What type of fly is your favorite to fish with?

[jaybo41]

When I first started, I fished almost exclusively with nymphs. As I've put more years behind me on the stream, tying bench and more experience, I've gained an appreciation for other types of flys.

I love tossing streamers, nymphs and am starting to fish more terrestrials, but there's nothing to me like dry fly fishing.

Obviously, conditions and time of year will have a large part in which type you'd chose on any given day, but provided ideal conditions, what's your favorite type to fish with?

EDIT: I haven't fished too much with wets, but I've been doing lots of reading on how successful they can be. I have some tied up and plan on experimenting with them as soon as the weather cools down and I can get back onto some trout.

In order I'd have to say my favorites are:

1. Dry Flys
2. Streamers
3. Nymphs
4. Terrestrials

 

[flyfishermanj]

Good post,

1. Dryflies
2. A very close second, swinging wets.
The more I tie and fish, the more intriquing wet flies become.
JH

 

[jayL]

I lump terrestrials with dries.

I do differentiate subsurface midging from nymphing though.

For me:

1. Dries
2. Midging
3. Nymphs
4. Wets/emergers
5. Junk flies (green weenies, globugs. I use "junk" as a term of endearment in this context)
6. Streamers

In order, of course.

 

[pete41]

1-what experience depicts
2-what I feel like using
I always fish seasonal in general and daily specifically to accommodate the fish's preferences.
which means being impartially skilled or not so rather than play favorites.
Dumb answer? Not really-lol

 

[JackM]

If you could guaranty I would catch four times as many trout on a nymph, streamer or other underwater fly for every one I would catch with a dry fly, I would choose the dry fly nine times out of ten. Put me down as a dry fly snob. I like to watch the fish demonstrate their stupidity. When I can't see them, for all I know, they hooked themselves in the mouth on accident. I have become partial to CDC emergers that sit low in the film.

 

[tabasco_joe]

Elk Hair Caddis on a mountain stream for brookies. Second is a Green Weenie just for all the snobs who think it looks gaudy.

 

[Acristickid]

Sulpher spinner

 

[StudentofTheStream]

If there's a hatch comin off I love to fish dries and occasionally throwin terrestrials in the late spring but for all intents and purposes I'm a NYMPH-O-MANIAC! Subsurface dredging the bottom is where I like to be. Show me the fishy!

 

[tomgamber]

Dries, dries, and more dries...then streamers. I used to nymph A LOT but somehow got away from it. But I love catching anything on top.

Sounds like a poll.

 

[littlejuniata]

Elk hair caddis, (granom imo) Size 16 orange body comparadun
http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/USPA0750_f.html and a size 20 "sulphur" for fall

 

[tomgamber]

nevermind

 

[dryflyguy]

Of course, true to my handle, dry flies - in fact, that's all I fish with for trout.
Fishing to a heavy green drake hatch -that lasted all day, some 25 years ago, - is what got me hooked on fly fishing.
To me, rising fish is what it's all about - and, even after all these years, my heart still starts pounding when I find them.
Using nymphs and streamers - and I still reluctantly do it at Erie for steelhead once or twice a year - just doesn't give me that same thrill. "Dredge" fishing is almost like spin fishing to me.
Fishing the dry fly is what really makes our sport special IMO

 

Evidently, I'll have to go with the general population here and list DRYS as my "always go to fly"!
Although, I do carry 2 fly boxes of nymphs in my vest, I carry 5 for dries.
I agree; that fishing dries is what makes the sport/art/religion-- of fly fishing come all together........... seeing the trout rise and take the imitation you've fooled them with (and more so if it's with something you've tied yourself!?!).
There's nothing like having a Steelhead rise to a Steelhead Bee, or, Bomber, smack it, then take off for Japan, like they're late for dinner!
But, even the "little guys", the 10 to 12 inch West Slope Cutts, hitting a dry, like it's their last meal, is more exciting to me, than rolling something under water, wondering if there are even any fish, where I'm fishing!? For that, type fishing it's #16 Elk Hairs and #20 Spinners.

 

[ian_brown]

I like dries for all the easons listed above, but also because it seems like the only way I can catch fish. For example, this morning I caught fish on a trico, a hopper, and an ant (Ok, the ant was sunken, but still). Nothing on the hare's ear or copper john.

Probably this is because I caught my first couple of fish on dries, and it's how I always start. I only go to other flies if the dries aren't working.

 

[PaulG]

Im a dryfly guy all the way, My favorte kind of fishing is Terresterals. The last few years I've been getting into streamers and enjoy fishing those.

 

[rrt]

I like how Gierach said it: a 12" trout on a dry fly is the same as a 16" trout on a streamer or a nymph.

 

[Maurice]

My favorite is the dry fly as well. Don't matter what kind...whatever they're eatin' I guess. I like the part about figgerin' that out probably more than fishing itself.

Of course, If I had to give up my shot...I'd lose interest in fishing pretty quick. I am not one to try to drum them up...but if they are showing, I'm going up top.

This quandry finds me fishing droppers alot. Whatever the case...I just gotta fish!

 

[1hook]

There's nothing I love more than throwin a big old grass hopper pattern throughout the summer.

I like throwin midges too

 

[Maurice]

I hear ya 1Hook...Yesterday I tied one on at the Gunpowder and caught this fish on the third cast. Then two more in short order. When I lost it in the grass, the catching stopped. Then I got sleepy and we went home.

 

[FarmerDave]

JackM wrote:
If you could guaranty I would catch four times as many trout on a nymph, streamer or other underwater fly for every one I would catch with a dry fly, I would choose the dry fly nine times out of ten. Put me down as a dry fly snob. I like to watch the fish demonstrate their stupidity. When I can't see them, for all I know, they hooked themselves in the mouth on accident. I have become partial to CDC emergers that sit low in the film.

Jack, 4 times zero is still zero.