almost immediately.

[dudley]

Muddler Minnow. Fish must fear these because when I put one on they disappear. Of course, I have given muddlers from my box to other anglers and watched them hook up almost immediately.

Me too
I've never caught a fish on a classic muddler...
Muddler variations ... no problem.
But the classic.. never once

[bobbyg]

Griffith's Gnat.........most probably because I can rarely see it!

I'm with you John as to not being able to catch a darn fish with the Prince Nymph. Don't have a clue as to why? I don't do a lot of nymphing anyway
but I do have some success with the Gold Ribbed Hares Ear, Zugbug, and Tellico. Old flies like me I guess!

Bob

[thorarinna]

I have my favorite patterns.
I fish them first and they therefore get better chance than the others.
I think it's also a question of believing in the fly you are fishing.

I tried Pheasant Tail many times before it came one of my favorite patterns, I never catched anything on it. But one day it happened, I don't know why, but I started fishing on it.

So it's a question of keep trying the pattern and mabe convincing yourself it's a good pattern, be positive, this fly is good

[Rocketfish]

Curious question!
All the flies in my box caught fish. All the flies named here as Adams, WB, Muddler Minnow, Griffith's Gnat were very succesful for me.
Muddler Minnow is a fly that saved my day many times. The same for G.Gnats.
Prince is perhaps the best nymph in my home rivers.
Curious question!

[DaveP63]

Scuds and sowbugs...Never as much as a nudge.