I do not have access to steelhead or salmon. In my lakes and streams I have rainbows, apache’s, browns, and they say cutthroats at Big Lake. Lot of lakes here. But that is the species. Might want to know about dries but fish mostly wets.
My question is this. If you were to buy a dozen each of 10 different flies for these species, which ten flies would you buy…
or…make it which 20 flies would you buy and what would be your top ten? I doubt anyone will go to the trouble to do me 20. But one can ask.
the fly, color, and hook size?
Any advice would be appreciated.
PS…I capsized my boat and lost ALL my flies. Starting over. My lost flies were a bunch of flies I didn’t know much about anyway. Collected them as a beginner. Now I would like to stock up on known good flies.
This past summer I had luck with gold bead head brown wooly buggers with a long speckled collar-tied sparse.
Also was successful with a cz nympy in greyish/tan with a pink center and heavy gold rib.
Caught a bunch of bows on white marabou muddlers fished on top at Big Bear, and oregon cheese yarn head muddlers fished under the surface.
On top used elk hair caddis, parachute style bwo’s in various sizes, and small orange yarn bodied drys with grizzly hackle palmered-none bigger than about size 14.
We also had luck using a gold “Jake” with red dots on the spinning gear. I’m trying to make up a gold and red dotted streamer pattern for next summer.
If you are fishing the same streams and lakes all the time, then make life easy on yourself. Pick up a rock and look at the bottom to see what the fish are eating. Then put the larval, adult, and spent versions of that in your box.
I’d throw in a couple of woolly buggers in black and olive, a few Copper Johns, Blue Wing Olives, and a few Royal Coachman Dries. I like the Royal Coachman in the traditional version and the brookies around here do, too. I like to call them “Brookie Crack.” The Royal Coachman has been catching fish for over a hundred years and they still catch fish.
I second the advice above re picking up rocks. If there is a fly shop in your area, though, I strongly recommend you seek the advice of those running it.
Each season I seem to pick up a new fly that works well for me because I buy it from a local shop where the owner and his guides are constantly experimenting w/new flies.
Do You have mosquitos there? If so find some dries of these, 14s or 16s. I like the deer hair irristables, 12,14,16s. As mentioned, the royal coachman is always a good dry. The best advice is still to visit the nearest flyshop you can find, they should know the waters around a fairly large area.
I don’t have a local fly shop I can consult. Our little town has two fly shops. One owned by a gun fan. He only started stocking flies and fly tying material because Mike Yeager, the guy that wrote the book, “Flies of the Southwest”. He sells Mike’s flies, but he doesn’t even fish. The other is an Orvis shop that is a fishing shop in the summer and a ski shop in the winter. Oh, I forgot about Hondah…on the rez. Well, I don’t get over there much.
Anywhooo…the best guys to consult are you guys. John Rohmer’s AZ Flyfishing shop in Tempe, AZ is terrific, but 3.5 hours away.
Much easier here on this here computer as well.
Thank you all for the info.
It is all understood and appreciated.
There is a motive to my question. I have an opportunity to order 12 dozen flies at a price you would not even believe. (under $3 per dozen) This is a chance for me to stock up on flies…since basically I don’t have any. Therefore with 12 flies in my arsenal I could be back in business in no time. It’s a one time special deal. Pls don’t even bother to ask. There are after all sponsors on here. But if I knew 12 good flies to order I would have a pretty good stash of flies. I am just not that knowledgeable on which ones to spend my money on.
Whoa, Whoa, wait a miniute here! Jim just last week you were in the chat room telling us you could not afford to heat your home. Now you want to buy 12 doz. fly’s? I’ve seen your fly tying tools and any professional tier would be proud to own them! So why not tie your own??
What’s your point Jack? Where is your helpful information on fly selection?
Your utility bill…TOTAL has never hit $100. “Before” the price of fuel skyrocketed in the last two years…the winter of '07 (wife passed in spring of '07). I mention wife because I was gone to visit you in Nov. I went to CA and spent Christmas with my son. I was GONE two weeks in Dec…my wife was not here to run washer constantly, cooking, etc. I kept the house uncomfortably cool…and my average weekly propane heat STILL cost me $100! Can YOU afford that? My Dec, Jan, Feb averaged out to $400 a month. It costs big bucks to buy a pellet stove and have it installed. It costs even more to buy the expensive pipe for a wood stove. I don’t seem to be able to come up with much discretionary money each month. Don’t know where it goes. I do know that after 4 years of cancer bills and a funeral, my bills went way up…and my income went way down because her pension and social security STOPPED coming in. Kind of creates a big spread on being able to make your monthly bill payments. Sooooo In march of '07 I just turned my propane furnace off…and refuse to turn it back on. I just get very very damned cold for six months. I checked with my insurance company…I don’t want my fire insurance that I pay for monthly in my mortgage payment to be invalid. They say if my house burns 5 years from now and they find a self installed stove they will not honor my fire insurance. If I have it installed by a professional licensed contractor my fire insurance will stay in effect. I have to save up a bunch of money just to get heat. I do not know how to tie the flies…just because I own the tools.
Now, I am going to get 144 professionally tied …various flies for $2:50 A DOZEN! I doubt you can tie a dozen that cheap. I will re-establish a stash of flies in about 3 weeks…without spending the time to tie any. You wouldn’t take advantage of a deal like that? Then YOU come out here and pay the $100 a week just for heat. You are more than welcome. <grin> (and you can tie the flies for me…cause I KNOW you can!) But bring money. (grin)
Gem, ALL of my lake fishing boils down to a #10 olive woolly bugger. All of it. Every species, every elevation, every day. Never need to change.
I would get olive and tan buggers in #10, gray CDC caddis in 14 and 16, BWO in 18 and 20, a hopper in #10, glo bug, san juan worm, beadhead pheasant tail. Maybe something bushier for smaller streams, like a stimulator in a #12.
My order is already sent. I send the money order out for them tomorrow.
Had I known Buddy…
I got tell you folks Buddy is a big man…in more ways than one. He is a self taught fly tier…before the books and internet ever came along. Trouble is…he taught himself and been at it so long it’s too late to turn around and change his style. (he is so good though he doesn’t have to). But HE TIES BACKWARDS! He taught himself without any help. He got it down right…but opposite directions. It makes my head hurt to watch him tie a fly real fast. And you can imagine on many flies…with instructions…he may be tying for the first time…and he has to think about the whole process for that fly…because he has to reverse everything. It’s amazing to watch. Anywhoooo…I sent an unknown fly back east to get it duplicated. It came back not so well duplicated. I sent it to Buddy. It came back PERFECT. What a sweet job of duping the fly and tying it…even better than the original. Sorry folks…I just couldn’t help expressing my highest respect and appreciation for Buddy Sanders.
DG,
again thanks for the recommendations. I can tie the PT, Glo Bug, the San Juan Worm, and the wooly worms and buggers. I ordered size 20 RS2’s (2 sizes of different colors), Zug Bugs, various Zebra Midges and Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear. standard and BH. Great list of flies in this thread though.
Gives me a large base of flies to choose from when I tie them up, and get the other order.
I’ll be back in business in no time. Probably won’t get the order before Nov 21st outing on Becker Lake though. I have some flies and can tie some. So I will be ok for Becker…as long as it doesn’t freeze over before then.
Thanks DG for the flies info.
Jim
Buddy doesn’t need a list. He catches trout on anything. He can catch trout in a mud puddle!
Herefishy…Las Cruces huh? Heck come on over here and fish with me. I got space. 3bdrm 2 bath split plan. Guest bedrooms and bath in one end of the house and master in the other. Good set up for guests.
Yea, I would like to take you up on a dozen. Just to see how you put the together and size. Besides…believe it or not I don’t have any. They are tied in various ways. So I would like to see yours.
I will return a dozen of something I can tie up to surprise you with. Gotta be different. So let’s say Peacock Lady with dumbell eyes…but eyes with fake diamond jewlry from wally world. Maybe some flash in the body, BIG bushy red maribou tail…and rubber legs. That ought to dfo it. <agrin>
Kiddding. I will return a dozen of something I can tie. We be square that way.
Ansxious to see yours. Pm forth comning.
BTW we are doing a fish in at Becker Lake Nov 21st. You are welcome to join me, have all the gear, boats necessary…and lodging. Probably too far but the open door is out there for you. The guest bedroom has a Comfor Select bed…ie the “Numbers” bed that is advertised on tv all the time. Come on up.
