Ausable Wulff

Making a generalized statement, the soft hackle is the most effective fly I have ever used in rivers for trout. I can tie them in all sizes, from a #20 to a #6 and represent a bait fish with the larger sized ones. The key is the ease of fishing, and the fact my fly is in the water fishing for a lengthy time. Fish take a soft hackle with some drag while many flies are rejected when the fly is dragging. I can stand and cast well above the fish, and the fish see only the fly as it approaches their lie, the fly fishing first before the leader, thus I can use a size heavier leader. They are very easy to tie, and I have boxes filled with nothing, but soft hackle flies. There are anglers who fish nothing but soft hackles. The fly represents an emerging bug in the bug sizes, and it is the action of the moving hackles that is the attractor.

A woolly bugger. It's easiest as heck to tie, and it in my opinion is THE BEST trout fly in existence. It's also great for bass, bluegill, and even catfish. There are more flies that you'll want, but a #10 BH Olive Woolly Bugger is the only one you really need for most trout and bass waters.

If I'm fishing a trout water that's more difficult, (ie spring creeks) my favorite is a Pheasant Tail or Hare's Ear Nymph. Both are also easy to tie, and are effective pretty much any time.

I'll pass along a neat concept I picked up on at our huge, flytying EXPO that we just had here in Idaho Falls. You get to walk around, and sit down with literally hundreds of excellent fly tiers from all over the USA, and watch them tie a fly, and talk to them.(if you have the time over two days) One guy I sat down with was Scott Sanchez from Jackson Hole, Wy. Scott is a very creative tier and tied a fly using Gorilla Glue as the key ingredient. It is a very strong glue, and basically comprised of air-foam. Scoot puts a small amount of glue on a sheet of paper, and then adds some acrylic paint of choice, When you put a small amount on the hook it will expand, so you need to practice how much to put on. He tied an ant pattern with two small amounts on the hook fore and aft for the ant body, let the hooks dry, and they will dry fast...some Gorilla glue is very fast drying, and another is 2-3 min. drying time. Then he can wrap a hackle between the two bumps of Gorilla glue, and even add a wing, or add rubber legs whatever the pattern calls for. They will float like a cork. He tied some beetles as well. Quit a fly tying material, and can make for an easy to tie pattern. Bass poppers using a Gorilla glue heads?...sure sounds easy and effective...