I just got some of my old tying bench materials out of storage and started to tie up a few flies to clear the cobwebs and get the rust off.
And it dawned on me…I can tie Woolly Buggers all day long. I just seem to have nailed that pattern with the right recipe.
It doesn’t matter the size - I like tying them and they always turn out great. Whenever I know I’m going to be tying for a bit - I start with a few of them as kind of a “warm-up”.
So what about you? What’s your favorite pattern to tie?
Do you prefer drys, nymphs, streamers or what?
FYI - I also like tying micro-sized flies. I even tied a sz 32 griffith’s gnat once just to see if I could do it. And I could.
Although I don’t have a particular favorite, I do go through periods where I really enjoy tying one type of fly, but wheter that be winged wets, spiders, bumbles, dries, nymphs, streamer, or lure, well, that depends upon the wind I think! I know when it comes to fishing, I prefer fishing wee wets, both winged and wingless varieties, although I will fish them all. I like to tie them all equally though.
My favorite flies to tie are the Catskills. I will usually start off with a couple of them when I’ve been away for awhile. They require me to pay attention to proportions…which gets easier, but just as important with the rest of the flies I tie:^)
If I’m just tying for the sake of tying (i.e. the Cubs suck, there’s no sports on and it’s 95 decrease with 100% humidity like last weekend), I’ll tie a mayfly dry - kind of a Proper Perfect Dun.
The Pefect dun was a catskill type of fly but with the dubbing crossing through the underside of the collar in an X to split the bottome of the collar hackle in half (kind of like cutting the bottom of the hackle to create a Lawson-type of Thorax fly). I like Wonder Wings rather than hackle tips, though.
I love tying old style wingless wets, Clyde style, and flymphs they have a beauty and simplicity all their own. Then Catskill style because to tie a proper CS the proportions must be exact, JMO.
What a great question! I had to really stop and think this one over. I like to tie leeches because I fish them so much and I have the process down pat. That being said, I’d have to say my favorite pattern to tie is soft hackles. I love the look of soft hackles and you can vary the pattern so much with a slight change of materials yet you simply can’t screw it up enough to not catch fish. For me it would be soft hackles.
Add another to the wingless wet fly fan club. Beautiful flies, elegant in their simplicity, and deadly on the fishies. My thanks to Donald Nicolson for converting this “dry fly only guy” years ago.
There’s always been a special place for me for the classic Adams. It was the first fly I tied that actually caught a fish (the fly was really ugly!), and ever since, it’s been a major producer for me. That said, I have a real fondness for soft hackles. And here’s the kicker–I’ve tied a ton of 'em but have yet to catch a fish with one
My favorite ties are any flies that are quick, easy, and catch lots of fish! For me, that usually means, para Adams, Patriots, PT nymphs, copper johns, or my true favorite: peacock & brown.
Stimulators, if they come out well. Anytime I can tie a fly with TWO different batches of deer or elk hair on it and make it look good I feel like I’ve really accomplished something.
Plus, they catch fish.
I prefer to do streamers and poppers. I like tying flies large enough that I can see. I have not done that many poppers, but when I am in the mood, I am pleased with the results in working with them. I wouldn’t want to do them exclusively though. Streamers on the other hand, I never seem to grow tired of.
