The "One" Fly

[dcutter]

So I got into fly tying a little bit and I am slowly learning my basic skills. I'm trying to figure out what fly I want to get to be really good at, and I've gotten to be fairly handy at the Elk Hair Caddis and the Griffiths Gnat. So I got to talking to my neighbour and asked him the following question:

If you were stuck on a deserted island and could only have one fly, what would it be?

Thoughts?

[Dust1n]

a wooly bugger...because it can imatate so many food items like leeches,minnows,and stoneflies for example the best flies always represent more hen one thing

[Scott N]

agreed.... a wooly bugger.

[npauls]

Make that 3 for the wooly bugger

[Dust1n]

lol spelt then wrong sorry guys if i had a #2 fly i would pick an adams dry fly size 14

[Coulee]

Depends where the island is. If that island is on the Bow River my first choice is a San Juan Worm with an Adams as a close second. Honorable mention to the wooley bugger though, a great fly.

[dcutter]

I guess I need to expand my extremely limited skill set eh?

[Scott N]

Pheasant Tail Nymphs and Gold-Ribbed Hare’s Ear are good ones too.

[Darren N]

I love my Bow river buggers as much as my Wooleys. Please dont make me choose!!!! as far as dry goes a parachute adams covers alot of bases for me.

[westren]

If the island was on one of the rivers in s ab, a brown half Back,then a wooly bugger

[The Great Outdoors]

I think I would vote for a Bead Headed Prince Nymph. The weight of the bead head determines where in the water column you fish, which means it can be fished at almost any depth. Super versatile and even Pike will hit it.

[Darren N]

Originally Posted by The Great Outdoors

I think I would vote for a Bead Headed Prince Nymph. The weight of the bead head determines where in the water column you fish, which means it can be fished at almost any depth. Super versatile and even Pike will hit it.

I love my bead head prince nymph as well. The only thing is if that was the only fly you had, and you had to make it last, they tend to loose their look and presentation after a few pike had their mouth on it, or maybe I'm splitting "hares"?

[densa44]

I know that the nymph boys will catch the most fish. But for the most fun you can have with your clothes on, a big elk hair grasshopper fished in Alberta in the summer is the way to go.

The strikes will get you wet inside your waders!

[dodger]

Red Ant, float it, sink it, it always catches fish.
Dodger.

[beerhonky]

Dry - A tie between a adams irresistible and a yellow stimulator
Wet - Olive bead head hares ear

[The Great Outdoors]

Originally Posted by Darren N

I love my bead head prince nymph as well. The only thing is if that was the only fly you had, and you had to make it last, they tend to loose their look and presentation after a few pike had their mouth on it, or maybe I'm splitting "hares"?

Nymph, Nymph, Nymph

Below is the best pattern going!

IMO, Wooly's should just "bug-ger" off!

[tacklerunner]

Originally Posted by beerhonky

dry - a tie between a adams irresistible and a yellow stimulator
wet - olive bead head hares ear

x 2

[greylynx]

Wooly Bugger.

My late uncle used to use these on the bow when he was stationed at Currie Barracks during WW2

They called it the Sergeant Major fly.

http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=h...ed=0CBgQ9QEwAg

[catnthehat]

Mickey Finn.
Cat

[Dust1n]

is it any particular season>? or just best all around cause i love watching hungry browns attacking a stonefly or a hopper pattern...summer
but id have to say if you had to fish those patterns in winter you would gest next to no bites....like the wild trout are most liky gonnabe feeding on the hatch not a out of season stonefly lol learned all of that this year it pays to talk to a guide

[Daceminnow]

Originally Posted by densa44

I know that the nymph boys will catch the most fish. But for the most fun you can have with your clothes on, a big elk hair grasshopper fished in Alberta in the summer is the way to go.

The strikes will get you wet inside your waders!

X2. anything eaten off the surface blows away fishing with a bobber. Stones and Hoppers!

[lifesaflyin]

Originally Posted by The Great Outdoors

Nymph, Nymph, Nymph

Below is the best pattern going!

IMO, Wooly's should just "bug-ger" off!

that's an awesome hook! i tied me up a lifetime supply last winter lol.

[Darren N]

Originally Posted by The Great Outdoors

Nymph, Nymph, Nymph

Below is the best pattern going!

IMO, Wooly's should just "bug-ger" off!

That is a good looking Prince. You throw that out in front of an old girl and it might just "Stimulate-her" (so sorry this has to stop)

[Dust1n]

princes are good nymph imatations tooo but i like the buggers best

[Bigtoad]

I'll probably be outfished, but I'll definitely have a lot more fun than the bobber (I mean strike indicator) brigade. My vote is the chernobyl ant.

The Bow and Prairie in July, and the cuttie streams in August. Mmmmm.....

Cheers.

[grinr]

'Nuther vote for buggers,either traditional wooly or BowRiver bugger....hands down favorites,most versatile fly ever conceived imho.There is NO wrong way to fish a bugger,swing it,strip it,nymph it,even dead drift it dry...no question,if I could have only one fly in a survival situation,it would be a bugger.

[Dust1n]

X2 for those reasons lol

[Daceminnow]

Originally Posted by Bigtoad

I'll probably be outfished, but I'll definitely have a lot more fun than the bobber (I mean strike indicator) brigade. My vote is the chernobyl ant.

The Bow and Prairie in July, and the cuttie streams in August. Mmmmm.....

Cheers.

yep. indicator is a glorified name for the old red & white bobber. nothing beats the rush of big trout eating big bugs off the top. definitely more of a challenge, but why do we fish?

Dace