Flunk Five

[cheech]

Ok we've talked about all the flies that you can't live without. How about the five flies that you CAN live without. Flies that you have tried but you think absolutely suck.

I'll go first.

1- parasol midge (gimmick)
2- Zug Bug (What? how bout a Prince nymph)
3- Humpies (10 minutes to tie and they fall apart after one fish)
4- Compara Dun (Honelstly guys, I think this fly HATES me. I'm going to work hard to remove it from the list)
5- Serendipity (For me it works like serencrappity)

[PowerBaitHeppy]

1 - San Juan worm
2 - anything size 16 or smaller
3 - Mickey Finn
4 - Propeller flies
5 - Richard's flies

[Tyson]

1 - Daves hopper complete with pheasant tail loop tool legs
2 - Sows with red heads "for more strikes" Paleeease.
3 - Neon Nightmares (gummy worms aren't real)
4 - yong special
5 - Silver Doctor, Green Highlander and all those other ridiculous salmon flies

[wildnative]

Latex Caddis
Wong Special Oops...Yong
Wiggle Bug
Glo-Bug
Goddard Caddis (is this the one with the clipped deer body and those loooooooong antenae?

[Lonnie]

"If it sinks, it sucks..."

[Grizz]

Mepps spinners, they flunk.

peace

[wildnative]

Stimulators
I don't think they are worth the hackle or the time to tie. Kinda like a Humpy.

[Mr. Loopy]

1. Cheechenstein
2. Olive WIlley
3. Damsel Nymph
4. WD-40
5. Cheechenstein

[wildnative]

ouch! That mean!!
Before I get attacked:

Twisted Hopper
Any air-filled fly
Chain-stitched mayfly
Any woven fly
Loopy's indispensable

[cheech]

1. Cheechenstein
2. Olive WIlley
3. Damsel Nymph
4. WD-40
5. Cheechenstein

I'll drive over there and SLAP you. So much for the extra flies that I sent you.... ;)

[Mr. Loopy]

I was trying to think of more crappy flies by Cheech, but the tying links are no longer here... twisted foam hoppers suck too for that matter....

Just kidding guys. Both of you are excellent tyers!!
I just suck at fishing and can't catch anything on most patterns!

[Tyson]

Loopy lists Cheechenstein twice.
You guys crack me up!

[fulano]

Paracutes with the reall bushy hackle like you buy at Sportsmans. You're wasting your time fishing those on heavily fished tailwaters or spring creeks.

Those midge dries with the little white antron pulled over the thorax.

Those dandelion style emergers that hang 1/2 inch below the hackle.

Those sow bugs with the little tails on them using biots.

scuds, though I must admit I had one day of just killing fish with a little olive scud that has never worked since.

[powerbait]

Funny to see people list things like stimis, serendipities, and san juans (or, more affectionately, Juanitos), when they've all produced pretty well for me.

But I'll second a number of others:

(1) yong specials (nuthin' special there, far as I can tell);
(2) any cadis pupa pattern other than a chamois caddis (and even that one's pretty spotty in my book);
(3) humpies and double humpies;
(4) brassies; and
(5) chernobyl ants.

[Tyson]

Some of my own creations that have flunked so far:
Flesh fly complete with folded mylar fish scales attached
Foam ants with white foam colored with black sharpie
Rabbit fur sculpin with big doll eyeballs
bead-butt emerger
jointed body stonefly nymph

[S&P]

San Juan Worm

Standard Adams (gotta have that parachute)

Muddler Minnow

Royal Wulff

Standard Wooley Bugger (chennelle bodies don't do it for me-- love the seal though. And that estaz stuff.)

[Tyson]

Now lets compare the fab fives with the flunk fives and see how much they overlap.

[nativecutt]

That was pretty noble!!! Fish any water with Cutts in it and you will catch fish on Chernobyl Ants....even the Berry in freakin' November.

1.zug bug
2.willy's pip
3.tellico nymph
4.heathen emerger
5.anything tied with larva lace

[powerbait]

That was pretty noble!!! Fish any water with Cutts in it and you will catch fish on Chernobyl Ants....even the Berry in freakin' November.

1.zug bug
2.willy's pip
3.tellico nymph
4.heathen emerger
5.anything tied with larva lace

I've caught fish on both the zug bug and the tellico, I'll have you know, but never thought to try Chernobyl's on the Berry in November (too bad: sounds like a rockin' good time). I have caught fish with Chernobyl's, but, in my experience, if the fish will take a Chernobyl, they'll take a regular ole' cricket or a beetle even better.

[Foamy8]

1-Bitch Creek
2-Compara Dun (Crapara dun) This is the coolest looking worst working fly ever
3-Mosquito
4-Loopy's flies (his flies smell funny; just kidding Joe)
5-Disco Maggot

[Fred]

Funny to see people list things like stimis, serendipities, and san juans (or, more affectionately, Juanitos), when they've all produced pretty well for me.

But I'll second a number of others:

(1) yong specials (nuthin' special there, far as I can tell);
(2) any cadis pupa pattern other than a chamois caddis (and even that one's pretty spotty in my book);
(3) humpies and double humpies;
(4) brassies; and
(5) chernobyl ants.

Dude, if you can't catch on those flies, you flunk, not the flies. Brassie? Chamie caddis? Humpy? Chernoblies? The yong is a fish slayer.

Your killin me.

I vote for:

1. Astro Midge (Yah, I tried it)
2. Olive "shake my" Willey
3. Spectrumized Olive Golden Damsel Fly
4. Pistol Pete
5. Size 30 Bunny Midge

[wildnative]

Wow...Comparaduns are one of my top producers when tied to match BWO's and PMD's. I've even fished them during caddis hatches and had them produce. As with any pattern, timing and technique will play a huge roll in success.

[MuseJr]

I can't believe that muddlers are on this list. Muddlers catch fish in all types of water. I caught my first river smallmouth on a muddler.

top five leave at homes.
1) chernobyl ants
2) bucktails (mickey finn, black nosed dace)
3) para hopper
4) wooly worm
5) egg sucking leech

[cheech]

1)
4) Damselfly patterns (haven't tried them on stillwater yet)


HOLY $$%#% that is blasphemy... take it back.


1. Astro Midge (Yah, I tried it)
2. Olive "shake my" Willey
3. Spectrumized Olive Golden Damsel Fly
4. Pistol Pete
5. Size 30 Bunny Midge


You'll change your tune once you catch a hundred fish on a size 30... BEEEEOTCH

[mike doughty]

Pheasant tail- with maybe 2 or 3 exceptions it sucks
copper john- fricking garbage
san juan worm- what a joke
Ice midge- beautiful looking fly but i haven't ever caught shit on it
Lightning bug- more garbage

[Larry S.]

2.willy's pip


I haven't heard that fly mentioned in a few years now. I used to do pretty good on them in sizes #18-#20 above the 3rd Dam bridge in Logan Canyon and up below the Ashton Bridge on the North Fork. 'Course I probably done just as well with a Griffith's gnat.

[Improv]

San Juan Worm

Standard Adams (gotta have that parachute)

Muddler Minnow

Royal Wulff

Standard Wooley Bugger (chennelle bodies don't do it for me-- love the seal though. And that estaz stuff.)


Scott... you did not just say a Royal Wulff did you? Try a size 18 during the next midge hatch on the MP and see what happens. Same thing happened last March on the Green in the middle of a BWO hatch. Can you tell that I love this fly?

[fishynsmelly]

I can't believe that muddlers are on this list. Muddlers catch fish in all types of water. I caught my first river smallmouth on a muddler.

top five leave at homes.
1) chernobyl ants
2) bucktails (mickey finn, black nosed dace)
3) para hopper
4) wooly worm
5) egg sucking leech


The wooly worm is one of my favorite, I have a couple fly boxes full of em'. If nothing else works, the wooly worm usually does.

1) san juan worm is probably my least favorite fly of all time, just horrible (I may as well fish with no fly on at all, I would have more luck)
2) copper johns
3) fresh water shrimps
4) ????
5) clouser minnow

[GBENCHKILLER]

why dont san juans work for u guys, best fly during the spring for me.
chernobyle ants work good if the winds blowing about 35mph. the fish probably mistake them for hoppers

[Curtis Fry]

Any Green Drake pattern....

[wildnative]

How about any fly named like these:

Ogden River Special
Provo River Special
Strawberry Killer
Green River Special
Robert's Go-Getter

[powerbait]

Dude, if you can't catch on those flies, you flunk, not the flies. Brassie? Chamie caddis? Humpy? Chernoblies? The yong is a fish slayer.

Caught fish on all of them. Still hate 'em. Maybe I'd like the yong better if I paid Mr. Yong $500 to teach me how to fish one: "Another one on the yong special, baby, another one on the yong special ..."

[Tyson]

Caught fish on all of them. Still hate 'em. Maybe I'd like the yong better if I paid Mr. Yong $500 to teach me how to fish one: "Another one on the yong special, baby, another one on the yong special ..."
I think the reason you have to flunk the Yong is because of its name. It implies it is something "special" when in reality it just proves that its hard to tie a thread midge that doesn't work where midges abound.

[Utah DaveII]

I was suprised to see a couple of those flies on my good flies list.

1) Zug bug. I have done very well on some stillwaters on this pattern. It is deadly on CC reservoir in may and early June. My wife and I had a fantastic weekend on CC Reservoir While it kind of looks like a prince, I think the prince is a better river pattern and the zug bug a better stillwater pattern, although both will work in the other capacity.

2) I've done pretty well with Humpy's as well. I think the key for me is to tie them with a poly wind instead of the split calf tail. I also have a humpy cripple that has worked well at times (other times not so hot).

[MickG]

I was a little surprised to see a few of the flies as well but to each his own. I was up on henry's fork one year and the guy I was with was slaying them with a cam. dun. I never tried them but was convinced that they were the one to use because I only caught one with an emerger. Ever since then I haven't caught d%ck!!!! stupid fly it doesn't surprise me that I have seen that thing.
1.the dunn
2.wooley worm
3.PMD just kidding
4.sarandipity(however you spell it)
5.san juan (never even snagged a fish with one)
6.glo bug (just not a real fan) It seems like i catch more fish in the butthole than in the mouth with them during the spawn times.

[S&P]

Scott... you did not just say a Royal Wulff did you? Try a size 18 during the next midge hatch on the MP and see what happens. Same thing happened last March on the Green in the middle of a BWO hatch. Can you tell that I love this fly?

I like the way they look and I have caught plenty of fish on them in small streams, but the truth is I have flies I can tie way easier that work as well and are more boyant. A little too much work to tie for the result in my opinion.

[cheech]

1.the dunn


Are you talking about an adult mayfly, or the name of a fly pattern?

Emergers catch more fish for me than the duns.

[Foamy8]

Glo-bug? The reason that you catch them in the butt is because it ate it and came out! Some people say they're not real "flies." Poppycock.

SJW? On the Narrows in Idaho it's a killer. I even caught a sucker with one....it actually hit it! I also used them regularly at Treasureton. For a while it was the only fly that would catch them. It's not my first fly, but one to have around in case nothing else works.

I started by using Humpies, but I don't like them that much and it's a pain to tie.

I think my most hated fly is a wooly worm. I've caught one fish on that stupid fly.....or a snail fly.

[cheech]

Glo-bug? The reason that you catch them in the butt is because it ate it and came out! Some people say they're not real "flies." Poppycock.

SJW? On the Narrows in Idaho it's a killer. I even caught a sucker with one....it actually hit it! I also used them regularly at Treasureton. For a while it was the only fly that would catch them. It's not my first fly, but one to have around in case nothing else works.

I started by using Humpies, but I don't like them that much and it's a pain to tie.

I think my most hated fly is a wooly worm. I've caught one fish on that stupid fly.....or a snail fly.

Speaking of hating humpies, I sent you a few foamies that I tied up, I also included the Foamy on crack. I think it will work OK. I like the pattern, and I'm going to tie some for meeself,

[Foamy8]

Dude- I'm not joking. You will love it more and more. I use it in orange, yellow, and that tan color I sent you. It work for stones, caddis, hoppers, and anything else, and floats like a cork. I have even used it as an indicator at times with nymphs 7 feet under the surface. Had a couple fish hit the same color indicator so I said, I could catch a fish on it. Worked too!

Tie away my friend, if you start to sell them, give me royalties and stuff...

[Scudslug]

Serendipty
Yellow Sally
Wooly worm
WD 40
and I'll leave room on number 5 for a rainy day.

I think that the mojo has more to do with the lack of success as the pattern.

[dryflyguy]

Are you talking about an adult mayfly, or the name of a fly pattern?

Emergers catch more fish for me than the duns.

Thats a pretty broad, generalized statement. Its not uncommon at all during mayfly hatches when the duns are completely getting chowed and there are no head/tail or porpoise rises. Fish will key on the most abundant and vulnerable stage of the insect. When there are more duns on the surface than anything, fish will be eating those more than anything.

Not always, but sometimes I see people fish over a pod of rising fish with no luck with standard dries. Then tell me the fish aren't eating the dries, there keyed to emergers. The fish you could see were obviously eating live duns on the surface. It was poor drifts why they weren't catching fish, not the #20 thorax bwo.