Fly Fishing - Simplefly System

NHtrouthunter · Location: New Hampshire

When I first started fly fishing I used only a hand full of different patterns. I tryed to keep it simple. This afternoon, I hit the water armed with a streamer that I had not used in many years, a mickey finn. It made me wonder if anyone else out there has any "forgotten flies from there early days".

Here are mine:

1.) Mickey Finn
2.) Irresistible Adams
3.) Griffith's Gnat

I never use these anymore and its a shame ...

jeremy · Location: Portland, Maine

hey nhtrouthunter,

great post ..... i absolutely rely on the traditional patterns during spring and fall - especially when fly fishing the lakes and when the smelt are running .... probably more so than any other flies - actually - definately more so than any other flies..

my two favorite and most productive patterns are

1. Black Ghost (with maribou NOT feathers)
2. Mickey Finn

Look in the corner of this Salmons Mouth - you will notice a Mickey Finn

waterwhippa · Location: Syracuse, NY

1) Bead head olive caddis

2) Black Ghost

3) Bugger

Fish_King_7 · Posted: Tue 04/11/06 11:21 am Post subject:

I had a rude awakening the other day when the salmon were hitting an old classic I never though tot have int he box. A red and white bucktail. I di better on a variation of it with polar bear instead of white bucktail and a copper flash on top. Mickey Fin is another good example that I am just tying some of now. The black ghost in marabou is one of my go to streamers so I tend not to thik of it as old fasion, but I guess it is an old pattern.

Cleb

RickW · Location: Syracuse, NY

Mickey Finn

Black nose dace

Edison tiger dark

Edison tiger light

Muddler Minnow (good hopper pattern when fished on the surface)

These are all hair streamers I used quite a bit when I first started fly fishing (around 1964). They were easy patterns to tie, easy to fish and productive too.

I still carry a few of them, but I have to admit I rarely fish them these days. Maybe it's time to get back to basics.