Top five dries, not including...

[Imgonnamissher]

I'm going to start tying with PA waters in mind, and I think I'm all set on the bass and panfish flies. I am curious though, if I had to whittle it down to five dries to have on PA water, what would you all go with. However, I wanted to eliminate a few stand-bys from the list first (mostly because I tie a bunch of them every year no matter where I'm fishing). So, what would you guys tie up for dries if you did not include: Adams (parachute and regular), Parachute Hare's Ear, Stimulators, beetles/ants, and finally, Elk Hair Caddis.

On a related note, I assume that sulphurs in all forms will make the list. Thing is, I looked at the local shop's selection, and they have yellow, olive sulphur, orange sulphur, and to or three other colors that look too damn close to tell apart. For a slightly colorblind dry fly newb, does it really matter as long as it's yellow-ish?

 

[MKern]

1. Generic Parachute (dun tails, parachute and hackle; with an tan body)
2. BWO parachute
3. Coffin FLy
4. Sulphur Parachute
5. Some kind of emerging pattern
(6. black ant)

 

[afishinado]

I usually tie dries to match the hatches, but you are right about color; close is usually near enough to fool most fish. I find the hue, light or dark, and not the exact color match, is really what matters most of the time,. A gray Adams or any darker fly pattern will work for many darker hatches, BWO, BQ, QG, etc., and a light Cahill or Sulpher type pattern for lighter colored hatches like Cahills, Sulphers, March Browns, etc. One exception to fish zoning in on color, is if the hatch is a bright or unique color, such as the bright green apple caddis, I believe the color itself acts as trigger. That is the exception to the rule since most naturals have muted colors and fish don’t seem to key in on that trait.

Size does matter though. A good generalist approach would be to tie light and dark colored flies in different sizes to match the naturals. Also, don’t forget about form. Tie light and dark caddis patterns (EHC works well) in different sizes too to match any caddis hatch. To further simplify things, many times I find that a caddis imitation will also work for matching stonefly adults.

Add some terrestrial patterns and your all set to go. This generalist approach simplifies FF and fly tying and will work most times on most fish. At some point, you may want to fine-tune your dry fly selection and tie some match the hatch patterns for some common and prolific hatches, but some guys never do, and still catch a lot of fish. Good luck.

 

[jayL]

CDC caddis in tan, gray, olive, black, green. That should cover mayfly hatches in a pinch, too.

 

[littlelehigh]

you could also move to more general patterns such as the Renegade, griffith gnat, and ausable wulff to cover major hatches. Tie a couple different sizes and colors and branch out from there.

 

[FishingFreak]

Caddis flies, all colors. Caddis has been most effective for me.

 

[ryguyfi]

littlelehigh wrote:
you could also move to more general patterns such as the Renegade, griffith gnat, and ausable wulff to cover major hatches. Tie a couple different sizes and colors and branch out from there.

I've been tying up a bunch of griffiths gnats in sz 20 & 22. There's a nice midge hatch locally for me that I slam them on griffiths gnats. So much fun watching all the worm chuckers in amazement as I catch fish after fish!

I always have some griffiths gnats, black foam ants, bwo's, adams, and different colored caddis - dry and emerger - on me. In the right sizes you can match just about everything.

 

[AlwaysWading]

My starter dry was, is, and always will be a nice big fluffy winged Wulff with a red body. That normally is the one that gets the first grab by trout.

Next comes BYO's, Gnat's, Ant's, and Humpy's in various colors.

 

[Padraic]

I've done real well with Olive Trudes in the late spring (around sulphur time). I like them in 14 to 18.

Early in the season, you may want to try Mr. Rapidans in 14's and 12's for some hatches.

PaulG and I like Bivisibles in an 18. Add a little bit of a tail.

The Usual is a good emerger pattern, and you can vary the colors to simulate a lot of different hatches. Still, I think you need Royal Wulffs more than the Usual.

I don't recall if you had a rusty spinner in your box, but I wouldn't want to be without those. As much as I hate CDC, it can be worth getting some for that pattern. Usually though, I tye them with snowshoe, like the Usual.

All of those are attractors because you wanted the top 5. Sometimes during a hatch though, you can strike out on dynamite while the trout are happily munching bugs all around you. The longer and heavier a hatch is, the more exact your imitations should be.

 

[osprey]

I'm going with what you said not to include (#1 being an ant) number 1,2,and 3 would have to be may flies tied in the catskill/George Harvey style (2 or 3 hackles) in three shades, light, medium and dark with wooduck wings, upright divided, various sizes. 4 would have to be caddis/stonefly/downwing patterns using synthetic material like z-lon for the wing, or CDC for the small ones and number 5 would have to be the "Griffiths Gnat"

 

[pcray1231]

You covered caddis. I like the Elk hairs as searching patterns. I prefer a soft hackle of some sort, like CDC, for going after visible risers.

You also covered the Adams. Be sure to have various sizes, size is more important than color.

1. Sulfur (comparadun and emerger, I cheated and combined them ) Sizes 14, 16, and 18, any yellowish or orangish is fine.

2. BWO (comparadun works, I like the cut wings on this one). Sizes 18 and 20.

3. March Brown. Size 12. I use a standard Catskill style tie for the duns, spinners are important too.

4. Coffin Fly (green drake spinner).

5. Black ant.

5 and a half: Trico spinner. Size 24-26. Easy tie, doubles as a makeshift midge if you cut the tails off.

 

[Fishinmagician]

Don't forget the deep sparkle pupa,i have done well with this during the caddis hatch,good luck.
tight lines,
Don

 

[ezpickins]

Looking at the flies that you excluded makes it tough. But here it goes:

1) Mini-Muddler: Tie a muddler minnow on a size 12 or 14 hook. It floats great - I love this for small mountain streams and pocket water on larger streams. I've tried different body styles - but the standard gold tinsel body seems to work best for me. Probably looks like a caddis or a hopper to the fish I'd guess.

2) BWO parachute: must have anywhere you go - tie it 14 through 22. Obviously spring and fall are best but you can see BWO's anytime of the year.

3) Sulphur Parachute: Size 14 through 18, some in orange some in yellow. The sulphur hatch on spring creek is my favorite. But even if your not on a hatch these also make good attractor and "indicator" dries. And - yes I think the color can matter. You'll do best to match the color. You'll catch some no matter what - but you'll do better with the right size and color. Dubbing is so inexpensive too - you might as well tie them in a couple of colors.

4) Black Threadbody Parachute: Size 18 - 22. Te it with a black threadbody, white antron post and grizzly hackle. This fly works great for any small mayfly, and also midges.

5) Black and Orange Humpy: Black deer hair tail and "hump", white calf-tail wings, orange floss abdomen. Tie them in sizes from 12 to 18 (not easy in small sizes though). I've used this as an attractor with good success. Probably taken by trout as a beetle - but who knows for sure.

 

[RLeeP]

Just to be different:

Atherton #5 - Just a simple upright wing dry with a hares ear body, a moose body hair tail, wood duck wings (upright like a Cahill) and cree hackle (or the Adams mix is OK too) #12-18

Vermont Caddis - From Solomon/Leiser's Caddis and the Angler - No tail, hares ear body, Adams hackle mix. #14-20.

Deer Hair Delta Caddis - Delta wing caddis with natural deer hair wings set 1/3 of the way back the shank, body figure-8'ed around the base of the wing and on up to the head and hackle figured-8'ed one turn behind the wing base and say, two turns in front of it. Then clipped flush on bottom. Good color combos are hares ear body and brown hackle, tan body and dark ginger (or brown) hackle and grannom brown/black body with dark dun hackle. This is a very versatile fly. Floats flat on flat water and rides high in broken water. #12-18.