Top ten flies in your fly box...

[cdm]

I'm a beginner and want to get back into fly fishing this year. I'll be going for a 9' , 5wt, 4 pc.

What do you guys have as the go to flies in your fly box?

thanks

[Hairstacker]

cdm, welcome aboard!!

For me, it depends on what I'm chasing -- did you have a specific fish species in mind?

[Dave Neal]

Ahhh, the innocuous question with unlimited variables...

My go-to trout flies are pretty specific to our local area. They'll hook trout anywhere, for sure, but if I had to hook trout anywhere? I would stick to the old classics and basics.

Let's go with 5 nymphs, and 5 dry flies:

Nymphs/wet flies:
Pheasant Tail
Prince Nymph
LaFontaine's Caddis Emerger
Zebra Midge
Black Wooly Bugger

Dry flies:
Stimulator
EC Caddis
Parachute Adams
Regular ol' Adams
Parachute Hopper

So there's my 10 flies. Of course, I would absolutely want them all - in 4 different sizes, and in several different colors, a few with bead heads, a few without bead heads, some with flash, some without. . .

[cdm]

thanks Dave and Mike,

I want to concentrate on the local streams and lakes around Sacramento, probably try to stay on the 50 and 80 corridor.

Years ago, my buddy and I would venture to the Eastern sierra. I finally just bought my license after a 3 year hiatus. Can't believe I deprived myself of this pasttime and hooby.

Keep the lists coming!

[Dave Neal]

CDM, stop by Kiene's and have them show you some ideas for those particular waters. If they still have a fly tying class, consider taking it at some point. At first you won't save any money tying them yourself, hahahaha, but the freedom of tying whatever you need is worth it.

You are in for some fun and good times.

[TaylerW]

my top 10
1. foam black and size 14
2. any size stimulator
3. pheasant tail
4. copper jon
5. micro may
6. birds nest
7. hairs ear
8. crippler
9. adams
10. pegged bead (yea i said pegged bead all the haters can try to catch fish glowbugs and kill the trout)

[caniretireyet?]

Hi, CDM. Congatulations for asking a question that will likely turn into a six month controversy in Kieneland! I would suggest checking out Ralph and Lisa Cutter's website, as well as Steven Ojai's website. They give some specific reccomendations for specific waters.

This itself leads to two observations about the controversy you've incited. First, we have the battle between the presentation folks and the hatchmatchers. My suggestion would be that as a returning fly fisher, you model you efforts on the first. I say this because most of us have found ourselves on water with a great hatch going on, and despite all our preparation, not had what we needed in our boxes. This school of thought, like the proverbial government work and nuclear warfare, means that "close enough" will work, provided the fly is presented properly and with no drift. The Cutter's website and other books can give you more on this. Remember, size and rough appearance matter most here. You could stock a box with less than ten flies, but in a variety of sizes and do well.

Then we have the hatchmatchers, who have perfected tying flies that look real enough to fool most high school biology teachers, and a ton of trout. In practice, until you start tying, assuming you do, pitching a ten in the hatchmatching camp will be a very expensive undertaking. What am I saying? Becoming a fly tyer in the hatchmatching camp will cost a fortune too! If you don't believe it, I'll invite you over to our house when my wife finds my receipts from materials. (For more, we can talk about the fine points of assuaging spousal guilt when I pull over for road kill with a glimmer in my eye.)

For a lot of fun, consider one of the lessons behind the either loved or reviled "one fly" constests. There is a certain zen to that. I'd say start with two to three dries and two to three nypmphs, in a range of sizes, and perfect your presentation. Beyond that, become or befriend a bird hunter, develop an eagle eye for road kill, and explore Kiene's dynamite tying supplies.


Cheers,
Steve

[Frank.S]

1. Purple wiggle tail
2. Black wiggle tail
3. Burgundy and black wiggle tail
4. Burnt Orange wiggle tail
5. Burnt orange and olive wiggle tail
6. Chartreuse wiggle tail
7. Olive wiggle tail
8. Peacock and dark olive wiggle tail
9. Fluorescent orange and leech brown wiggle tail
10.Rust colored wiggle tail
Uhm I guess I like the wiggle tail

[stevie steelhead]

As I watch the logs floating down the Trinity, big and brown and movin...
1. Bead headed silver hilton
2. Bead headed assassin
3. Bead headed mossback
4. Herniator
5. Green butt skunk
6. Poxyback golden stone(bead headed)
7. Red copper john
8. Glow bug egg
9. Twenty Incher
10. October caddis puppa

[David Lee]

Depending on what you're chasin' ..... many different things will work .

Here's a short list of NO FAIL bugs -

1/0 White Deciever

#6 Beadhead Olive crystal Bugger

#10 Olive Birdnest

#16 Pheasant Tail Nymph

#2 Chart/White Clouser Deep Minnow

Out of all the Trout/Steelhead/Salmon I have taken on Glo-Bugs over the past 30?? years(spinning and fly gear) .... not a single one has taken the fly deep . Go figure .....

David