In Search of the Holy Grail

[Grizzly Wulff]

A question was recently asked on another online site that got me to wondering. The question was, "What are your favorite searching patterns, the flies you tie on when you have no idea or evidence of what the fish are eating?" The site poled a number of guides, authors, and people in the trade and then published the results in three articles, Dry Flies, Streamers, and Nymphs. The top fly in each category was as follows: Dry - Parachute Adams; Streamer - Wooly Bugger; and Nymph - Standard Pheasant Tail.

My question to the forum is, "What is the one fly you would never leave home without to insure you wouldn't get skunked?"

[EdD]

That depends on where I'm leaving home for. My best fly on the Duck River is studiously ignored on the AuSable and probably isn't the best for the Harpeth.

Ed

[Midwest Custom Fly Rods]

Stimulator size 16. Because it doesn't need a hatch to be seen by fish on any river that has a population of stone flies. So you can use it mid day, evening, hatch, no hatch, spring, summer.


Steve

[fishdog54]

Grizzly Wulff,

I could easily agree with those top 3 picks - anywhere! I could also put an Ausable Wulff in place of the Adams. The Wooly Bugger (for me) is more a nymphing type fly, although you certainly can swim it, so i would migrate more towards the Black Ghost for a searching streamer pattern. Good thread! Thanks Griz.

Best regards, Dave S.

[Bluegill222]

Elk Hair Caddis.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

I always have Baillie's Spiders in my fly box. Of the three original colors, black in size 14 is a must have for me.

REE

[Featherbender]

Stimulator size 16. Because it doesn't need a hatch to be seen by fish on any river that has a population of stone flies. So you can use it mid day, evening, hatch, no hatch, spring, summer.


Steve

This. This fly exactly, in this size, for those reasons.

I was thinking this before I even got to Steve's response.

Probably in yellow/orange coloration, but any combination of yellow, orange, green, olive, black, red, peacock, grey, or red will do.

It works in no hatch, as stones, caddis, hoppers, fluttering mayflies of any type in any size within one of the chosen fly, and I've even used it as an impromptu wet fly, to swing past a fish.

It's also highly visible to the angler, in any condition, and will float without a big ugly footprint on slow pools, but won't get drowned by any water you can wade through.

[tailingloop]

All white Clouser minnow. Works for everything from panfish to tuna. An a few permanent markers in different colors to go with it.

[Steven]

Tried and true, one fly, nothing else is working....

San Juan Worm. Generations of farm boys have been fishing worms for trout...there's a reason.

[Lotech]

I agree with the Wooly Bugger for a streamer and the Standard Pheasant Tail for a nymph, but I tend toward a Royal Coachman for the dry. It's a grand old fly and has served thousands well. Including me.
If you ask me the same question tomorrow, my answer might be different.