4 Must have flys

[ausablebrown]

Though I consider myself a minimalist, I always have at least 100 flies on me. I've just recently retired the fly fishing vest and I still have plenty of room for 200+ flies in the pocket of my waders; 100 if I take one box. I just don't see the need to cut down on flies, they are so light and small! I cut back on everything else. Unless I am wading HUGE stretches of river where I will need food, water and supplies I don't carry anything more than a pockets worth of stuff. I carry two spools of tippet, an extra leader, floatant, Hemistats and nippers all in the front pouch of my waders without ever feeling incumbered in the least. However, to honor the thread I will list my 4 MUST HAVE, though I usually have better (or in most cases just more) options on me.

1. 14 BH Hares Ear or BH Prince (tossup)
2. 6 BH Olive bugger with flash
3. 14 Parachute Adams
4. Beetle

Now... I really just can't pick 4 so here's the next 4 which I rely on often

5. 16 Patriot (brook trout always seem eager to rise for these)
6. 12 Barber Pole Wet Fly (also a brook trout killer)
7. BIG black stonefly nymph with tensil ribbing (10 or 12), the big ugly nymph often works as an attractor when I dont' see anything happening
8. Little Elk Hair Black Caddis; I tie it with red grizzly palmered around the hook...I've found it to work great as a caddis imitation or an attractor

[Pocono]

Copper John, red #18
Woolly Bugger, olive & black, #8
Elk Hair Caddis, cream #16
Parachute Adams, #16

I'm biased towards dry fly fishing................................

Pocono

[fysh]

Streamer...Yellow Zoo Cougar.
Dries (2)...a Golden Stimulator and a parachute Adams.
Nymph...Green Copper John.

[troutdoorsman]

Depends on the time of year but my top fly list is


crayfish
prince nymph
stonefly
pheasant tail

[Walter1023]

If I have to be a minimalist......I'll have to keep all my flies dry and give up my nymphing - which is where I've been heading anyway:
1) Rusty Spinner in all sizes
2) Parachutes in all sizes tied in 2 colors....dark and light (how's that for covering my *ss) My generic My s because

---------- Post added at 05:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:17 PM ----------

sorry for my continuation ..my last post was entered prematurely ....thats what happends after a few beers and a stressful day at work....
3) CDC Caddis
4) Ant patterns

with these in all sizes i'm pretty much covered.....I would only add that for smaller sized mayflies i quit the parachutes and tie a nice CDC winged comparadun or sparkle dun.

[ope]

Adams
Black bugger
Muddled minnow
Foam ant

Hole card: the Junebugger. (hound hair streamer w/ herl and a red flossed head)

[caseywise]

BH grhe
black wooly bugger
grey ghost
adams

[logic_factory]

-comparadun

-foam emerger (most would call a beetle)

-nymph with 1970 dental dam(like a translucent greenish brown color) wrapped abdomen and same rubber for wing case with hairy thorax in natural colors/zero flash/longer than normal rubber legs only 4 and placed on planes that encourage some legs to be see from just about any angle
(id imagine someone felt a need to attach their name to a similar pattern)

-a full profile streamer that suggests lots of life; darker with a natural contrast(e.g. black and green, or brown) maribu and rubber legs for the movement.

i thank my father for doing most of the hard work and then sharing his experiences with me.

i am a firm believer in the trivial concept; stimulus/response action.

[Noiso]

Streamer:#8 Conehead Woolly Bugger - Olive



Nymph :#16 Beadhead Prince Nymph



Dry :#12 Yellow Stimulator



Wildcard> Hot day:#14 Tan Elk Hair Caddis, Overcast & cool: #16 Parachute Pale Morning Dun

(The pics and full names of the flies are included in case any new bees look at this)

[Davo]

Parachute PMD
Parachute Hares Ear
Royal Wolfe
JJ Special