Go To Fly?

[vanven]

I saw a similiar post on another site I frequent. This site is much more regional so I thought it would make an interesting discussion.

You pull into the parking lot and start to get your stuff ready. What is the first fly you tie on typically? And use most frequently?

I will start I suppose.

First fly I typically fish is a black/silver tungston bead head midge in a size 18 under a small indicator.

Favorite fly is a pine squirrel sculpin around a size 12 slow stripped, typically around dusk and definitely at night.

-jerod

[Terry Beeson]

That would be my PowerBait fly... unless I decide the Green Giant Nibblet fly will work better...

Honestly, tho, I would say it is the good ol' olive wooly bugger. Of course, I'm no opposed to pulling out a PS Sculpin or CrackleBack first as well.

[Sherwood Flycaster]

1. 10 or 12 olive beadhead crystal bugger

2. 16 or 18 Tan scud

3. 18 black zebra midge

[Danoinark]

Nice post Jerod. I typically will wait until I get to the water to make a fly decision. A few minutes surveying what the water is doing, and what the fish might be doing I think has saved me from having to switch flies after a few minutes. If there is some surface activity I would probably tie on a small caddis dry or crackleback. If the fish appear to be midging then I probably would go with one of my olive soft hackles especially if there is a bit of a chop on the water. A bright day would have me fishing something flashy like a primrose and pearl midge and or a Blue Poison Tung should they continue midging. If I see nothing then its any body's guess. In that scenario I would fish something like a scud, trout crack, or a darker colored midge fished on or near the bottom.

Dano

[Paola Cat]

1. #10 Olive mohair leech

2. #12 Olive crackleback

3. #18 tung. red zebra midge

4. #14 brown woolie

5. #16 peach egg

[duckydoty]

Olive, black, or white slump buster

duckydoty

[Danoinark]

Olive, black, or white slump buster

duckydoty

Duane I took a look at a slump buster the other day...I bet its a night time catching fool..and I would say if there were any smallies feeding, they would hit that in a second.

Dano

[Project Healing Waters]

Well, we're talking Taneycomo here, right?

Most often, I will start with an olive or rust tungsten bead midge with gold bead and wire. But that depends on where I'm fishing and what I see happening. The olive vs. rust decision is made based on seasons.

My favorite fly to fish is anything with a soft hackle collar...even on Taneycomo. But I can usually get a good idea what's happening faster by starting with a bead head midge.

I don't often fish early in the morning on Taneycomo. If I do, I will almost always start with a scud in shallow water or a Mohair Leech in deeper water.

I START with flies that allow me to pattern and search quickly most of the time. But I would consider "go-to flies" to be the ones I "go to" when things don't seem to be working quite as I expected. THOSE are almost ALWAYS soft hackles. If not, it's probably a streamer.

[Micheal Kyle]

There are 2 flies that I love the most and they are the Slump Buster Black, olive ,and white.

Then we go to the Mohair leech I have 13 colors that I love, all have there use and they are Palymate Special, Blood Red, Mottled Leech , Ace of Spade,Spankin Spinach,Watermelon Candy, Electric Blue, Evil Leprichon, Crystal Ice, Margriatia, Jungle Juice, Plum Crazy and Just Plain Black

[Thom]

If I am fishing at the dam I start with a #18 zebra midge tied with a copper tung bead, black thread and copper wrap usually fished under either a red san jaun or peach egg fly with a red dot. If that is slow I switch to zebra black midge with silver wire wrap. If that is slow I go to a hairs ear or try 1/80 brown, green or sculpen maribou jig. All of the above under the smallest float that will stay above the surface.

If I am in my boat and I see no surface action,I start with a # 18 hares ear which I tie a little different than the usual pattern. If that is slow I go to the brown, green or sculpen micro jigs. If there is surface action I start same as at the dam only fished under a elk hair caddis to see if a dry will work or if the midge is the ticket.

This summer I am definately going to expand my arsenal to dry's which I have avoided. If I am successful I might change all of the above.

That is the great thing about fly fishing..... every trip is a new and sometimes different experience. That is why this forum is so valuable with the vast resources of knowledge to draw from.

GREAT STARTER TOPIC JEROD. THANKS.

Jerod: Do you tie the pine weighted or un weighted?