# Need suggestions for Flies



## copperdon (Jun 3, 2011)

I'm putting together a present for a fly fishing friend of mine for Christmas.
I got her into fly fishing a few years ago and she's really taken to it.

I want to put together a glass covered, framed box for her as a present, mounting real flies under the glass with descriptons of each underneath as opposed to pictures.

So far, I've got the following: BWO, Elk Hair Caddis, Royal Coachman, Wooly Bugger, Mickey Finn, Mayfly, various CDC's, March Brown, Prince Nymph, Copper John.

I'm looking for suggestions from other fly throwers here as to other possible patterns to add. They don't need to be "popular" patterns, anything that you like to tie or fish with would be appreciated for ideas.

I'm keeping all of these patterns sizes 8, 10 and 12 so that they show up, as opposed to tying a size 22 mosquito that you need a magnifying glass to see. LOL

Any suggestions would be appreciated!


----------



## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

Are you limiting this to trout patterns?


----------



## copperdon (Jun 3, 2011)

Good question.

Hadn't really thought about that, but I think I'd like to limit the patterns to those used for Trout/Steelhead and Salmon.


----------



## striperrams (Aug 26, 2010)

You could put a Thunder Creek streamer in the box. They look good and are good fish catchers too. Also maybe a soft hackle and a Patriot dry fly
Good luck


----------



## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

A Royal Wulff would be a good classic pattern that is also colorful and cool to look at. And maybe some terrestrials like hoppers or crickets, maybe beetles?


----------



## fishmerf (Mar 28, 2008)

I would have to throw in a few of my favorites. I think an Adams is a must, and while you are at it, throw in a parachute version as well. I would also add a pheasant tail and possibly a few golden stones. I have a few more, but they are much smaller in size. 
Sounds like a great idea and an even better gift. I look forward to reading about what you come up with and her reaction to such a nice gift.
Merf


----------



## copperdon (Jun 3, 2011)

Great suggestions!

Although some had me whacking my forhead thinking.. "now how did I miss stuff like Royal Wulfs and Adams patterns?

Striper - great suggestion on the Thunder Creek Streamer. Have to confess I've never heard of that one but it would look great under glass. 
I'm gonna have to google that one to learn how to tie it.
Looks like most of the labor is in the head, but if I'm tying it large, like a #6 or 8, it should be easier than small stuff.









Fishmerf... Must confess I've never heard of or even used a golden stone. I looked it up and came up with several different versions...can you tell me which one of the following - if any -you were thinking about? 




























Cream- hadn't even thought about terrestrials. Beetles and crickets would be great. I've tied many different beetle patterns, using foam and rough dubbing or herl, where I thread on the dubbing/herl, then add the foam at the bend of the hook and then pull/fold it towards the eye, leaving the underside material showing for legs and abdomen. They work great for bass and gills in warmer months as well.










Awesome suggestions guys. Really appreciate you taking the time to input your ideas!


----------



## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

I took this pic in WV a few years back, pretty sure it's a golden stonefly nymph but I'm no entomologist.










This was a HUGE nymph, I found it overturning rocks to check out the bug life.

If you want to add one small pattern, my all time favorite small pattern that is without question my go-to pattern for spooky, low-water trout is the Griffith's Gnat. I generally like it in #18 and #22, a classic dry fly midge pattern that flat works over trout!


----------



## striperrams (Aug 26, 2010)

Copper, here is the Thunder Creek pattern if you decide to use it for your friends gift. Great idea by the way!


Hook: Daiichi 1750 streamer hook (4X long with a ring eye) in sizes 6,8,10
Thread: white 8/0
Underbody: flat lead tape wrapped from the bend all the way to the eye 
Body: Chrystal flash wrapped from the bend 3/4 of the way to the eye (over the lead wraps)
top: olive bucktail tied reverse from the hook eye 1/4 way back on the shank
bottom: white bucktail tied same as the top
gills: red 8/0 thread
Eyes: stick on eyes
Coating on head: epoxy, bug bond, UV wader repair, Tuffleye or similar bonding material...you choose

Begin the fly by putting a base of white thread wraps down along the hook shank. Then tie in the flat lead tape and spiral it to the eye of the hook, run your white thread over the lead wraps back to the hook bend. Tie in 5 or 6 strands of crystal flash and wrap 3/4 of the way to the hook eye and tie off. Measure your olive bucktail so all together it is about twice the legnth of the hook shank and tie it in with the tips extendeing past the hook eye. Turn the fly over and do the same for the white bucktail. Now bring the olive and white bucktail back and tie in at the 1/4 way behind the hook eye. Try to use only 5 or six wraps of thread to secure both the white and olive bucktails. Change to red 6/0 thread and go over the white tying thread that secures the bucktail. Finally, put on your stick on eyes and coat the head of the fly with the coating. This is a good fly to use on Clearfork Creek, fishing it down and across. Tie this fly sparse for clear water and a little fuller for off colored water. If the water is really low and clear, omit the crystal flash all together. Good luck
Kevin


----------



## fishmerf (Mar 28, 2008)

Great flies! I forgot to add the hairs ear- a staple for many.
Cream- That is a Golden Stone. A sign of a very healthy stream. I think they are the coolest looking nymphs in the river. They almost look prehistoric.
Merf


----------



## brodg (Sep 6, 2010)

How about a #8 white or olive zonker, my go too steelhead fly.

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## copperdon (Jun 3, 2011)

striperrams said:


> Copper, here is the Thunder Creek pattern if you decide to use it for your friends gift. Great idea by the way!
> 
> 
> 
> Kevin


Outstanding, Kevin...thanks for taking the time to write the instructions


----------



## copperdon (Jun 3, 2011)

TheCream said:


> I took this pic in WV a few years back, pretty sure it's a golden stonefly nymph but I'm no entomologist.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've never seen a golden stonefly. Do they exist in Ohio? 
No matter, this gift isn't just about flies you'd use in Ohio, any pattern will do, and the patterns I found for golden stones are beautiful flies. 

So... did you catch any fish using a similar pattern to the stonefly in the picture while on that stream in WV?

The biggest stone fly population I ever saw was on the Rogue River in Oregon, this past April.
I was wading in to a section of faster moving water and I looked down and they were _everywhere_... black ones... all over the rocks at my feet.

I didn't have any luck using stonies that day, even though I had closely matched the hatch. I figured that since so many real ones were everywhere, the trout must have been very well fed and not so interested in my fake one. LOL

I ended up with one rainbow on a prince nymph.


----------



## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

Copperdon, I actually had no golden stone patterns in my boxes when I found that nymph, but I do now. I have not used them, that I can remember, but I now have some large golden stone nymphs tucked away in my nymph box to try if I get the urge or find a large number of them in rock checks. Honestly, in WV I almost never nymph fish. I find that the small stream trout are usually more than willing to come up on a dry, and it's more fun for me to dry fly fish than to nymph. I concede that nymphing may catch more fish, but dry fly fishing for trout has a weird grip on me in the mountains.


----------



## horiaalmasan (May 20, 2006)

Pheasant tail, black stone and egg patterns are a must. Nice project!


----------



## fishmerf (Mar 28, 2008)

We do have some golden stones here in Ohio. TU's stream survey from last June had a few show up. From what I read, this is a more recent occurrence. I have found them in both WV and PA, but nothing compared to what you might see out west


----------



## copperdon (Jun 3, 2011)

so, here's an update of what I've tied..

Stone flies, in black, brown and gold.
Copper John
Prince
Pheasant Tail
Parachute Adams
Blue Winged Olive, both dry and nymph
Thunder Creek Shiner (Thanks Striper! Great pattern!)
Olive Zonker
Clouser Minnow
Mickey Finn
Royal Wulf
Royal Coachman
Elk Hair Caddis
Zug Bug
Mosquito
San Juan Worm
Diawal Bach
Sparkle Dun
March Brown


----------



## copperdon (Jun 3, 2011)

The next phase of this project is to try to find the origins of these patterns; my idea was to use a caligraphy pen and put some information below each fly as to the country or state origin, the tyer (when known) and the approximate year that they were invented.

For example, I had no idea that the Copper John was invented as recent as 1996, tied by John Barr in Colorado.

At the same time, flies like the March Brown have been around for 100+ years.

It's a fun project.


----------



## fishmerf (Mar 28, 2008)

Here is an article on the origins of the Adams. 

http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/2010/04/19/the-adams-history-revisited-by-tom-deschaine/


----------

