Do many of you use the Renegade

[kglissmeyer]

I've not used it, but it looks good and will probably tie a few up.

Come to think of it, the only pattern I've used with a hackle for and aft is a wet fly called a Knotted midge, which is just a black thread body and a starling hackle for and aft, tied size 14 or 16. I've taken some spring creek rainbows with it.

- Jeff

Jeff, I think many of us would be very interested in how the Renegade works in your neck of the woods.

Kelly.

[Fly Goddess]

My turn, my turn. Ah, the Renegade... If I had only one dry fly to use it would be the Renegade. Invented and tied originally in Idaho by Taylor "Beartracks" Williams. If you've followed any of my Fishing Report postings you'll know that I fish a particular spring creek quite regularly. The first time we fished this water there were huge fish rising all around us and we couldn't figure out what they were taking and then we tied on a Renegade and the fun began! This fly has universal application and I would never be without several in my fly box - no matter which water I found myself on. When there isn't a hatch, or in the middle of a selective hatch, it can save the day and has taken a lot of fine fish for me and those I fish with. Cutthroats are especially prone to rise to a well presented Renegade. Gold tag, brown hackle, peacock middle, white hackle up front. Really good in very, very small sizes, but my favorite is a size #14. Joni! You weren't supposed to give away that Henry's Lake secret lol .

Kelly.

But I didn't tell anyone that it doesn't work in any month ending in y, e, t, or r....

[TyroneFly]

Try this link. Go to season 4, episode 401. The bear paw is the same as the hot spot with out the floss.
http://kwsu.org/Offers/FlyTying.aspx

Thanks Joe!

I find the bear paw and the renegade to be great dry flies both in the drift and driftless.

[CrookedRiverMike]

lst fly I learned to tie & fish while living in Missoula. I have used them in several states and it has never failed me. Funny story: One Feb I was fishing the Crooked River during a snow storm and my two partners and I were nymphing with very little success when I switched to a 16 renegade and caught several nice rainbows. The partners watched me for awhile and said we're leaving as it was crazy to to be fishing and catching with a dry fly in a snow storm. Just goes to show yah.
Mike

[perch]

Quite a while back when I was starting back into fly fishing I ran into an old guy ( old is 15 years older than whatever my current age is) who was fishing. I watched this fellow for a while cause he looked like he knew what he was doing. Turns out that he did know what was going on. 70 plus years old.Orvis certified guide ,fishing intructor, the whole nine yards . He brought me up to speed pretty quick. One anomaly (Anomaly = Odd thing) . He only used Renegades in the #8 size !!! I mean ONLY Renegades and only #8s. Turns out that he couldnt see too well from former eye cancer. He had to use a fly that he could see well. He also was a "Master " of presenting that fly like a snow flake settling on the water. He would consistently take fish when others were not. With a Renegade #8 .
For me , that size is like slinging a bowling ball with a 2 wt .

[MontanaMoose]

I just looked up 'Renegade' in my '74 Jack Dennis' Western Trout Fly Tying Manual and for hooks, it calls out Mustad 7957B, 3906 and 94840. For hook sizes it shows size 4 through 18. Jack suggests it fishes dry or wet, but fishes dry best.

In the text, Jack goes on to say that since good white hackle is hard to get, off white or cream hackle will be fine and will likely catch more fish. Also, Jack mentions that in Montana Renegades are tied on 8's and 10's mostly. Finally, the author states that the Renegade is a good attractor pattern and that if it sinks, just let it keep going.

Cheers,

MontanaMoose

[redietz]

I haven't used them in years, but I just tied up a bunch for a swap -- with plenty left over for me -- and I'll definitely be using the extras.

The first 20"+ trout I ever hooked was on a Renegade, and I can't image whatever pocessed me to stop tying and using them.

[EdD]

Normand,
I like the looks of the hook that you used. Do you mind me asking what brand and model number it is?

Thanks,
Ed

[Lew]

The first 20"+ trout I ever hooked was on a Renegade, and I can't image whatever pocessed me to stop tying and using them.

I think that a lot of us who fished the renegade with great success when we were newer to the sport kinda left it behind for flies that look more "acceptable" as hatch matchers. Subconsciously there's the thought "This thing doesn't resemble anything that I know of" and it's sort of cheating to be catching fish with a fly that doesn't match something.

With a little more maturity and with less stridency comes the realization that John Scott has it right. "The fish are always right."

I've tied up some renegades with several different colors fore and aft, but with peacock hurl dyed red. I'll let you know if they work.

[redietz]

I think that a lot of us who fished the renegade with great success when we were newer to the sport kinda left it behind for flies that look more "acceptable" as hatch matchers. Subconsciously there's the thought "This thing doesn't resemble anything that I know of" and it's sort of cheating to be catching fish with a fly that doesn't match something.

With a little more maturity and with less stridency comes the realization that John Scott has it right. "The fish are always right."

I've tied up some renegades with several different colors fore and aft, but with peacock hurl dyed red. I'll let you know if they work.

I hear what you're saying, and I've certainly dropped some flies because they feel like cheating. In this case, though, I was already an experienced hatch matcher (but hadn't had the opportunity to fish over big fish) and was deliberately using the Renegade as the best imitation of of what was hatching. I had just moved to California and was fishing the Truckee river for the first time. It was close to dark, and there was a tremendous caddis hatch happening. I needed a fly that 1) I could see and 2) I could skitter to imitate an active caddis. A Renegade fit both requirements admirably. I've lucked into a lot of fish, but this wasn't one of them. I'd targeted the individual fish and was using a fly that I was pretty sure I could get him to take. He broke me off about 5 minutes into the fight. That was in 1985, and I remember it like it was yesterday. I never felt like I was cheating (as opposed to all the fish I've caught on green weenies or the like.)

BTW, I'm sure the red herl will work. I used to tie some with red floss instead of herl, and they certainly were effective (especially for brookies).