Fly ideas

[kidwonderful]

So I have done some research on this site and from personal experience on flies to use at certain lakes, rivers, and streams.They aren't in any order.
Some of these might need some help and any input or flies added to these locations would be great, but so far what do you think? But if you have a secret method of catching fish you don't have to share just looking for some helpful advice to a new member.

Urban lake program (trout):
A size 16-18 non bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph trailing a Simi seal leech stripped in the top 2' of water and around boiling trout.
Or a size 18 black/silver zebra midge behind a size 14 bead head nymph suspended 4'-6' under an indicator

My urban ponds :Homemade cheap mans super glue foam bread fly. Bread flies or egg flies. Egg sucking leeches (for everything) and clousers (bass)(poppers for bluegill)

Salt River: Wooly bugger, Halloween bugger, muddler minnows and marabous, clousers, leeches and SSL

Black river: crawfish imitating flies, ssl, wooly buggers/ Halloween buggers, poppers, clousers, anything with flash.

Christmas tree Lake: black ants in summer time, ssl, buggers, zug bugs, copper johns, nymphing patterns.

Small streams: hoppers, cicadas, nymphs, and ants
Lee Valley Lake: red copper johns and a series of dry flies depending on the hatch.

Silver creek: Wooly buggers, parachute adams, nymphing patterns, cicadas (during hatch), and ssl. (more info to come)

Carnero: Purple scuds, midges, buggers, ssl (ask members)

Crescent: snail patterns, buggers, leeches, scuds, nymphing patterns, damsel nymphs, caddis

Becker: (midges during hatch), streamers, caddis

Chevlon: SSL! Chevlon minnow fly, mini hoppers

Canyon/ saguaro/ pleasant: clousers, minnow patterns, shad patterns, purple minnow imitators, midges and gnats for bluegill, copper johns, etc.

Little Colorado river: SSL, buggers, hoppers, caddis flies

Sheep's crossing: San Juan worm, streamers, mini hoppers, ants, after stock use egg flies, nymphing patterns and copper johns.I usually get alot here

Hawley lake: bunny hair leeches, egg sucking leeches, streamers, SSL, wooly buggers, dry flies during hatches.

Gila /Verde rivers: swamp frogs, clousers, buggers, Black Zebra Midges, Halloween buggers

Oak creek recreation area in Vernon(used to be a LMB hacthery and a trout hatchery by my grandparents is now private pond; see post Bass in the Woods): clousers stripped close to shore, muddler minnows stripped close to shore, crayfish patterns, mayflies and parachute Adams during hatch( bass go crazy on surface)

Greer: buggers, egg flies, nymphing patterns, copper johns

Pike lakes: anything that resembles a trout or a crawfish.

Gila pond system: swamp frogs, or?

Thanks for any input

[Mr Blur]

hmmm...things need not be so complicated.

[kidwonderful]

Just go with the flow? see what their hitting?

[jmurch]

Thanks for that list kidwonderful. I was doing research bits and pieces but it's great to have it all in one place.

Jeff

[kidwonderful]

your welcome

[Newby]

Originally Posted by kidwonderful

Just go with the flow? see what their hitting?

That's what I do. When I started out fly fishing I had VERY few flies. I think my first trip to Tonto Creek I had about forty flies. Now I have several hundred flies. There was a BWO and Stonefly hatch but the closest thing I had to imitate it was an elk hair caddis. And you know what? They hit that sz 12 caddis like it was one of those little itty bitty BWOs. There were some larger bugs on the water and I think it made all the difference.

I guess my point is, and I my get crucified for saying this, a lot of the time its not what you fish, but how you fish it.

I'm not going to say that during the middle of summer you are going to do well with a big dry on a deep lake where the trout are holding twenty feet deep- I'm not that crazy. My point is just that you can do fine with what you have on hand if you know how to fish it. Sure in some cases the fish are keyed in on a color, size, or type of bug, but in most cases you should try your hardest to have the recommended flies for that water and then not sweat it if you don't have "this color of one of these", or "a good imitation of this."

These two quotes really sum it up best for me:

"Something to think about: If you fish the wrong fly long and hard enough, it will sooner or later become the right fly." -- John Gierach

"I look into... my fly box, and think about all the elements I should consider in choosing the perfect fly: water temperature, what stage of development the bugs are in, what the fish are eating right now. Then I remember what a guide told me: 'Ninety percent of what a trout eats is brown and fuzzy and about five-eighths of an inch long." Allison Moir

Sorry for the long response.

JMHO

[kidwonderful]

Some kid stole one of my fly boxes at an urban lake. I don't think he knew what it was. PI have about 20 flies now and i have no money so i'll have to wait till christmas to get a new reel and some new flies! So the 40 flies thing man I feel your pain!

[Newby]

Originally Posted by kidwonderful

Some kid stole one of my fly boxes at an urban lake. I don't think he knew what it was. PI have about 20 flies now and i have no money so i'll have to wait till christmas to get a new reel and some new flies! So the 40 flies thing man I feel your pain!

Send me your adress and I will fix you up with some more flies. Some hand tied mini hoppers, a few nymphs, maybe a few streamers. If you are interested.