What is your confidence fly?

[Echskech]

Hey Gang,
So whats your confidence fly? Now, i realized this is subjective to location, water quality and everything else but let's give it a go!
-my confidence fly is a Panty Dropper in size 14 or 16. It has a gold disco bead head. It looks like a tried and true P.T. but with that added zest. I was introduced to them by a guide at the Fly and Field in Bend oregon and its consistently produced on the Deschutes waters when most nothing else does.
Fish will bite anything, but for me they bite this pattern More!
https://www.ginkandgasoline.com/gink-gasoline-fly-patterns/dunnigans-panty-dropper-nymph/

 

[Chromatose]

Is a Nymph a Fly?
Now there is a topic, but I Digress...

Wulff`s modified Royal Coachman is my choice.

 

[Irishrover]

Green wooly bugger. Like it best with a size 14 soft hackle dropper.

The soft hackle I use was shown to me at South Junction by Vic Erickson he did the cover art for Scott Richmond's Fishing in Oregon's Deschutes River. Was a very nice guy and interesting to talk to. That was some years ago.

 

[hobster]

Is a Nymph a Fly?
Now there is a topic, but I Digress...

Wulff`s modified Royal Coachman is my choice.

I don’t believe so. My go to fly is the Royal Coachman as well. Nymph would be the Mega Prince, that Panty Dropper looks like it would be a killer nymph though!

 

[troutdude]

Just like @Irishrover wrote, and Olive Green Woolly Bugger (with no flash added). But black is a close second. As well as the same colors with Teeny Nymphs.

And for SRC's / Bluebacks it's the Borden Special.

 

[TheKnigit]

An Orange Stimulator for me

 

[BrandonBeach]

Dry mayfly:
Size 18 grey/grizzly para Addams

Dry stone:
Size 6 Woods Special

Nymphs:
I fish these three on a triple fly set up.
size 14 Bead head prince
Size 12-14 Bar’s copper john
Size 4 Kaufman’s golden stone


BB

 

[Snopro]

Boobies!

No, not really, but it's fun to say.

Flash back pheasant tail for trout.
Jumbo top water sliders for ditchpickles.
Cray patterns for the smalljaw.
Signal light skate style for summer runs.
Winter prawn rubber legs for winter steelhead.
Chartreuse and green comet for chinook.
Candlefish streamers for coho.
Hot pink crazy Charlie's for chum.
Pearl Krystal flash teeny nymphs for sockeye.
Black bead head woolly bugger for pinks.
Kokanee gamechanger for bulls and Macs.

 

[brandon4455]

Stillwater: black/maroon balanced leech #12

Rivers: possie bugger #12

salmon/steelhead: down and dirty jig fly

that’s if I absolutely had to only pick one for each kind of fishing in terms of “confidence”

 

[Echskech]

@BrandonBeach, That triple nymph rig could pack enough weight to fish nearly any depth.

 

[Echskech]

@brandon4455
Ive got to check out those balanced leeches for still water. They look fun to tie and damn effective.

 

[Echskech]

@Snopro, Im checking out the Winter Prawn Rubber Legs right now. Thats a pattern i intend to try.

 

[brandon4455]

@brandon4455
Ive got to check out those balanced leeches for still water. They look fun to tie and damn effective.

They are super effective. That specific size and color caught fish at every lake I fished this year. If I had two and the other wasn’t an attractor type I caught more fish on a grey/ red rib #14 chironomid than anything this year, even sometimes when there were no chironomids hatching and the fish had other bugs in the throat sample. But the leech is more universal and that’s why I chose it.

 

[brandon4455]

Another key for me with the balanced leech is it will catch fish in all conditions.
Chironomids and some other insects do not “usually” fish well when the chop is too high and gives too much action for the fly to wiggle naturally. I like some riddle and chop but too much and it often kills the bite. But I can feel confident even in heavy winds and riding waves in my float tube that I will still get bites with the balanced leech.

 

[Peaceful]

I gave these a shot on the Deschutes recently. The fish found it irresistible.

 

[Echskech]

Damn that thing has some flash! Looking up that pattern for sure!

 

[Peaceful]

They're on sale right now at Red's for ~$1.25. Snatch em up!