What flies do you tye?

[Thursthouse]

When I first got my vice I tried tying every different pattern I thought looked 'cool'. As I've reorganized my fly boxes for the up coming season, I started tying fewer patterns but more of the flies that I have confidence in so that I won't run out of them. I'll continue to try new (to me) flies, but I'm curious as to what flies you more experience tyers fill your boxes with. Bigger variety or more patterns that you find reliable?

 

[lightenup]

I carry too many patterns because I always end up using the same ones...Pheasant tail, pheasant tail soft hackle, iris caddis, caribou caddis, sparkle dun, bird's nest, zebra midge, some classic catskill dries(those really work well during the sulphur hatch).....gold ribbed hares ears, zebra midge, little small black dries, and really small assorted color parachutes....
oh and Lafontaine sparkle pupae

 

[WBDluver]

i too used to run out and buy materials for a latest "hot" fly but have since settled down. I am not a believer in the "educated fish" and have found a Royal Coachman still works today the same as it did 100 years ago. Even on those places were fish are supposed to have a collage degree. So its a lot of stuff like the Adams, Spinners in three different colors, Sulphers, olives. Its all about the color and size to me anymore.

 

[trico mike]

I carry tons of shit. I find what worked great one year may not work as good the next. My go to patterns are brushed shuck emergers,carry specials and anything in a parachute.

 

[NJpatbee]

I tie and carry a lot of flies, some which get used on 1 or 2 outings, others that are always at the ready. Rather than list all the variations, colors, and sizes, I will list the type of flies that are must haves for me:

Streamers: Dick Talleur's version of the Black Dace and the Grey Ghost

Wet flies: 95% soft hackles with my best producers being the thoraxed partridge & orange and tups indispensible

Nymphs: Bead Head GRHE, Copperhead (Simply a copper bead head copper-ribed hare's ear with an empahisis on the brown fur. Copper John, caddis pupa with ice dub, and BH Musky Shrimp round out my most used nymphs.

Dry Flies: Several types - Catskill dries for many early spring hatches, Marinaro's winged thorax dun for difficult trout, Barr's Vis-A-Dun, and Leonard Wright's Fluttering Caddis (I tie 10 different patterns of different sizes). From late March through Thanksgiving the Fluttering Caddis takes more trout than any other pattern. For Spinners, I tie lightly dressed poly winged patterns. Midges, size 20 - 24.

Terrestrials - McMurray's Ant (balsa) and Letort Hopper.



I carry many variations and colors of the above flies, and many more secondary patterns. There are 600+ flies in my vest at any given time, but they fit into 5 fly boxes of different sizes but are light and easy to carry.

 

[Thursthouse]

Even on those places were fish are supposed to have a collage degree.

I like what you did there... (hope it was intentional)


Intersting to see the style differences...I think it's what makes fly fishing fun/intersting is that a) not one size fits all and b) you will continue to adapt and try different techniques (in all aspects of the game)

NJpatbee, I need a lesson on organizing and storing flies.. I dont carry around that many flies and yet I carry 4 fly boxes

 

[sunsignarcher]

I'm with u still figuring shit out.

My game plan for the year is to have an all around nymphing box that'll keep me covered year round and tie seasonly for dries rather than try to carry everything all the time.

Nymphs/emergers: GRHE, holy grail, PT's, soft hackle PT's, zebras, SOS, princes, stones, Utah killer bugs and anything new that catches my eye.

drys I'm gonna make it a point to learn more about what's out when and be more specific about what I'm carrying. Last year I nymphed way too much, this year I'm gonna try n snob it up a bit n stay on top more.

 

[emoussa]

I carry one fly box and it's usually half full. I always end up using the same things.. prince nymphs, hares ears, pts, snowshoe rabbit emergers in diff colors, partidge soft hackles, elk hair caddis.

I've been telling myself to sit down and start tying since december and have yet to actually follow through.

I need to learn to tie lafontain type caddis nypmhs..

 

[lightenup]

I need to learn to tie lafontain type caddis nypmhs..

Yeah, I agree, I can't tie those sparkle poopas.....The little bubble is next to impossible to get to look right, but the ones I do tie, that look like nothing in the books, or Grobert and Tim's videos....they actually look like a tangled mess of antron still seem to catch fish.....

 

[flyman23]

Over the years I've found that a mix of nymphs, emergers and a few streamers almost always catch fish. I'm not the greatest tyer and like to keep is simple.

 

[flyI4]

I hate tying flies but will make the stuff that u usually cant find in the shops. That includes floating nymphs and other simple/ugly looking emerger patterns that don't look like much on a hook but are needed for tough fish that are rising in the film. I'll buy the comparaduns and other well known patterns in the shop and usually they work fine. I also like tying my own spinner patterns because most shops either have ones that don't float well at all or lack the variety of spinner patterns that I like to have. Need several spinner patterns when fishing for tough fish in my opinion, and of course the one that floats like a cork at the end of the evening hatch even though it looks horrible. The fish will still eat it and I an see it.

 

[Trout Nazi]

I like to tie, but apparently I won't need to tie too many Hendricksons the way things are shaping up. I've tied my unsinkable spinner (patent pending), and am currently tying up a custom order of parachutes for someone. I no longer guide, I'm a custom fly tier now.

 

[Thursthouse]

I hate tying flies but will make the stuff that u usually cant find in the shops. That includes floating nymphs and other simple/ugly looking emerger patterns that don't look like much on a hook but are needed for tough fish that are rising in the film. I'll buy the comparaduns and other well known patterns in the shop and usually they work fine. I also like tying my own spinner patterns because most shops either have ones that don't float well at all or lack the variety of spinner patterns that I like to have. Need several spinner patterns when fishing for tough fish in my opinion, and of course the one that floats like a cork at the end of the evening hatch even though it looks horrible. The fish will still eat it and I an see it.

What types of spinners do you need to have in your fly box? Just the same pattern in different colors/sizes or do you carry different types of spinner patterns (not counting the abomination night spinner you alluded)

 

[flyI4]

I think its important to have different types of spinner patterns, not just different sizes. I like having hackle wing spinners (which work well during a hatch when fish are fussy or keying in on crippled duns as they often do) , I like having the typical antron wing spinner for evening hatches, and a couple cdc wing patterns that are good for a fish or two before they get ripped to shreds but also work well during the hatch when fish are tough. Also- I find a biot body spinner is a very realistic pattern when tied with a hackle style wing. these are not the easiest to see but the fish love them. A spinner works well in all scenarios in my experience, not just during the spinner fall.

 

[moosekid]

I like this thread. I'm taking the sunsignarcherr route and creating an army of shit I KNOW i'll use. So far it's as follows...

For PTs, GRHEs, and Princes -- I've tied 16 flies (8 standard, 8 with a gold bead) in each size -- sizes 12 - 20.

Copper Johns and Zebra Midges -- 16 flies (8 standard, 8 tungsten bead) in each size -- sizes 18 - 22

I've been messing around with the caddis patterns from the other thread but have yet to mass produce them. Gotta get more comfortable. Plus i'm kinda burned out at this point. I have an army of dries that I didn't use much last summer so i'm just gonna call it like I see it when i'm tying those up.

I feel like i'm gonna end up spending 90 percent of my season in the Gorge. I'll constantly be within walking distance of my tying bench and I can always just walk there if I feel grossly unprepared..

 

[tomfly]

Caddis Caddis and more Caddis. In the early part of the season (April –early May) one of my go to flies while Nymphing is the Rhyacophila larva. The Rhyacophila is one of the Caddis species that do not build a case. They are carnivorous and are free crawlers that live under rocks and logs. I know for a fact that The South Branch is loaded with them. The trout gorge themselves on them. I tye a very simple pattern for them that is very effective. I have found a lot of them an inch or longer in length and they have very thin body. So I use a 4X size 12 hook. For the body I use a very thin noodle of olive dubbing over olive thread just coat the thread with it. One wrap of peacock hurl for a head. When you fish it put on the bottom in fast water.

 

[TR]

Caddis Caddis and more Caddis. In the early part of the season (April –early May) one of my go to flies while Nymphing is the Rhyacophila larva. The Rhyacophila is one of the Caddis species that do not build a case...

------

Yes.

And, try the following:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r88I3SRvdvg

Tight lines.

 

[CTobias]

I found that tying flies with hooks big enough to hold bait works best. This way I only have to tie a few flies, which allows for a smaller fly box, and in turn allows me to carry more bait.

 

[flyI4]

Ctobias are u a dirty mixed method angler who has yet to exclusively commit to the fly? It takes a bait slinger to even come up this idea of yours and I am on to you now. Alaska is probably contributing to this since no one is purely a fly fisherman out there. A little pinning, a little down rigging, a little fly.

 

[FIN-ITE 34]

A little TNT.

 

[CTobias]

Ctobias are u a dirty mixed method angler who has yet to exclusively commit to the fly? It takes a bait slinger to even come up this idea of yours and I am on to you now. Alaska is probably contributing to this since no one is purely a fly fisherman out there. A little pinning, a little down rigging, a little fly.

No need to limit yourself to one technique.

 

[tomfly]

Ctobias are u a dirty mixed method angler who has yet to exclusively commit to the fly? It takes a bait slinger to even come up this idea of yours and I am on to you now. Alaska is probably contributing to this since no one is purely a fly fisherman out there. A little pinning, a little down rigging, a little fly.

Dude, I don’t get this statement at all. Especially the “I on to you to you now BS”. What exactly are you on to? You need a reality check and I get the; You can hide behind your keyboard thing and say what you want to make yourself look good” (more BS).

Now here is your reality check. When you do a tour of duty in Afghanistan, I think you are smart enough that I do not need to elaborate the implications of what that is. Then you can say what you want about Chris’s “Fly Fishing techniques” until then I don’t think you possess the right to be critical on any way he chooses to catch a trout. If he wants to place explosives on the end of his tippet to catch a fish, the only thing that should come out of you fingers when you type is Thank you.

 

[Thursthouse]

.

 

[Mattybugs923]

I have been filling two new Tacky Fly boxes this winter. The first, I just finished. It's filled with midges, nymphs, larva, and my go to sub-surface flies. I also added some new flies that I have been wanting to try like Higa's SOS and Mercer's bubble caddis to name a few. If you haven't checked out Tacky Fly boxes, you are missing out. I started filling a new dry fly box and they hold size 20's with no problem. Almost done with the second box but I only get to tie about 3 flies a night with a 3 month old keeping me busy!!

 

[golden beetle]

I have been filling two new Tacky Fly boxes this winter. The first, I just finished. It's filled with midges, nymphs, larva, and my go to sub-surface flies. I also added some new flies that I have been wanting to try like Higa's SOS and Mercer's bubble caddis to name a few. If you haven't checked out Tacky Fly boxes, you are missing out. I started filling a new dry fly box and they hold size 20's with no problem. Almost done with the second box but I only get to tie about 3 flies a night with a 3 month old keeping me busy!!View attachment 11539View attachment 11540View attachment 11541View attachment 11542

Arent you the guy that caught that state record rainbow trout?

I'd like you to make some tying videos, cuz those look nice.

 

[flyI4]

Dude, I don’t get this statement at all. Especially the “I on to you to you now BS”. What exactly are you on to? You need a reality check and I get the; You can hide behind your keyboard thing and say what you want to make yourself look good” (more BS).

Now here is your reality check. When you do a tour of duty in Afghanistan, I think you are smart enough that I do not need to elaborate the implications of what that is. Then you can say what you want about Chris’s “Fly Fishing techniques” until then I don’t think you possess the right to be critical on any way he chooses to catch a trout. If he wants to place explosives on the end of his tippet to catch a fish, the only thing that should come out of you fingers when you type is Thank you.

Tom- you took my post way too seriously and once again brought your politics onto a flyfishing forum, and this time in a manner that is in no way even remotely related to the subject matter being discussed on the thread. "I am on to you now" might have been the most sarcastic part of the post so the fact that you were especially set off by that remark is odd and you need to chill out. This forum is ballbusting on a daily basis but I guess your "OOH RAH" attitude prevented you from understanding that on this post. If you want to talk about war and fly fishing I suggest you contact the healing waters program. Over and out.

 

[mudbug201]

I like this thread. I'm taking the sunsignarcherr route and creating an army of shit I KNOW i'll use. So far it's as follows...

For PTs, GRHEs, and Princes -- I've tied 16 flies (8 standard, 8 with a gold bead) in each size -- sizes 12 - 20.....

..

I've got a question for the utilitarian tiers on this board.

I'm not a tier. I don't have the time or money. There will be plenty of time to tie when I'm retired. At least that's the idea.

I'm also kind of a minimalist - I stick to a handful of patterns at any given time and focus on presentation. When my go-to flies stop catching fish, which happens in July on the rivers I frequent, I stop fishing for trout and switch to smallies, partly because I couldn't be bothered to try to find exactly the right crippled sulfur emerger pattern. I'd rather chuck streamers at bass, who generally aren't picky.

But I'm also cheap, and don't want to spend a lot of money on flies.

So here's my question. If I have basically no interest in tinkering with variations or learning to tie beautiful flies, at least for now, does it make any sense at all to get into the game only in order to tie basic "guide flies" before each season and save some money? Or should I just keep buying cheap flies over the internet? Is learning to tie for strictly economic reasons a good move?

 

[FIN-ITE 34]

I've got a question for the utilitarian tiers on this board.

I'm not a tier. I don't have the time or money. There will be plenty of time to tie when I'm retired. At least that's the idea.

I'm also kind of a minimalist - I stick to a handful of patterns at any given time and focus on presentation. When my go-to flies stop catching fish, which happens in July on the rivers I frequent, I stop fishing for trout and switch to smallies, partly because I couldn't be bothered to try to find exactly the right crippled sulfur emerger pattern. I'd rather chuck streamers at bass, who generally aren't picky.

But I'm also cheap, and don't want to spend a lot of money on flies.

So here's my question. If I have basically no interest in tinkering with variations or learning to tie beautiful flies, at least for now, does it make any sense at all to get into the game only in order to tie basic "guide flies" before each season and save some money? Or should I just keep buying cheap flies over the internet? Is learning to tie for strictly economic reasons a good move?

"Plenty of time before I die". Yikes man, I could get run over by a bus this afternoon!
For me, tying is the creative part of fly fishing and it's always a plus to catch a nice fish on something you created. I tie for fishing, not display. I figure that any fly I tie has the potential to be stuck on a rock or in a tree and don't mess with perfect. Although I do try to be neat and tidy when at the vice, I just don't get wigged out if I have a hackle out of place.

When you buy flies, I think you are more apt to buy fewer patterns. If you tie, there is that potential to tie more patterns than are needed. I twist up all sorts of new patterns, but in the end fall back on my old standards that seem to catch fish most times.

That now is for trout fly tying. With pike flies, all bets are off. I could spend hours at the vise thinking up new material and color combinations. Pike flies are just a blast to spin up.

Go with the guide fly tying and you will eventually get sucked down the slippery slope that the rest of us have fallen to.

 

[Thursthouse]

I've got a question for the utilitarian tiers on this board.

I'm not a tier. I don't have the time or money. There will be plenty of time to tie when I'm retired. At least that's the idea.

I'm also kind of a minimalist - I stick to a handful of patterns at any given time and focus on presentation. When my go-to flies stop catching fish, which happens in July on the rivers I frequent, I stop fishing for trout and switch to smallies, partly because I couldn't be bothered to try to find exactly the right crippled sulfur emerger pattern. I'd rather chuck streamers at bass, who generally aren't picky.

But I'm also cheap, and don't want to spend a lot of money on flies.

So here's my question. If I have basically no interest in tinkering with variations or learning to tie beautiful flies, at least for now, does it make any sense at all to get into the game only in order to tie basic "guide flies" before each season and save some money? Or should I just keep buying cheap flies over the internet? Is learning to tie for strictly economic reasons a good move?

I'm still new to the game, but personally I dont think you should make the jump for economic reasons... Can you save money over time? I'm sure...especially if you stick toa few specific patterns and just buy the materials for those. But it sounds like it will be more of a chore than something that you enjoy, and if that's the case, what's the point?

I've spent a ton of cash on fly tying materials and tools (and again, I'm still new), but at the same time I can't wait until the next time I sit down and either fill up my fly boxes or experiment trying something thats new to me. The one thing that I really like about tying is being able to sit down and tye exactly what I want when I want. Going fishing tomorrow? Just read a report the sulfurs are coming off? Bang out a couple sulfur patterns the night before and off I go in the AM..

 

[Mattybugs923]

Like Thursthouse said....I enjoy tying what I want to tie. Of course I started by following recipes but I enjoy coming up with original patterns more and more now. I understand that tying can get expensive but I usually pick up about $20 of material each trip to the store. Believe me it adds up and I now have more material than I know what to do with. I actually spend more time finding materials that I need than I do tying. But that's the fun of it and it keeps me occupied throughout the winter months.