Favorite Fly Patterns for Anytime, Anywhere

 I thought I would share with everyone today some of the flies I have started sticking in my fly boxes. Notice I said fly boxes. I can look back on my fly fishing over the years and it only amounted to a K-Mart combo fly rod and a few poppers, and that was it. But since I got back into the sport some 3 years ago I added the trout aspect and that opened up a whole a new avenue. Better rods, reels, and a lot more flies, not only for the trout, but for the bass and gills I pursuit. So now I not only have the trout flies, bass and bluegill flies as well. My K-Mart combo has been replaced with rods for nymphing, dries and large Kentucky Spots on the lake. Even rods for small streams, verses tailraces and lakes come into play. So you might say I have done a complete 360 when it comes to fly fishing.

  The following flies are some I used on the lake and some on the tailraces I fish. I always have flies in reserve that I don't put into the fly boxes until I am running low on a particular fly. I don't tie my flies so I order everything I use which comes packed nicely in small boxes. I keep saying I am going to take a fly tying class, but there never seems to be enough time. I am usually on the water at least 3 days a week, and the rest of the week is taken up with gym and chores.
  A lot of the patterns listed below would work most anywhere in the U.S. and a lot of these flies are common in most fly boxes. There are some flies not mentioned here that would be a must for individuals who live out west or in the eastern part of the U.S. So take a look and see what you think, and I welcome any additions.

1. Olive wooly bugger ----warmwater & coldwater

2. Black wooly bugger ---warmwater & coldwater

3. Grass hopper (yellow body) ---warmwater & coldwater

4. Purple wooly bugger---warmwater & coldwater

5. Brown Wooly bugger----warmwater & coldwater

6. Flashback pheasentail nymphs

7. Copper john

8. Prince nymph

9. Varieity of Large Poppers for Smallmouth, Kentucky Spots and Largemouth

10. Stimulator

11. Beadhead Hairs Ear 

12. Soft hackle streamers

13. Griffiths Gnat

14. Adams dry flies

15. Clouser Minnow--warmwater and coldwater fishing 

16. Variety of small poppers and nymphs--warmwater fishing 

17. Beadhead Bouface Brown 

18. Zebra midges in the Firebuy variety a dozen different colors new on the market

19. Bluewing olive dry fly

20. San Juan Worm--different colors

Notice I didn't mention sizes, because that can vary depending on region.