Hi Y'All...

Here's a kinda neat question (I've snitched from another board)....

On a typical fishing day's outing - how many different fly patterns do you usually use?


5/0

Hi 5/0,
On a great day just one fly pattern. On a not so good day at least 10-12. On average, 1-5 patterns.

Let me put it to you this way... I wore out a Simms fly patch in two short years.

The new one is already looking rather shabby!

I'm like socal in that if I'm on fish with a fly that's working I have no need to think about what else might work. I carry way too many flies with me that never see the water.
If I'm really having a hard time I'll try maybe 6 flies .
Best,
Steve

Had a tough day monday and I tried about 5 or 6, but like everyone else if its working I dont switch

If they're on the take, only 1 pattern til I lose most of them... then onto something similar. Out of boredom/experimentation I have used several patterns of drys to see if one outperformed the other and usually have good success with all of them varying from white topped deer hair caddis/humpys/western coachman/royal wulff/adams... My local waters aren't super technical... not a lot of match the hatch to get some success. or maybe I'm just lucky? it sure aint skill...

on a good day i only replace the flys that the fish eat up, but on a bad day maybe 2 or 3. when using drys you can tell what color will work. good fishing greg

It depends on the conditions. If there are no fish around, you may be fooled to think that another pattern , may be the right thing....If fishing is very good, you may want a fly that is not so productive, but these days everything seems to work, e.g. a big tubefly(for salmon) was taken by a big grayling, just as the fly landed. I didn´t even hold the line by the hand so I could strike, but the fish hooked itself.

Hi 5/0,
Wow. Hadn't thought of that question before.
Don't know. Depends on the day. Like the others said, if it's a really good day and they seem to like one or two patterns, then not many. On a long day or one with very picky fish, LOTS of flies. Don't know that I can really give a number, seems like lots. (If I have to add tippet more than a couple times, then it really is lots!)
Dewey

62 or 63 flys a day, ya I am that good.

No most of the time I use quite a few I like to switch thing up and try some new stuf. For me if I have a good day I use more flys. Because if I get fish out of a hole I will give it a few and then try somthing else that they havent seen, works well got me into a 18.5 brown today. Ya 18.5 I had a tape. A monster for the river I was on. Wild fish got to love um.