What are your two most fish-catching fly materials of all time?

[FlyFlinger2421]

I was tying some flies today and thought about this. I don't think there is any question in my mind that peacock herl and marabou have been tops for me.
How about you?

 

[Ard]

Saddle hackle & floss on my wet flies;

Stripped quill and hackle on my dries;

Dubbed fur & slate mallard wings are an alternate choice for the dry flies. I had to make it complicated because I think my streamer fly fishing is catching up to the dry fly fishing in numbers of fish caught.

Ard

 

[jpbfly]

rooster cape hackle....black hare flash dubbing

 

[Jimmie]

Peacock Herl

The next was going to be pheasant tail until the guys above said hackle. So...........

Marabou (fickle enough?)

 

[popperfly]

Orange Crackle Back - Peacock herl and Punch yarn

Hook - Size #10/12
Thread - Black
Shellback - Peacock Herl
Body - you can use Uni-thread, punch yarn, (orange is my favorite color) Hackle - Full body palmered

Note: you can add lead for weight .025 (5 to 8 wraps)

Crackle Back, Click here

 

[ant]

I would have to say hooks.

 

[Frank Whiton]

I will go with Bigdog and say pecock herl and marabou. Peacock binging the number one by a long shot for me.

Frank

 

[madjoni]

I will be very specific just like the question is.....so,best two foe me is dark dun hackle and claret dubbing

 

[araitim]

I would have to say hooks.

i agree with Ant. i think the hook is the MOST fish-catching material i use.

 

[FlyFlinger2421]

Since I said material, you guys that said "hooks" really meant "steel" right? LOL!
Dry fly hackle probably doesn't count because it's main purpose in my mind is to float the fly, not attract the fish.
What I meant was the two materials that are most ATTRACTIVE to fish! That probably leaves out hooks and dry fly hackle.

 

[fyshstykr]

I am with Bigdog and Frank.....no question for me, it's Peacock Herl and Marabou.

 

[Flityer]

The two best natural materials polar bear for streamers and wets have even used it as tailing for dries nothing compares ..I was fortunate to know several old time salmon fly tiers and ended up inheriting a bunch of it . And seal dubbing for almost every fly I even tye dries with it, but where it really shines is on nymphs. And I will echo as well what the others have said peacock , it contains more uv properties than any natural feather which makes it one of the best fish catchers for sure..

 

[Walter1023]

Aside from hooks and thread...I can honestly say I could lead a very successful and productive fly tying/ flyfishing life and not need or want for anything else:
1) Peacock herl
2) saddle hackle
3) Antron
4) snowshoe rabbit foot

I live a dubbing-free existence

---------- Post added at 07:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:23 PM ----------

I shoukd have added 1 more....but it is my 5th well behind the 4 listed.... "CDC" - a little neater looking than showshoe hair...but thats only to the eye of the fisherman (not the fish).

 

[littledavid123]

Without a doubt it has to be black thread and copper wire (zebra midges) :biggrin:

Only been flying and tying a few weeks.

Dave

 

[nerka]

Bunny Strips, bucktail.

 

[webrx]

Interesting, I also am inquisitive, and often put together flies I think will catch fish based on the materials. Peacock herl is definately number 1, and while I have used, dubbing, maribou, elk hair, etc as a second material, I am gonna say Krystal Flash is my number 2 fish catching material (in various colors) especially for river fishing. You almost have to have a little flash to get the fish to find and pick your nymph among all the other items in the water.

Dave

 

[EXPATRIATE]

I feel the two most effective materials are 1.peacock herl as it just looks like a bugs body and 2. hare's ear dubbing as it looks even more "buggy" than peacock herl.

 

[HuronRiverDan]

My two best materials are Ice Dub and marabou, you can do so much with them.

Dan

 

[Liphookedau]

When I & probably others as well think,we all know most flies we tie mainly need 3 or more materials & there are unlimited materials which we make flies from & catch plenty of fish on,however I have to agree,probably the most mainly/successfully used to catch fish would have to be Peacock Herl & Hackle Feathers.
However there are plenty more which are not far behind.

 

[kglissmeyer1]

Peacock herl and pheasant-tail, hands down.

Kelly.