navigator37 0 Report post Posted July 7, 2010 Hi all. We have probably all gotten into tying some complex flies to test some ideas and skills. Do any of you ever just try out some of the simple flies you can make with just the thread and a few wraps of material? I have found flies like this to work just as well as some complex creations I have tried in the past. With synthetic hackles now, you can create a real buggy looking fly that works for trout quite often. Super bug yarn and Rainy's micro mohair are examples of some materials you can use. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
utyer 0 Report post Posted July 7, 2010 You have a winner there, and you have hit on a very good consept. The KISS principle is a good one to follow when tying flies. Simple flies are easy to tie, usually cheap to tie, and CATCH FISH. When I teach, I alway start with one material flies. Patterns like the Green Weenie, San Juan Worm, thread midges, and mohair leaches are nothing more than one material wrapped around a hook, or tied to a hook. Easy for even a beginner, and all worthy of any fly fishers fly box. More advanced, but still single material would be dubbed fur nymphs, or "flymphs." Add just one more material, like a wire rib, or a hackle, and there are hundreds of patterns you can create. The Griffith Gnat is just herl, and a hackle. A little deer hair, and some dubbing, and you can tie up a comparadun. These simple dry flies are about all I ever use for "matching a hatch." My fly boxes are full of one, two, and three material simple impressionistic flies. I rarely ever spend more time tying a fly to fish with, that the time it takes me to loose it in a tree, on the first or second back cast. Keep tying simple patterns, and your boxes will fill quickly with great fish catching flies. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dwiltshire 0 Report post Posted July 7, 2010 Do any of you ever just try out some of the simple flies you can make with just the thread and a few wraps of material? I have found flies like this to work just as well as some complex creations Yes: I totally agree http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=53062 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kirk Dietrich 0 Report post Posted July 7, 2010 Hair wing streamers are another example. Flies like the Mickey Fin, The Blonde, and Bucktail Bendbacks don't really need the tinsel or chenille bodies. A hunk of bucktail pulled through the water has the shape of a baitfish more or less. But what would I spend the rest of all my money on if I only had to buy bucktail and hooks? Kirk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rockworm 0 Report post Posted July 7, 2010 navigator I couldn't agree with you more. Some of the most effective flies are no more than tying thread and a hackle (Stewart's Spiders, Snipe and Purple, ...) Another good example is the original Pheasant Tail Nymph which was just copper wire and PT! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blakejd 0 Report post Posted July 7, 2010 I've never fished them but the string thing is suppose to be a killer and its just thread on a hook. The only possible thing simpler would be hoping the fish finds the hook looks tasty. I'll have to give them a go soon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
letumgo 0 Report post Posted July 7, 2010 Simple flies have produced very well for me as well. I am a firm believer in impressionistic patterns for fishing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
biginjapan 0 Report post Posted July 8, 2010 [totally with you on that, my top chrominid pattern is simply a layer of thread down the hook and a turn or three of peacock at the thorax. deadly too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flytire 0 Report post Posted July 8, 2010 Do any of you ever just try out some of the simple flies you can make with just the thread and a few wraps of material? heres one on my blog http://flytyingnewandold.blogspot.com/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
redietz 0 Report post Posted July 8, 2010 You have a winner there, and you have hit on a very good consept. The KISS principle is a good one to follow when tying flies. Simple flies are easy to tie, usually cheap to tie, and CATCH FISH. You left out another important attribute of simple flies, although it's related to all of the above. You can take more chances with them and get them to where the fish are. I think twice before casting a fly that took me 15 minutes to tie into a brush pile, or under a low overhang. With a fly that took me less than a minute to tie, though, there's no reason not to try it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iso18 0 Report post Posted July 8, 2010 In the summer,like right now,when the water begins to get very low,my favorite fish catching fly is simply a #28,30,or 32 hook wrapped with thread and then i put a cdc wing on it.Thats it.Learned the pattern from thye book "midge magic".This past weekend i caught over 50 fish on this fly,yes simple is better allot of times. shane Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FlatzFatz 0 Report post Posted July 8, 2010 Do any of you ever just try out some of the simple flies you can make with just the thread and a few wraps of material? heres one on my blog http://flytyingnewandold.blogspot.com/ Great blog bro...enjoyed your post and fly tying instructions. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites