What is your 'go to' dry fly for small streams?

[Bob Loblaw]

On many small creeks the fish, especially Brookies!, will hit just about anything that looks remotely buggy. I have tied on two dries on occasion, a bigger Purple Haze with a small Elk Hair Caddis that tends to skate a bit if you tie it off the bend of the hook, and the fish go for both with no favor.

[SteelieD]

Orange/Yellow Stimi #14

[El Rey]

EC Caddis and Parachute Adams. One or the other will almost always work.

Harlan

[cyama]

When the fish start getting picky during the summer I always bust out a Trina's Yellow Stone. Otherwise a yellow stimulator or a Parachute Adams always works. Finally got to try out a new to me Boo yesterday. Fish were loving the Adams.

[SST Flies]

All great choices so far. However, my go to is a Fl. Yellow Humpy.

[RaffiB]

All solid choices. I use a small stimi or yellow humpy most of the time!!

Rafadwg_34

[mems]

In Montana, a Purple Haze works the best. Mems

[Baja Fly Fisher]

Parachute Callibaetis ( Adams ) second Elk Hair Caddis

[audax]

I seldom pick favorites, but I do have one here. My choice...without hesitation...is the Goddard Caddis. It's a versatile and fun pattern on small waters. It floats flush on the surface, presenting a profile that gets quickly noticed. It's a skittering performer, and allowing it to swing with a gentle wake across the tail-out is an effective tactic. It's durable. It still floats after many takes with minimal attention. And it's satisfying to tie. It's been a staple for me for years.

[gitt]

Part of Jack Dennis’ program at a Tracy Fly Fishers club meeting years ago showed out takes of his underwater videos. One particular out take had a series of nymphs in the drift. Occasionally, there was an insect on the surface. The insects sitting on the surface possessed a double or reflected image due to the mirrored effect of water’s surface. What stood out though and actually caught my eye was an insect below or broken through the surface. It did not have that dual image. I had previously experienced pretty consistent success fishing anything that would be considered knock offs or similar but minimalist style of Bob Quigley’s Cripple or the Klinkhammer Special. That vertical positioning both above and below the surface provided that single image for the fish as well as something on the surface to follow its drift. Jack’s video only re-enforced what I had experienced fishing these particular styles. Some might not consider them dries, but they have a special place in my fly box due to their effectiveness.