Field and Stream's 25 best flies of all time

[jdubach]

Here's the link to their list. What do you think?

http://www.fieldandstream.com/fiveflies

[ducksterman]

Nice reference...thanks...it will be interesting to see the discussions.

BTW I would like to download them as a pdf file but can only do it one at a time...tedious...is there a way to do all 25 at once?

[Z Fisher]

I was a bit surprised to see the Clouser listed as #1 (assuming that they're in some sort of order) and was surprised to see the Pheasant Tail nymph not in there (though I don't know what I'd take out to fit it in) -- perhaps in place of the RS-2.

[bspitt]

pesant tail nymph & san juan worm should be in there.. I know..SJW is not the purist fly, but if they include egg pattten then SJW should be there also.

I think this calls for a 25 greatest flies swap..that would be cool! (i'll take the egg pattern)

Brannon

[DaleW]

I suppose there are lures that work better in one part of the country vs another. But I too, would not place the clouser on top. Certainly the gold ribbed hare's ear should be much higher.


Dale



(but thanks for the reference, I'll keep it on file!)

[ol' blue]

IMO, they are missing the PTN, and zebra midge. Maybe some sort of scud. The list might be more useful if you picked a species that it applies to, because bass flies and trout flies are different things altogether. I could get by without a few that they had on the list.

[bobbyg]

Personally, I think they did an excellent job in selecting only 25 flies.

They covered the gamut of flies for all freshwater fishes.

My only suggestion would be that they include at least one fly for the salt.

A lot of fun to make a list before looking at theirs and then compare the two.

The RS2 is a new one on me, but I'm ordering a few today. Just ugly enough to be most effective!!

Bob

[gutbomb]

Don't forget, the deceiver and clouser are very popular saltwater flies as well...

An interesting observation: Most of the flies in this list are the same flies named whenever somebody here posts a "What are your 5 favorite" question. Maybe F&S reads FAOL?

[white43]

I might have selected a different fly here and there, yet what I liked most was the fairness between cold and warmwater selections. Lots of you opted for the PTN. For me the Wiggle Bug, plus perhaps a Zoo Cougar. I just think one of Jack Gartside's and Kelly Galloup's flies should have been included somewhere. Everything is subjective. I can live with that. JGW

[ducksterman]

I seems this is not Field & Stream's voted on list but one man's opinion...IMHO a good one...

In case you didn't note this...

"
Additional Info

No one fly catches all the fish all the time. That?s a fact of flyfishing, and it?s why there are thousands of different patterns. Fish, ever whimsical, sometimes refuse to eat on Friday the fly they ate on Tuesday. Fishermen, ever inventive, constantly create new patterns to compensate. Despite this, some standard patterns have evolved. Tested by time, water, and fish, these are the flies that work more often than not. Most are trout flies because the majority of flyfishermen target trout. That?s why my top 20 list leans in that direction. Compiling a top-flies list invites argument, I know. Meet me at fieldandstream.com to join the fray. -- John Merwin"


"from johnmerwin wrote 3 days 8 hours ago
buck hunter 17:
That's a perfectly reasonable question. "Best" is always a matter of opinion, of course. In my case, based on experience. I got my first fly rod 58 years ago this month and have been waving one around ever since...."