Ha, yeah, could probably rename this the confirmation bias thread. It’s fun to see what the various go-to flies are, though. Olive and red seem to be a theme.Semi-seal leeches, pumpkin head in the spring and brown or black the rest of the time.
Full disclosure: I catch 95% of my fish on this, because I fish it 95% of the time.
Semi-seal leeches, pumpkin head in the spring and brown or black the rest of the time.
Full disclosure: I catch 95% of my fish on this, because I fish it 95% of the time.
I'm beginning to really like that chartreuse bead so far. I copied that and am eager to see how it does closer to home.I had to go back and read @Scudley Do Right's "rule(s)" - so I'm gonna cheat and say there's never just one "go to lake" fly (for me). I'm moody, so are trout, so are carp, so are smallmouth. And my "fav" changes from time to time, just like the bite (or lack of bite). I absolutely LOVE indicator fishing - when I get lucky enough to be on a lake with a chironomid hatch, I will fish midges and if I'm lucky enough to get it dialed in then it might be this chronie:
View attachment 110250
What's left of a zucchini midge (lucky size 13) - this worked unbelievably well on Leighton Lake last June (for two hours and not at all the next day).
More recently I've been fishing jigs under an indicator, the water has been cold and quite cloudy.
View attachment 110251
Vampire!
Like @Billy, I also like jig craws but mine look like crud compared to his so no pic.
What's the material on this guy? It looks like it would move really nicely on a slow retrieve.View attachment 110003
Brahma buggers include endless variaiton possibilities. They are slowly replacing regular buggers in my lake boxes.
Your comment on taking 100+ flies and only using a few is spot on. I use to carry a boat bag loaded with different stuff and several fly boxes. Now, especially if I’m fishing familiar water, I take one fly box and sometimes I just take the foam fly patch on my dashboard from the last trip.The 95% idea is really interesting. Probably my most productive fly is a black bunny leach (moving or stillwater). It is simple, one of the first flies I learned to tie, caught my first fish on a fly i tied (6lb broodstock, which ruined me for a long time) and catching fish on it early was exciting, fun, productive, and so I have probably started with that fly or reverted back to it more than any other fly. @troutpocket your favorite flies are Denny Rickards or Jay Fair patterns/materials, which I guess are people or patterns your learned to tie somewhat early (correct me if I am wrong), so they were an impressionable part of your fly fishing growth and development. Hence they have stayed some of your favorites. Success also clearly plays a role as well. My only legit 50+ fish day was on chironomids, so of course I now think that is possible every time I go out. I think it is pretty funny that I have hundreds of flies every time I go out, yet I could probably get away with 3-5 different ones in different sizes and be just as successful. I know that I have many flies I tie that never actually get used. Oh well, that is part of the fun I guess.
For sure we hang on to “confidence flies” from formative experience. Another reason I like Jay Fair/Rickards patterns and materials is that the materials are excellent and the patterns are satisfying to tie. I fish simiseal leeches too, but I don’t really enjoy tying them. Top quality feathers are rewarding for me to handle and I appreciate how the flies come out.The 95% idea is really interesting. Probably my most productive fly is a black bunny leach (moving or stillwater). It is simple, one of the first flies I learned to tie, caught my first fish on a fly i tied (6lb broodstock, which ruined me for a long time) and catching fish on it early was exciting, fun, productive, and so I have probably started with that fly or reverted back to it more than any other fly. @troutpocket your favorite flies are Denny Rickards or Jay Fair patterns/materials, which I guess are people or patterns your learned to tie somewhat early (correct me if I am wrong), so they were an impressionable part of your fly fishing growth and development. Hence they have stayed some of your favorites. Success also clearly plays a role as well. My only legit 50+ fish day was on chironomids, so of course I now think that is possible every time I go out. I think it is pretty funny that I have hundreds of flies every time I go out, yet I could probably get away with 3-5 different ones in different sizes and be just as successful. I know that I have many flies I tie that never actually get used. Oh well, that is part of the fun I guess.
I keep debating the merit of doing like you suggest; one box for a lake I know well (it could work, it should work, and it would work - if only I took the time to assemble one box). I recall @Tim L sharing a photograph of his "box" (one of those round containers from a fly shop you put your purchase into) with perhaps a dozen bugs. I just can't quite get there.........Your comment on taking 100+ flies and only using a few is spot on. I use to carry a boat bag loaded with different stuff and several fly boxes. Now, especially if I’m fishing familiar water, I take one fly box and sometimes I just take the foam fly patch on my dashboard from the last trip.