Secret flies?

[navigator37 0]

I was always wondering.

There is always an emphasis on sharing your

fly patterns in fly tying communities like this.

It's great to see so many patterns that I haven't seen

before.

Are there any of you who have devised a secret fly pattern

that you keep all to yourself?

Something that you consider to be your ' secret weapon'

which you haven't shared?

Some in the past have gotten patents for fly designs and so on.

Anyone here with a secret fly?

I'm not incriminating you at all for it, as I have a secret weapon as well.

Just curious....how many here.

 

[c-denby 0]

I have a secret leech pattern that I won't even let my fishing buddies see!! It has been a solid fish producer for me since I started fly fishing. It is incredibly simple design but at the same time it is hard to get the materials to lay perfectly to get the effect that it produces.

 

I'm alot of people have that secret fly or pattern that is a personal or Family recipe and don't share it with anyone.

 

Cheers,

Chris

[Jaydub 0]

I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you.

[Slate_Drake_9 0]

First and foremost, I cannot confirm or deny the existence of any "secret" nymphs in my box. Furthermore, "IF" I did confirm or deny this, I think I'm bound by moral code to kill you.

 

Of course I have "secret" flies I don't share with anyone but my closest fishing partners who share their "secret" flies with me (both of us knowing that a disclosure of one person's fly would result in a massive public disclosure of theirs with stories of catching so many fish that only a fool would tie a dozen and fish notthing but).

 

I don't know any fly tiers that fish that don't have secret flies.

 

Mine produces so many fish for me (and others) in multipe scenarios that I've already written the article, but haven't followed through on publication. I have concerns that if "everyone" starts to show this pattern to the fish it will loose some of it's effectiveness and sometimes I like to sit and watch someone strike out in a run, pool, riffle, whatever and wade in after them and hammer the trout like they've never been fished too before, especially the arrogant ones that look at my wife like women don't belong on the stream.

 

I did show this pattern to two gentlemen in the Catskills last year after my wife and I walked into a flyshop some 30 miles from where we were fishing to listen to two strangers talking about how many trout they watched this husband and wife catch in a famous pool whilst they and everyone else around couldn't get a hit.

 

Maybe I'll have it published posthumous. :devil:

 

 

[Old Hat 0]

Nope, to be honest, I don't have any secret flies that I don't share here on the forum or with fishing friends or with strangers on the river. But then, I believe at least 80% of catching is presentation anyway. I do, however, have a secret recipe for a protein bar that always goes with me on hikes and on the rivers. You have to come along to get a taste of those.

[rstout 0]

My fly boxes are open to anyone wanting a look. I agree with Carl in regards to presentation. A poorly presented fly will catch some fish, a great presentation of a poor fly will catch some fish but a great presentation of a great fly is killer.

 

Rob

[Old Hat 0]

Hey Rob, floated the GR from Oasis to Heller Bar yesterday. River was at about 5200 cfs. We left the rods at home guessing the the river was high, cold and off color. Mistake. Lots of yellow stones, salmonflies, and mayflies that I couldn't get a good look at. Fish were rising to all of them. Ran the Narrows. I think it was easier than running it in low water in July and August. I was warm but rained hard most of the day.

[mdraft1 0]

No secret flies here. hey, Old Hat what would it take to get a peak at your protean bar recipe? I have been trying to find a good one for some time now.

[smallieFanatic 0]

Well now it wouldn't be secret If I told you :devil:

[Steve P 0]

I sorta have a secret bluegill fly, although I swear by it and catch not only large gills on it and large quantities of them, when I first started having success on it I told everyone and nobody believed me and they would not fish it. &yrs later it is still my go to gill fly and I don't bother telling anyone about it anymore... their loss. I will say that I did happen to be sitting in the shop one day a couple months ago and an older gentleman took particular interest in me tying a few and started to ask questions, long story short I tied him a half dozen and told him to try them and report back. Now that fly shop orders a dozen or so every couple of weeks and it is a huge hit. If you're in the area and want to know what it is stop by Rainbow Fly Shop in Independence MO and ask for "The Gay Pink Fly" they will know what you are looking for.

 

As far as trout go I do really well just fishing things that other people do not fish, most guys in this area are really caught up in nymphs and dries, I prefer streamers and do really well on them, I would be glad to share some info but most people won't talk to me on the river since I much younger than most of the people out there and they have preconceived notions about who I am and what I am doing.

 

Steve

[FishyboY 0]

Not really. it is called red butts on softies and rabbit. maybe some slf dub in there also. they make killer patterns. you want all my top producing flies. sure thing. here.

 

1.) Czech Nymph (pink hotspot)

2.) Red Butt Prince

3.) Slump Buster (orange tung bead fo!)

4.) French Tickler (killer caddis pattern)

5.) Frenchie

6.) Rainbow Warrior

7.) Pheasant Tail

[rstout 0]

I can never bring myself to leave home without a fly rod. I always have something with me. Did it make for a long day with fish rising around you? I bet the ride was nice though. :yahoo:

 

I fished the NF of the Clearwater on Saturday. Water spiked at about 8500 CFS. It was running 5400 on Thursday. Caught some nice fish on a conehead olive bunny strip streamer with a sinking line. Got really wet from the rain. Fun day though.

 

Rob

 

Hey Rob, floated the GR from Oasis to Heller Bar yesterday. River was at about 5200 cfs. We left the rods at home guessing the the river was high, cold and off color. Mistake. Lots of yellow stones, salmonflies, and mayflies that I couldn't get a good look at. Fish were rising to all of them. Ran the Narrows. I think it was easier than running it in low water in July and August. I was warm but rained hard most of the day.

 

[JohnP 0]

I fished the NF of the Clearwater on Saturday. Water spiked at about 8500 CFS. It was running 5400 on Thursday. Caught some nice fish on a conehead olive bunny strip streamer with a sinking line. Got really wet from the rain. Fun day though.

 

Rob

 

Hey Rob,

Do you think it would be worth the drive to hit the Lochsa this week? Where do you get the river level information? What would be a good level to hit the Lochsa? I would head for the north fork, but I am driving a car and that road can be kind of rough getting over there.

Thanks.

 

And so as not to completely hijack the thread, my secret bluegill fly is also my secret sea-run cutthroat fly. It has a red tail, either hackle fibers or short wool to keep the fish from chewing the tail off, variegated black and yellow chenille and grizzly hackle. It has caught tons of bluegill, crappie, sunfish, bass and, as I mentioned, sea-run cutthroat when I lived on the coast. I've tied them by the hundreds and given dozens and dozens away.

John

[rstout 0]

JohnP,

 

Here is a link to the water flows. http://waterdata.usgs.gov/id/nwis/rt

 

Hover over the dots on the map and it will tell you the name of the station and location. From the looks of the Lochsa, there was a huge spike in flow on Saturday. On Thursday the Lochsa was running about 5000 CFS. It is now running 8200 cfs. Keep an eye on the flow and compare to the 10 year average on the chart. Maybe this weekend or the next should be good with stones and caddis.

 

Rob

 

As a side note, they have not graded the road on the North Fork. It is rougher than all get out. My truck is covered in mud.

[JohnP 0]

Thanks very much for the link. Looks like maybe an afternoon foray to a local stillwater would be time better spent,