A lethal combination of work related interruptions and procrastination strained my credibility, and I was making good on promises this weekend by cranking some flies for past favors. On rare occasion a tier has no idea what his pals use, nor what they like, and has free license to tie an assortment that he knows are “guaranteed death” for anything with fins.
The “Guarantee” part is always subjective, and usually lasts six seconds out the doorway, or six feet past the driveway – but anglers never read the fine print, so we don’t get called on it much.
I figured five nymph patterns would be a good baseline to cover the Lion’s share of anything encountered in freshwater, ditto for dry flies. Looking at my own flybox that seemed consistent with my own habits.
I needed “Top Gun” – the best of the best, the five patterns that would catch freshwater fish anywhere the angler found himself, and as I’m mulling over favorites, the TV blares suddenly with the Saturday Matinee; John Wayne, hisself, in “The Searchers.”
I’m staring at the flies in my palm, and the mental light bulb goes off, that’s exactly what I’m looking for, the five patterns that resemble everything, and imitate nothing, the Searchers.
My list: (California, trout as principle species)
AP Black – Andre Puyan’s Black nymph, you may know it as the “All Purpose” Black
Pheasant Tail – predominantly brownish, mayfly imitation
Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear – predominantly grayish – mayfly (can be caddis also if tied extra scruffy)
Bird’s Nest – I use both the gray and the olive – caddis imitation
I was stumped on the last choice, as I had at least twenty candidates, but no single fly as the obvious choice. The requirements are simple, the five nymphs so good – if you tied them in 3/0 a Sailfish couldn’t resist..
The Ball’s in your court Gent’s – what’s the top five “All Killer, No Filler” nymphs in your arsenal, and as a double bonus – the collection is owed a SingleBarbed reader, so if any consensus emerges – this stalwart fellow is going to own them.
Wipe that evil grin off your face, anything that is recognizable as an Atlantic Salmon Full Dress is not going to be tied in size 16 – not by me at least…
Technorati Tags: nymphs, trout fishing, killer flies, Top Gun
1.) Stalcup’s Gilled Pheasant Tail w/ Bead Head
2.) Bead Head Prince Nymph
3.) Lafontaine’s Deep Sparkle Pupa
4.) Bill Logan’s Stone Clinger Nymph
5.) 2 Bead Stone Nymph
(http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb278/cerveniak/Fly%20Tying/2beadstonenymph.jpg)
I’d add a stonefly to your list. My go-to fly is the Bird’s nest (Cal Bird). I like the black AP in on the Pit river though.
I could fish exclusively with your list of flies and do as well as I currently do with the hundreds of flies I tend to lug around.
1. Flashback Bead Head Pheasant Tail
2. Flashback Hare’s Ear
3. Prince
4. Montana Stone
5. Copper John
Rocky Mtn. trout biased
Five nymphs?! I don’t think I carry five of the things. Still, here goes:
1. Flashback Pheasant Tail
2. Golden Stone
3. Hare’s Ear (usually a soft hackle)
4. Zebra Midge
5. Brassies
I made it! Woo-hoo…
There’s the temptation to go nuts here, then, that one is always hanging in front of me…
1. Black Nondescript Soft Hackle
2. Brown Nondescript Soft Hackle
3. Gray Nondescript Soft Hackle
4. Olive Nondescript Soft Hackle
$. Hare’s Ear
(no beads, hackle in the round – one turn only)
Anything tied with turquoise blue poly yarn. Or orange rabbit.
OK. I’m an engineer, so I always question the requirements…sorry about that. It’s a pretty common trait. Assuming you are really serious about covering all freshwater, I should think you would want to broaden the field a bit. For example, my five would be:
1. Chernobyl Hopper (what freshwater fish doesn’t like a grasshopper)
2. Beadhead Prince Nymph (ok – went safe with this one)
3. Royal Trude (generic imitator / attractor)
4. Clouser Minnow (virtually any fish)
5. Beadhead Woolybugger (trout, bass, panfish, steelhead, salmon)
Ok, ok. – a nymph collection. Seems a bit narrow in terms of species, but it meets the requirements…
1. Beadhead Prince
2. Flashback Pheasant Tail
3. Copper John
4. Matt’s Golden Stone
5. Flashback Black Stone with rubber legs
Happy Holidays!
Well, I don’t fish with nymphs, but I love a challenge. Here are my top five:
#5 – I think Blondes are overrated – they are good on bright days, but not bright the rest of the time.
#4 – Brunettes are suitable for a lot of different water and fish – everything from bluegills to brown trout – but are hard to find as Naiads, being more common among the Limniads.
#3 – Auburn-haired Naiads are a very popular nymph…except with anglers’ wives, as they tend to cook savory, but potent, garlic dishes and leaves dirty pots in the sink.
#2 – For saltwater fishing you must use the Oceanids, which are best not fresh as their language is quite salty.
#1 – The best, all-around stream nymph is a Naiad with long flowing raven tresses. Like a good Marabou these catch the local stream deity’s attention – they just can’t refuse a nymph like this.
So, that’s my five. As I say, I don’t fish with nymph’s — they are way too expensive to keep, what with their inordinate consumption of fine Greek wine and hummingbird tongues dipped in honey.
I have several treatise on the subject of nymph fishing for the beginner on my blog. Can you identify how this poor bluegill fisherman is wrong in his nymph technique?
http://www.overmywaders.com/cblog/uploads/waterhouse_hylas_and_the_nymphs3.jpg
Best regards,
Reed
That’s a lot of fish with sore lips mentioned in those flies above.. Some of the patterns I don’t recognize, I’ll see what Google finds.
I tend to agree with the “stonefly needed” angle.
TC: You have the prose and ideals of Ernest Schweibert, go to the head of the class, about 2000 miles east of here..
Reed: Best yet, with that panorama I wager his mistake was not joining them and abandoning the trip altogether.
Curly: I’m not familiar with the “nondescript” series, you have a link to an example?
San Mateo Joe: Careful what you ask for, as I am on Turkey Overdose mode, there’s no telling what my enfeebled mind can dream up..
For example, my fav five (excluding Dwyane Wade) would be:
1. Olive Seal bugger
2. Burnt orange Seal bugger
3. Jay Fair Wiggle Tail
4. WoolyBugger
5. All the above with a bit of Gulp! Powerbait
I admit it – I am stuck in a rut.
KB – Forgive me for being ambiguous about the Nondescripts. Sadly, I know of no link describing them (they are, after all, “nondescript”). I thought everybody knew.
I know that I didn’t invent them (nothing new under the sun), they sort of came to me through a process of elimination. A letting go process I guess you could say. I like the idea of a “series” though! Tell you what, I’ll try to send you the basic list – share it if you like, and I’m sure you can add to it. And if there’s any on it that somebody else already invented: sorry, coincidence.
Thanks for the patterns Curly, I may just crank some out and snap a picture for the crowd. I love new patterns, I’m sure the rest of the folks would be interested also.
Nirvana – there’s enough lead and barbell eyes on that list to cause a small seismic event. Remind me to stay clear of your backcast. I can’t argue with the selection, all are buggy.