The flys that you are forever tying ?

[fishinwrench]

I was watching Kelly G. do an old classic hares ear wet fly on YT and I kinda chuckled because at the beginning he said he hadn't tied one in over 20 years, and at the end of the video he says "I fish these all the time". 😂    No doubt it's a good fly, a REAL good one, but I haven't tied one in 20 years either.   

This got me to thinking about the flys that I truly do fish all the time, the ones whose materials are always on top of the bench because I'm always having to tie more of them.    Here are mine....and I'd be real interested in hearing what YOURS are, if you aren't too tight lipped to share.

Trout:. #12 Mohair freakin' leach (olive & Amber), #16 tan Trout crack, #14 olive copper John.

Smallies: #2 Bulkhead Deciever, #2 Mudbug, #2 Sneaky Pete.

White bass: #6 & #4 freakin' CLOUSERS, #4 gray/white & chart./wht. Bulkhead Deciever, #2 pink/wht & black/wht. Rabbit Strip muddler.

Any of the above I can literally tie flawlessly in my sleep or while stone blind drunk.   

So, c'mon let's hear it. 😊

[laker67]

For trout I tie scuds in size 14, 16, and 18. Color is not important as long as it is gray.

[tjm]

Use stronger tippets and you won't have to tie all the time.

Twenty years go by faster than you think and if you tied two dozen hare's ear wets twenty years ago you literally could have fished them frequently (all the time) and still have one or two left, depending on how you fished them- it's been a while since I swung wets, but as I recall it's a method that doesn't get the fly hung up in trees or grass. I don't know Kelly G but if he is like most he may only swing wets once or twice a year, so his statement isn't totally incongruent.

 

[snagged in outlet 3]

I’m a purist.  Eggs and worms😆

Buggers too I guess. 

[laker67]

There was a discussion once way back when on 'suggestive" patterns. With my skills at the vise, my scuds are suggestive at best. But I can tie several in a short period of time. Pick out the best looking ones and head to the creek.

[dpitt]

Ty these all the time fishing the white system. San Juan Worms,  Scuds, ruby midges, zebra midges, double deceivers, chubby Chernobyl... 

For out West. pat's rubber legs, copper johns, pheasant tail nypmhs, sparkle midges 

Warm water - Clouser's, buggers

Love tying the big articulated stuff, have more than I really need do it because it's fun. I never have enough small stuff, maybe I should use bigger tippet

Oh yeah, don't do a ton a dry fly fishing in the midwest, but  out west ty adams, griffiths, sulfer and mayfly pattern

 

 

 

[tjm]

My most frequent ties for trout  would be called variants, palmers, and wingless wets, I guess.  I did tie some Adams 2-3 years ago that were true to pattern.  Bass get mostly modified gurglers, pig boats and sort of buggers. I only get on the water about 40-50 days a year anymore and a single tying session will usually catch up most of the loss. If you'd asked me back in the early '80's when I was tying two-three times a week and fishing almost every day the list would have been a lot more specific and longer.

laker 67, I believe suggestive is as good or better than imitative and they tie up a lot faster.  Hence the variants. 

[Foghorn]

After the 3 day C&R opening weekend, I got an express order from the Mrs. for some sized 16-18 scuds. Like Laker, most of the patterns were some shade of gray plus some brown/beige colored ones. Next up appears to be some RFSQ nymphs with and without bead heads. Might even tie some of those secret gray scuds that Laker gave to the Mrs. to fish and neglected to share with me. As they both pounded the fish in the main outlet at BSSP.  😂

[fishinwrench]

2 hours ago, Foghorn said:

Might even tie some of those secret gray scuds that Laker gave to the Mrs. to fish and neglected to share with me. As they both pounded the fish in the main outlet at BSSP.  😂

There's a secret fly for the hatchery outlet ?   🤭

[laker67]

 Are you trying to make me feel guilty? I should note though, that Foghorn gave a secret fly that I caught 19 lunker brown trout on.