What flies do you carry and how many

[barnacle]

I have gone from loads to little in the of the amount of flies I carry. If possible, I would like to get an idea of what others carry, type, size, amount. What fly/flies would you never be without?. 


Cheers   

[johnesmithson]

I think it depends where and when you are fishing, and how determined you are to match the hatch. There is a thread from a little while back when I asked the same question about flies for Dartmoor. It provoked quite a bit of discussion, but the consensus seemed to be that you probably don't need many at all, and that presentation is likely more important than exact pattern. So if you could only carry one dry fly on the Moor it would probably be a black Klinkhamer. But that doesn't stop me taking 4 boxes with me! Yesterday I was up there and used a CDC emerger when olives were hatching, and a sedge pattern when caddis started to flutter about in the afternoon.

[halfstoned]

Jun 11, 2023 12:44:52 GMT johnesmithson said:

I think it depends where and when you are fishing, and how determined you are to match the hatch. There is a thread from a little while back when I asked the same question about flies for Dartmoor. It provoked quite a bit of discussion, but the consensus seemed to be that you probably don't need many at all, and that presentation is likely more important than exact pattern. So if you could only carry one dry fly on the Moor it would probably be a black Klinkhamer. But that doesn't stop me taking 4 boxes with me! Yesterday I was up there and used a CDC emerger when olives were hatching, and a sedge pattern when caddis started to flutter about in the afternoon.

I'm the same John, could probably do a season just using my fly patch so why do I still carry 4 boxes?? I do make an exception for my little moorland stream, one box of dries of maybe 6 patterns and one rouge nymph that somehow snuck in there.

[boisker]

I still carry loads, and occasionally dip into less frequently used flies…
But could cut it down to:
Olive / upswing types… pearly butt cdc emerger (swapped to a DHE for heavy riffled water), upright cdc, split wing cdc and f flies for anything from olive to sedge
Carry double wing or x caddis…. Obviously for caddis
Griffiths and some size 20-24 black thread curved hook emergers for midge patterns
Couple of generic cranefly/hoppers
That would cover my for 95% of dry fly
For mayfly I carry a larger upwing CDC… sizes 8,10,12

Nymphs… again I carry loads, but if I was to simplify:
Lance Egan’s rainbow warrior.. I tie this on first most times.. in 2, 2.5 and 3mm tungsten
Some form of pheasant tail
Something scruffy… squirrel dub with various tungsten as above
And a few unweighted pheasants and scruffy
That would probably do me for over 95% of the time

[Pete Tyjas]

It is a question I have asked a lot of anglers and more often than not, the answer is "not many"
There are some great patterns suggested above and all I'd add is try and learn a little abut rise patterns and some basic entomology too. This will make fly selection much easier if you can identify what is on the water and what stage of the hatch the fish are feeding on.

[barnacle]

Thanks for the replies, its appreciated. I wouldn't be without a few Klinkhammer's as that is what I have had rises too so far. I have tried not to chop and change too much. The biggest eye opener for me was being told to use size 12's for such small fish but quite literally overnight they worked. I then realised it was better to use the bigger fly in fast water as the fish could locate it easier.