Dry flies for river trout

[Iasgair]

Breadflake,

Whatever you do, please don't buy a starter kit ! They contain a rubbish vice and loads of materials you don't need. Buy a lever / cam operated vice, the screw ones are not very effective. You need sharp scissors. Start picking up feathers, you can find most of the stuff you need :-)

I agree with Nigel on this.

I and a fellow member of the forum have just recently discussed kits vs. buying materials and tools. Kits will get you started, but can also discourage you because of the terrible quality in materials and tools.
I said that the best thing anyone can do is visit their local fly shop and discuss with the shop employee that you want to start tying flies. Also let the shop person know the areas you normally fish and by doing that they should know what flies would work really well that are good flies to start tying that are simple. Then he can go around the shop and gather materials that you'll need that may not be top quality; like Whiting Platinum Dry Fly Hackle that costs $100, but better than kit quality materials that are much more affordable like Indian rooster hackle for $12. Then he can get you tying tools that you'll need that are also better than what you get in the kits, but not top of the line items like a $300 vise and $50 bobbins. But good quality tools that are easy to use and won't shred the thread.

This is what I said to the other member on the forum. I looked up the prices of each item to show you that you can save money by doing this and getting better products to tie with.

For $75 you can go to your local shop, or order items that are quality. Let me show you an example here.
1. Hooks: Partridge Patriot SLD hooks. 2 packs, #14 & #16. $6.95 each = $13.90
2. Thread: 2 spools of Uni-Thread, colors brown & white. $3.20 each = $6.40
3. Pheasant Tail clump: 1 pack, $7.50
4. Peacock herl: Get the eyed sticks. 1 pack, $3.75
5. Dubbing: Hareline Superfine dubbing, 3 packs, colors black, brown, grey. $2.25 each = $6.75
6. Dry fly hackle: Indian Hen or Rooster necks, Get the Prime grade, colors, brown and cream. $12.95 each = $25.90
7. Wire: UTC Ultra Wire: Size small, colors gold, copper. 2 spools each $1.75 = $3.50

So that was just materials to get you started. Total cost is $67.70. In English pounds that would be 49.60.

Now lets look at tools you'll need.

1. Bobbin / Bobbin holder: Dr. Slick Bobbin, $7.20
2. Hackle pliers: Dr. Slick hackle pliers, $4.80
3. Whip finisher: Dr. Slick whip finisher, $6.80
4. Scissors: Dr. Slick All Purpose 4" scissors, $13.60
5. Head cement, $6.75
TOTAL $39.15 English Pounds 28.68

Overall total $106.85. In English Pounds 78.28. That's a pretty sweet deal if you ask me.

After all this, when you need more material, you can get what you want in higher quality materials, like hackle, and tools. But everything I listed is better than what you'll get in a tying kit.

[Mr B]

Red Quill, Blue Dun, Greewell’s Glory, Gold -ribbed Har’s Ear, Cock-y-bondhu, March Brown, Tup’s Indisputable and Alder..
All Mr Crabtree fly’s.....but a must have.
I have tried them all apart from the bellow..
I have been told from a very reliable TFF member from the USA.... Iasgair that it’s deadly.

“The Renegade” Ernest Hemingway’s favourite fly! All rounder..
I have just got my new vice and will be tying this one soon!!!

Mr B.

[Mole-Patrol]

Those flies might be suitable for some areas of the UK, but different regions have different fly life.

Where BreadFlake is intending to fish is almost like North Yorkshire in being on eastern Pennnine slopes with a fairly high altitude. I only had success with peacock herl flies on still waters and then they had to have a fluoro' green tag. Never did anything with Greenwell's in various forms except as a dry in high summer on lakes. He could do OK with typical Wharfe patterns like the spider patterns; patridge & orange and snipe & purple plus the black gnat and small caddis. Then down in the Dearne and Don valleys sedges are more common. It is all cream, brown and muted colours tied shaggy.

Not too far away in Cleckuddersfax the grayling in Huddersfield town centre preferred Czech nymphs fished deep.

Each region has its own favourite patterns.

[Liphook]

Interestingly we started with a request for a top 5 of generic river dries and soon went on to emergers and eventually dove deep down to Czech nymphs That's why we all have at least 20 go-to-patterns and any number of fly boxes to accommodate all the varients, colours and 'justncasers' It would be boring if there really was a 'do everything' top 5 that worked magic the world over! I'd take advice from those that have knowledge of your target waters BF as a bit of good local knowledge goes a very long way!

[Mole-Patrol]

Interestingly we started with a request for a top 5 of generic river dries and soon went on to emergers and eventually dove deep down to Czech nymphs That's why we all have at least 20 go-to-patterns and any number of fly boxes to accommodate all the varients, colours and 'justncasers' It would be boring if there really was a 'do everything' top 5 that worked magic the world over! I'd take advice from those that have knowledge of your target waters BF as a bit of good local knowledge goes a very long way!

It went from dry flies to nymphs in two posts. Halford will be turning in his grave

[Mole-Patrol]

The thread has been a very overwhelming yet interesting one, I've learnt a lot thank's to everyone who has contributed. I'll definitely be looking at what Mole has said due to him being experienced with the rivers I intend to fish.

Am I right in thinking Spiders are traditionally a northern thing?

Generally, but there are exceptions. For example the rivers around Malton in North Yorkshire have a richer collection of fly life than the Wharfe, Swale and Ure so the flies are bigger and they may have a Mayfly hatch. Whilst many of the southern rivers also have what are termed the 'classic' fly hatches some of the rivers in Devon and Cornwall are more like northern rivers. With flies you cannot generalise and whilst you could safely get away with say twelve patterns if you fished one area of on river exclusively anglers on a different stretch upstream or down might use twelve different patterns.

There are some flies that represent a general shape and size so will work in most places. But if you fished something like a Whickhams Fancy or Red Spinner on a north Yorkshire river you might go home empty handed.

[Paul F]

In my book you have include sedge patterns at the top of the list.

I did fly monitoring on a club water for 5yrs and season long all forms of caddis out numbered everything else other than shrimps

Watch on a river, upwing flies hatch on and off in little spurts during the day, caddis flies hatch all day, and especially during the evening.

Adams, GRHE are generic sedge patterns.

My favourite own tying is;
Spin on some fur, rabbit, hare or mole is good, then tie in a simple deer hair wing, finish off the head and varnish, in sizes 12-18 this will be taken on any uk river.

[Santiago]

I'd try a Blue Zulu, only because that's the fly that I caught my first trout on! Probably not traditional enough though.

[Nigel Rainton]

Matching the Hatch by Pat Oreilly is a great book to start with. It identifies flies and suggests imitations.

[Iasgair]

Interestingly we started with a request for a top 5 of generic river dries and soon went on to emergers and eventually dove deep down to Czech nymphs That's why we all have at least 20 go-to-patterns and any number of fly boxes to accommodate all the varients, colours and 'justncasers' It would be boring if there really was a 'do everything' top 5 that worked magic the world over! I'd take advice from those that have knowledge of your target waters BF as a bit of good local knowledge goes a very long way!

It went from dry flies to nymphs in two posts. Halford will be turning in his grave

That's no joke.

Alright, dry flies it is.
Adams
Renegade
Elk Hair Caddis
Winged Ant
Red Humpy
Blue Wing Olive
Griffith's Gnat
Lime Trude
Green Drake
Pale Morning Dun