Mike’s Top Ten Flies For Everywhere

Mike’s Top Ten Flies For Everywhere

In my fifty years in the guiding and outfitting business I have probably heard every question about fly fishing. There is a lot to learn, even for the most experienced among us. Where to go, what to use, and how to use it summarizes most of the questions. To break it down more specifically, one question dominates all of the others: What flies do I need? Even though I have fly fished for about 70 years, whenever I travel, I still love to go into fly shops to kibitz, listen and learn. I always ask what flies are working best and purchase a few even if I don’t need them. Looking at the fly bins in a well-stocked fly shop is often overwhelming, especially if you’re just getting started. Today the average cost of a single fly is about $3. If I bought only one of each pattern and size in the shop’s selection it would likely cost me 4 to 6 thousand dollars.

 

It’s amazing how much things have changed over the years. When we first opened our shop in 1977 we stocked about 3 dozen patterns in a variety of colors and sizes. The cost was about a dollar each. Now we stock 10 times that amount and they cost $3.00 each. Why are they so expensive you say? First off they aren’t manufactured, they are tied, one fly at a time, by someone sitting at a vise, the same as they did 200 years ago. Secondly, why does everything else cost so much? For example, in 1980, a Hardy Princess fly reel retailed for $90. Today, the exact same reel retails for $499. A premium fly line was under $20. Today the same line costs over a hundred. A good pair of wading shoes was $60. Today you’ll pay 4 or 5 times that. Stuff costs so much now that you need to know what you need so you don’t waste money. You can easily roll out a couple of Franklins when you settle your bill. Flies have kept pace with everything else but they are the most important part of your equipment. You can’t fly fish without a fly.

 

In 1999 I published my first book with Gary LaFontaine, Fly Fishing the Henry’s Fork. We listed a pretty good arsenal of working fly patterns, but we specified our 12 favorites specifically for the Henry’s Fork. In Spring Creeks, published in 2003, I listed a little over 3 dozen dries, wets, nymphs, midges and streamers to encompass all of the flies you might need to fish spring creeks and tailwaters throughout the world. In Fly Fishing Guide to the Henry’s Fork, published in 2012, I listed my 12 favorite flies called “The Deadly Dozen.” All of these recommendations are for very specific waters. I’ve never listed general trout flies that can be used with any method on any water throughout the world.

 

How about my favorite 10 flies that I would never be without, no matter where I fish for trout? Some would argue that only 10 flies would be too limiting. I have always believed that presenting the fly properly is far more important than the fly pattern. A great example of that is the Jackson Hole One Fly. Only one fly for the entire day? Now that’s limiting. I have fished in it a number of times, and I have been part of the winning team 4 different years. I’m not mentioning this to brag about winning. My point is that every year 160 anglers fish the same river for 2 days limited to only one fly. Most of them aren’t using the same fly. Each day they must start out the day relying totally on their ability to present the fly. Very few One Fly contestants lose because they were using the wrong fly.I’m not advocating you limit yourself to only 10 flies. Like everyone else who has fished as long as me, I have dozens if not hundreds of different patterns. However, if I had to limit my fishing to only 10 flies I honestly believe I could catch fish no matter where. Here are my ten, they are not ranked. They have a specific use and situation.

 

Renegade

Renegade Fly

If you asked my two sons, Shaun and Chris, if they were limited to a single fly, no matter where they fish, it would be a Renegade. They got that from me when they first started out. They would have ditched it long ago if it didn’t work. We like the Renegade because of its versatility. It can be fished as a wet fly, dry fly or used as a dropper with another fly. If used in the proper size it can be effective when trout are selectively feeding on a Trico hatch as well as used as a large attractor dry fly. One of my favorite ways to fish it is to use it as a dropper with a soft hackle as a wet fly. It has definitely stood the test of time.

 

Parachute Adams

Parachute Adams Fly
The first time I fished the Firehole River I stopped in to Bud Lilly’s and asked what flies I needed. He told me a size 16 Adams. I waited for him to tell me the next fly but he remained silent. He advised that for that time of year a size 16 Adams would be all I needed. He was right. Leonard Halladay is credited for designing the original pattern in 1922 naming the pattern after his fishing buddy Charles Adams. I don’t know of a buggier looking dry fly. People have asked me what the Adams imitates. Who cares? A trout doesn’t care what it imitates. It is another fly that has stood the test of time and has never lost its charm. I like the Parachute Adams because it sits low and I can see it with my old tired eyes.

Pheasant Tail Nymph

Tungsten PT Fly
This is another fly that has stood the test of time. Originated by Frank Sawyer over a century ago, this fly ranks up there with the popular patterns ever created. It’s my go-to nymph whenever I fish my favorite waters, especially spring creeks and tailwaters. It looks like dozens of nymphs a trout will see over the course of the day. It is listed among my favorites in all three of my books. My favorite way to use it is when I’m sight fishing. It’s great fun to spot the fish and see its reaction to the fly. I use it as a dropper in tandem with another nymph. I especially like it as a dropper with a dry fly. I also drop it a few inches below a dry when trout are selectively feeding on mayflies or caddisflies.

Hemingway Caddis

Hemingway Caddis Fly
No matter what water you fish, the trout likely see a lot of caddisflies. They can be prolific on rough, fast water as well as the comfortable surface of a spring creek. No matter where you fish, you’ll need a good caddisfly imitation. This pattern is a variation of the Henryville Special. It was a favorite of our good friend, Jack Hemingway, who liked using it during the spring “Mother’s Day Caddis” hatch on the Henry’s Fork, Yellowstone, and other great trout waters. I also like the Elk Hair Caddis or X-Caddis.

No Hackle

No Hackle Fly
When you encounter selective fish feeding on mayflies you’ll likely need a good imitation if you want to experience success. For me nothing beats the Nohackle. It was first introduced by Doug Swisher and Carl Richards in their classic, Selective Trout. I like it in a variety of colors including tan, olive, gray, and Pale Morning Dun. If I were restricted to only one color it would be tan. The fly can be fished on the surface but it really shines when used as an emerger, flush in the film. I also like it for its durability. I know, how can I say this with a straight face? I’ve already mentioned some success in the Jackson Hole One Fly. The Nohackle was one of our best flies. Some people throw the fly away when the wing fibers split up. For me there is no other natural material that is as soft and light as a mayfly wing yet stronger than deer hair.

Black Beetle

Beetle
I think trout eat this because it looks like a beetle or it doesn’t look like a beetle. Frankly, I have rarely found a situation where there were enough beetles on the water for the trout to selectively feed on them. I’m sure over the course of the season trout see plenty of beetles and other terrestrials but they usually aren’t concentrated. There are times when the surface is covered with ants and the trout can get very selective, but they will still eat a beetle. I’ve had great success using a beetle when trout were actively feeding on mayflies. I like a beetle if I’m blind fishing. Whenever I find myself in any dry fly situation where I don’t know what to use, it will be a beetle or an ant.

Soft Hackle

Soft Hackle Fly
I grew up fishing wet flies, swinging them in the current. For some reason this method of fly fishing seems to have lost its flavor but it is still very effective. I use them in tandem with another wet fly or a Renegade. I frequently use them as a dropper with a nymph. I also like to dress the fly with some floatant and fish it in the film as an emerger. There are lots of colors and variations of soft hackles. Personally if I had to choose one, it would be a pheasant tail body with partridge hackle.

Matuka Streamer

Matuka Fly
You’ll need a streamer. Most modern streamers of today have articulated or tandem hooks and are large enough to catch a sailfish. On top of that, they cost about 9 bucks. Personally, I don’t like to use a 7 or 8 weight rod for trout fishing which I need to use to sling one of these monsters. I prefer a 4, 5 or 6 weight. For that reason I prefer smaller, lighter streamers that are easier to cast with a light rod. I rarely leave home with the intention to fish streamers all day. Usually I like to change from something else to a streamer if the need arises. Personally I like the Matuka. I first encountered this fly many years ago while fishing with Doug Swisher. He handed me a bright green one he called the Green Weanie. I was amazed that it worked. I like to tie it with the hook inverted which really helps keep the feathers from fouling.

Royal Wulff

Royal Wulff Fly
The Royal Wulff is definitely in the running for the best attractor fly of all time. Its versatility is unmatched. Mostly I use it as an attractor fly when there is nothing on the water or when trout are not noticeably rising. I’ve also had great success fishing it in the middle of a good hatch when trout were selectively feeding. I once wrote an article in Fly Fisherman Magazine titled “Unmatching the Hatch.” The main point was that when the surface of the water is covered with insects and trout intensively feeding, if you match the hatch your fly might not get noticed until you put the fly down with multiple casts. Whenever I encounter this situation I usually go straight for a Royal Wulff or a beetle.
Fullingmill Chubby
If you limit yourself to only ten flies, you’ll need to stay versatile. Wherever you go you’ll likely encounter down-winged insects like stoneflies or hoppers. This fly is a great combination of synthetic materials incorporating foam, plastic legs, with a poly wing. It works great as an attractor, dry/dropper, or fished as an imitation of a stonefly, hopper or other insect. You can get them in all kinds of colors. If I had to go with one, it would have a gold or tan body. You can also clip the wing according to the situation. If you want it to look like a hopper you can clip down the wing. It if is a stonefly, leave the wing as is.
Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.