Dr Bob, come into the chat room around 6PM PST. There will be lots of folks who can help you out. My own soft hackle has been my go to fly for 3 years now. It's called Creation: Tail- 5-6 teal flank fibers, Body- Lt Cahill mohair Rib- oval gold tinsel,counterwound for durability Hackle- Teal flank, sized to the hook. I use size 10-12, and usually dry fly hooks, so it will ride in the surface film.
This fly has accounted for 80-90% of the trout I've caught in the past 4 years. It is easy to tie, and will imitate a number of different types of emergers,depending on the thread(read-underbody) color. Remember, when wet,underbody color shows through.So, if you use red thread, it will show through almost pink.Black-olive, olive-deep olive,etc,etc. Hope this helps. This fly will be the subject of a magazine article in the near future. Jamie

------------------
"Fishing is more than a sport.It is a way of thinking and doing,a way of reviving the mind and body" Roderick Haig-Brown