I have some patterns that just seem to work everywhere. I won’t list specific names but general characteristics.
I"ll start by saying I love the versatility of wet flies. I can keep them near the surface or use the current to drive them deeper.
I like the Takayama forward facing hackle profile because it compliments manipulation techniques that have produced some very nice fish for me.
Speaking of hackle. Fish seem to like flies with variegated hackle like Grizzly, Guinea Hen, Badger, Pheasant Rump. Grouse… I think perhaps they suggest movement even when still. And subtle movement seems to attract strikes.
And while I am on the subject of materials, there are a couple of body materials that just always seem to attract fish. Pheasant Tail, and Peacock Herl look buggy and the holographic nature of the herl colors looks buggy and may suggest movement. But they are fragile. Reinforced with 0.15mm copper wire suggests segmentation. As they get chewed up, the fibers will break and stick out of the wire and thread windings and seem to attract more strikes as they wear. Herl spun onto black tying thread also gives added durability.
There are some modern synthetic materials such as Olive Ice dubbing that mimic the colors and flash of Peacock Herl but is very durable. As it wears tiny fibers begin to stick out that may appear more lifelike and they seem to attract more fish as they get worn. Pheasant Tail bodies with Herl or Olive Ice dubbing for a thorax is a combination that my logs show has has fooled over twice as many fish as any other pattern I use.
Another body material that has worked well for me is a discontinued synthetic knitting yarn named Dazzleaire. It has clear nylon filaments spun into the colored yarn that give sweaters and other items a flashy fuzzy appearance when its picked out. I have a friend who always seems to have her knitting bag with her said it was terrible to knit with. I picked up a grab bag with a lifetime supply of skeins cheap while visiting a quilt shop with my wife. The shop owner had an unused stash in her attic and had her husband bring it into the shop for me. I pulled out what I could use and took the remaining yarn to a fly club meeting to give it away.
Speaking of quilt and knitting shops there are “boa” yarns that have filaments like marabou, and others that have holographic filaments spun into them that are fun to use and catch fish. And my wife has told me that she’ll stand there waiting for someone to help her as she watches one and sometimes two employees walking around with me helping me find unusual and cool fly tying materials and thread!
Oh, and hooks… curved heavy wire scud and light wire Klink hooks also suggest movement to me, and might to the fish too!
Finally, I often use peacock green holographic and gold glitter nail polishes as head cement for subtle flashy highlights. It can be very effective on beadhead nymphs.
