Great Flies That Don't Catch Fish

[oldfrat]

The copper john was a productive fly for me. Maybe it is geographic. I then lived in the same town where this fly was invented.

[sgallas2]

I 've caught many , many fish on woolly buggers of all colors save one, olive. Can't do it. will fish it, nothing, tie on a black, or peach, or white, whatever, and catch fish. it's like a Jaguar F class, a car I'd love to have but will probably never buy it.
Best,
Steve

[Uncle Jesse]

This explains a lot about why we don't catch fish on certain flies. I have never caught a fish on a Elk Hair Caddis, but there aren't many or any caddis where I primarily fish._____________________________________________ _Fly decision flow chart.JPG

[lastchance]

A yellow-dubbed #10 weighted WB with brown hackle, tied on a standard nymph hook has been a staple for years, fished with a split-shot and bottom-bounced like you were drifting a worm.

You fish that color for trout, I guess? I never thought of colors other than olive, black or brown. I've got to expand my horizons.

[ScottP]

I was never happy with the results I got fishing Royal Wulffs that I tied; never could get them to float very long. It wasn't a good fly for me to tie early on since it's one of those where I really did need to get the proportions right or end up with a wet fly tied with dry fly hackle. Kinda gave up on them and haven't tried to tie one in years.

Regards,
Scott

[sagefisher]

Lastchance,

I have used Yellowish colored Woolly Buggers in the rivers, they just about match the Crane fly larva that get washed into the rivers in the spring time. Very effective when the trout key in on them.

Larry ---sagefisher---

[RS2]

Interesting thread! I imagine what works and what doesn't has a lot to do with geography and food sources in the water we fish. I've caught fish on most of the flies folks have found unproductive. I've done very well with scuds in olives, tans, chartreuse, pink, and orange in water where scuds live. I've also done well with copper johns in various colors especially when fished in swifter pocket water found in Western Freestone rivers where you need to get the fly down quickly. My most productive fly is a Microbugger in olive or black and in size 14 or 16. I fish it dead drift as a nymph and stripped as a streamer at the end of the drift.

Now a fly I've done poorly with is the Silver Hilton used for steelhead. I know steelheaders who swear by it, but it has never been productive for me so it just sits in the box while other, more productive patterns see a lot of water.

[rainbowchaser]

Having seen trout strike at a cigarette butt I do not believe that there is any such thing as a fly that won't catch fish. Of course some are not much better than a cigarette butt.

[Ed_D]

Having seen trout strike at a cigarette butt I do not believe that there is any such thing as a fly that won't catch fish. Of course some are not much better than a cigarette butt.

The main advantage of the free-floating cigarette butt is that it has a drag-free drift.

Ed

[lastchance]

I think any fly within reason, fished the right way, at the right time, and in the right place, will catch a fish.