How many?

[Dryrod]

[font "Garamond"][#008000][size 4]There must be ten gazillion fly patterns available to the willing tier and or fly fisher-person. But how many patterns do you think that that average fly flicker needs in their entire arsenal?[/size][/#008000][/font]
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[macfly55]

uuuhhhmmmm at least 2 of each in 4 different sizes for a total of 8 of each fly??? [sly]

MacFly [cool]
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[Dryrod]

[font "Garamond"][#008000][size 4]Ah so yours truly didn't make his question clear. How many patterns not sizes, colors or quantities of each. i.e. a royal wulff would count as one pattern.[fishin][/size][/#008000][/font]
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[macfly55]

[blue]was not your mistake.. I misread.. so.. Id say one of each pattern.. [laugh]... I just have a long way to go to catch up with the rest of you.. []

MacFly [cool][/blue]
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[Dryrod]

[font "Garamond"][#008000][size 4]Well then if you are going to collect and or tie one fly of each pattern then mama is going to move you out to the barn with the rest of the flies[/size][/#008000][/font].


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[macfly55]

well that is probably true.. but for a gazillion flies.. it could be worth it.. course then Id have to buy an awful lot of fly boxes.. [sly]

MacFly
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[Tarponjim]

I've only carried 6 "regulars", in two shirt-pocket sized boxes, for the past 7 or 8 years. I DO have assorted sizes and shades appropriate for the water, and to cover any situation I may encounter.

1. Parachute Adams. (Speaks for itself. The catch-all mayfly and do-all attractor. I carry different body shades and wing colors for different conditions, not just the gray-body, white winged version. So, I guess I should call it the "parachute mayfly", but they're all just different shades of the para. adams.)

2.Elk Hair Caddis. (passes for caddis, adult stones, hoppers, and cicadas in the right sizes and colors. High floating in riffles, and a good attractor.)

3. CDC Mayfly. (tied with both spent wings and upright CDC "compara dun style" wings on the same hook. Passes well for all mayfly adults and spinners from Tricos to Green Drakes. I can trim off the spent wing, and have an adult cdc comparadun. I can trim the upright wing, and have a plain, sparse spinner for picky fish. Its two flies in one, and works great with both wings showing. It makes rusty spinners easy to see in low light with the upright wing still attached.)

4. "Mayfly Emerger" tied with a CDC wing tied in at the head, upright. Passes well for all mayfly emergers in the right sizes and shades. Trim the wing slightly, and its a midge emerger. Floats like a cork with the foam wing-case and looks real with one or two wraps of hackle at the head.

5. Puff Ball. (I don't know if this fly has a name, but it is NOTHING more than a clump of CDC tied splayed on the center of a thread covered hook. No tail, no head, no nothing. CDC on a hook. It's deadly on so-called selective trout feeding on mayflies or midges because its so sparse. I can also trim the wing to leave the silhouette of only spent wings, or fold the wings back to look like a caddis. It shines in small sizes during trico and midge hatches.

6. An adult blue damsel fly. Just one pattern. This is my "candy" fly. I LOVE tossing this fly. Its on a big hook, it floats like a cork, it is easy to see, it is easy to cast because it is sparse instead of bulky, it lands delicately, it works when there's no real hatch of standard bugs, and it brings up quality fish because of its size.

With these flies, I can catch any rising trout on the planet, plus bring a few up that are just looking up but not rising. I've got all the mayflies, caddis, and stone flies covered with just these flies. All of them also have a high hook-up ratio because there are no stiff materials to get in the way of the hook. I use soft Antron for the wings of my parachute adams instead of calf tail.

Last and least, I've been known to have a couple of hoppers, beetles, and ants in the box "just in case." I like the foam ones with rubber legs because they always float and get fish's attention. The legs can always be snipped if necessary.

The theme here is that with a few basic patterns, they can be tied, or modified on-stream to imitate anything I'll encounter. I've never met a trout that can count legs, see eyes on a floating bug, see mottling on a wing out of water, count ribs on a floating insect, or tell an Inermis from an Infrequens![laugh][laugh] It's ALL ABOUT THE PRESENTATION on even the "toughest" rivers and spring creeks. I don't need to wear a 15-lb, 30-pocket vest any more either! Two boxes in my shirt pocket, and hemos, floatant, tippet, and clippers on a necklace. That's it!

I do sometimes buy or tie a local favorite if I'm in an area where I'd like to use something more specific like some salmon fly water or good terrestrial water. I also buy a few flies from time to time at local, river-side shops to keep them going and show them I appreciate their service.

And no, I don't carry nymphs or streamers on the river with me. Those kinds of flies are fine, but just are not my style any more. I've done my time fishing wet. If the fish won't rise, I'll enjoy my float or time on the river just the same.
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[Dryrod]

[font "Garamond"][#008000][size 4]Thanks Tarponjim - that is the response that I was seeking. I was thinking the other day that since I started tying a few years ago I have tied many more patterns than I think I will ever use.[/size][/#008000][/font] [font "Garamond"][#008000][size 4]Tying became a hobby within a hobby so I will now tie a new pattern just for the sake of seeing if I can do it. BTW have yet to tie a CDC Mayfly so maybe that might be my next one to try out.[/size][/#008000][/font]
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[flygoddess]

Tuff question. On rivers MAYBE a couple dozen different. On Stillwater, maybe more like a dozen, but I do use river flies on some stillwaters which will increase the number of stillwater.
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[tubeN2]

I could imagine just knowing what the hatch is for the area you are going to fish.

I would only take 12 or 15 different flies since the Bass will shut off before the Trout, and the Panfish will go shortly after that.

That's when it's time to take the rest of the presentations deep and wish that I would have brought the Clousers or weighted Streamers.[cool]
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[Dryrod]

[font "Garamond"][#008000][size 4][#800000]Quote: There must be ten gazillion fly patterns available to the willing tier and or fly fisher-person. But how many patterns do you think that that average fly flicker needs in their entire arsenal?[/#800000] [/size][/#008000][/font]
[font "Garamond"][#008000][size 4]Hey guys looks like I'm having a difficult job communicating here. Perhaps I can rephrase my question in a different way. In your entire collection of flies at home or where ever, how many patterns does it contain. Just patterns - not hook sizes or colors. Of these patterns how many do you think are really necessary to cover all the conditions and species that you will be fishing. So if you have 50 patterns at home you may feel that 35 are going to cover all the bases. [/size][/#008000][/font]
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[Tarponjim]

Dryrod: Here is a picture of the cdc mayfly spinner/dun I referred to. Clip the spent wings stream side, and you have a cdc compara-dun. Clip the CDC, and you have a great spinner. Fish it just like it is, and its killer! It brings up fish looking for either stages, and you can see it! In smaller sizes, the body is just thread, no dubbing (to maintain thin body of a real mayfly.) Dub a sparse body on 14's and up. Tail is antron. Spent wings are clear foam, like the stuff they use in packaging. Upright wing is CDC. Floats like a cork with no Gink needed! Just dry it after each fish with your shirt or a "dry cloth".

I use this for ANY mayfly match, spent or adult. Just change the thread. Black for Tricos, yellow for PMD's, green for Drakes, etc etc. Can change the CDC wing color too.

Its my "one and only" bug for matching mayflies, big water and small. Spring creeks, tailwaters, and freestoners. It makes Silver Creek trout seem stupid if presented well!

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[Dryrod]

[font "Garamond"][#008000][size 4]Thanks Tarponjim for the information. Been kind of busy but will tie that dude one of these days. But first I'm waiting for MacFly to show me his tie on the CDC.[/size][/#008000][/font]
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[macfly55]

Ive no idea what you are talking about.. the only thing I know about that has the CDC intitials is the Center for Disease Control.. and I dont think they go fly fishing much.. [laugh]

MacFly [cool]
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[tubeN2]

Don't tell us that you are turning PETA on us!

Jeeees Louiiiiise! I guess it has been awhile huh?[laugh][laugh][laugh]
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[macfly55]

PETA... isnt that a pocket bread you stuff good stuff into and then stuff your face??/ now you are talking food.. are you intentionally trying to confuse this novice tyer.. ehehehhe

MacFly [cool]
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