Top 5 fly patterns a beginner should learn

[raiderhunter]

I'm curious as to what you experienced fly tyers would say are the top 5 fly patterns that a beginner should learn to tye.

[Eric-WD]

Raiderhunter, what are you fishing for? I'm sure that snook flies are great for some people, but Here on the coast of Washington State they are pretty worthless.
The top five trout flies to a Bass Man aren't necessarily helpful give us an Idea of what your fishing for and I am sure we can suggest flies.

If you have to start tomorow, I would start with Buggers wooly etc. then learn to tie other flies I can use from there.

Eric

[bspitt]

But I would say

1) Wooly Bugger
2) Elk Hair Caddis
3) Phesant Tail Nymph / Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear
4) Clouser Minnow
5) Para Adams

Actaully 6---but with those will catch just about any fish known & teach you all sorts of tying skills.

Brannon

[DG]

"Should" makes it sound like there are rules in this game. There are not. Pick 5 you might find yourself fishing with, pick 5 that might challenge your tying skills, pick 5 that randomly appear in the tying book.

[raiderhunter]

Guess I better clarify a species! Ok lets say Top 5 Trout flies.

[harleybob87]

that would be the 5 flies you feel confident in to catch trout. For each individual that top 5 will be different.

[rainbowchaser]

Your favorite five flies to fish. List them and you can get some feedback on which one to tie first. Tying any fly is a matter of applying a group of basic techniques. You might as well learn to apply them to patterns you fish. For what it is worth the first fly I tied was a simple brown bi-visible but the second was an extended body spinner that still looks complicated to the uninitiated. I caught fish on both and still tie and fish both. I do hope the current models look a little better.

[Gandolf]

Hi Raiderhunter,

If your talking up in New Mexico, I would say go for: 1. elk hair caddis, 2. stimulator, 3. gray Wulff, 4. gold ribbed hares ear, and 5. pheasant tail.

Once you can tie the basic fly, for the three drys listed above, then you can tie it in any color, and thus tie flies that will fish any mayfly, any stonefly, any caddis fly, as well as two basic mayfly nymph.

Variations of the GRHE can fish for stonefly nymphs, and a simplified variation can fish for a caddis.

If you can find your way up to Borger some of these times I will get you started fly tying.

Regards,

Gandolf

[James-FS]

Bear paw
Wooly buggers
Ants
Adams
Caddis

That?s about all I fish.Start around size 12 hooks and as your skill improves shrink the hooks I tend to fish size 18-22.

[JeffHamm]

Hi,

I would suggest the following :
1) partridge and orange
2) hare and copper
3) wooly bugger
4) royal wulf
5) greenwell's glory

All catch fish, the first teaches neatness, thread control, and the less is more principle. The second teaches you dubbing, and working with wire ribs, and weighting the fly (if you allow bead head varient, lead under body varient, non weighted, etc). The third works adds in palmering hackle, ribbing through it, etc. Generally, these three will work well even if tied roughly (especially 2 and 3). The Royal Wulf may seem a bit more complicated, but the only real new thing to learn is the hair wings. Finally, in greenwell's glory you learn quill slip wings and you can tie it with a false hackle for a new method too.

Once you've got all those under your belt, most traditional flies are within your abilities. Parachute flies would be good to learn too, so for a 6th fly add a parachute adams.

- Jeff