Identifying Flies

[DarkAisling]

I purchased two packages of flies a while back: one of wet and one of dry. I have no idea what the patterns of the flies are. Can anyone help me out?

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_bKySdrQ8G1M/SqqTpZpSKUI/AAAAAAAABC0/rq2ixoorPnc/s640/IMG_1039.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_bKySdrQ8G1M/SqqTpiGfb-I/AAAAAAAABCw/-4t2PO3eBP4/s640/IMG_1040.JPG

[bobbypetrolia]

Left-to-right; top-to-bottom. So numbered 1-12.
#1.....? #2.....? #3 Wooly Worm

#4.....? #5 Royal Coachman #6...?

#7 Bings Hopper #8 Royal Wulff #9 Mosquito

#10 Blue-winged Olive #11....? #12....?



Sorry DarkA, half of em was the best I could do. The other guys and girls on here can probably help out with the rest!!!!:wave:

[Kingfisher]

Wally world special flies. Seriously, you'll be much further ahead to go to your local fly shop and spend a few bucks and a few minutes getting to know them and tell them where you want to fish and ask them what to use. I know that's not what you wanted to hear. But I believe in being brutally honest.

Yes you'll spend a lot more money on the fly shop flies. But you'll at least have a good chance of catching a fish with some good flies that represent the local bugs in the waters you want to fish.

Rob

[DarkAisling]

Thank you :)

I did get a PM from one helpful gentleman, too. He identified everything you did, and #12 . . . which he identified as a "black gnat red tail".

He listed #7 as "Joe's Hopper."

I'll google it to find out which one it is. It should be relatively easy to figure out which of the two it is, as I've got the flies in front of me.

That leaves 1, 2, 4, 6, and 11 without any names. They can't be that important here if two of you can't place the patterns.

I bought the packages of flies for around $20 a piece at Canadian Tire. Each package has two of each fly.

[tbosch]

Wally world special flies. Seriously, you'll be much further ahead to go to your local fly shop and spend a few bucks and a few minutes getting to know them and tell them where you want to fish and ask them what to use. I know that's not what you wanted to hear. But I believe in being brutally honest.

Yes you'll spend a lot more money on the fly shop flies. But you'll at least have a good chance of catching a fish with some good flies that represent the local bugs in the waters you want to fish.

Rob

X2. I've had buddies try and give me dozens of those wally world bulk packs because they cant catch fish on them. You have to match the hatch and those aren't the flies to do that.

[DarkAisling]

I know that's not what you wanted to hear. But I believe in being brutally honest.

No worries. I'm known for my brutal honesty as well :)

Yes you'll spend a lot more money on the fly shop flies. But you'll at least have a good chance of catching a fish with some good flies that represent the local bugs in the waters you want to fish.

I did one better. I bought my own fly tying tools and supplies :)

If I can figure out what these ones are (and which ones are relevant for southern Alberta), that might help me in tying my own. The online patterns for flies can be a little challenging at times, depending on the detail and the angle of the photography. Looking at the way these ones are put together does make some things a little clearer.

I'm going to spend my winter evenings tying flies after the little one goes to bed, so I'll have a bunch to try in the spring :)

[jinx]

too many flies out there and naming everyone oh boy. :scared: i think i have one of everything (thanks to my hubby) but today and yesterday i didnt have the right fly(that my excuse and im stickin to it).

[DarkAisling]

I think Bing's Hopper and Joe's Hopper must be very similar in appearance. I can't find a photo of Bing's Hopper, but the "recipes" for both of these grasshopper flies are virtually identical. I also came across a recipe for a Lemke's Hopper, and it is quite different from Bing's Hopper (both were designed by Bing Lemke). No picture of the Lemke's Hopper, but it lists "legs" in the recipe so it has to be different.

[Rainbow]

Hi DarkAisling
I see that you are getting into tying flies.It can become pretty expensive with all the materials for sale.I would advise you not to try tying flies that are too complicated at first.
One book that I would advise buying is called Fly Tying Made Clear And Simple.
Author is Skip Morris.
I think I bought my copy at Wholesale Sports in Edmonton 6 or 7 years ago.
If you need any pointers in fly tying send me a PM and I will try to help you out.
Remember don't get too carried away buying materials.
I did over the years and probably have in excess of $2,500.00 of materials.
Cheers
Rainbow

[DarkAisling]

Hi DarkAisling
I see that you are getting into tying flies.It can become pretty expensive with all the materials for sale.I would advise you not to try tying flies that are too complicated at first.
One book that I would advise buying is called Fly Tying Made Clear And Simple.
Author is Skip Morris.
I think I bought my copy at Wholesale Sports in Edmonton 6 or 7 years ago.
If you need any pointers in fly tying send me a PM and I will try to help you out.
Remember don't get too carried away buying materials.
I did over the years and probably have in excess of $2,500.00 of materials.
Cheers
Rainbow

Thanks for the info :)

Yes, I know how materials can add up. You should have seen my sewing room. I finally cleaned it out, and I wound up donating several thousand dollars worth of fabric to some Mennonite ladies who make quilts for the homeless. Some people living in a cardboard boxes downtown will have quilts made out of fine silk, Armani, and DKNY fabric. :o Talk about juxtaposition.

I purchased small samples of a whole bunch of different items. I thought that was the best way to determine what I would actually need and like using. The tools I purchased were inexpensive, so while I may want to replace them at some point in time they'll get me started with little expense. I paid under a $100 for everything.

[Paul C]

A good selection of leech patterns, green,black,purple,brown beaded and non beaded. Perch like the brown beaded leech. Purple works for walleye.
Trout like green and black.
Check out http://reelflies.ca, you can look at the fly to find out the name.
:D Cheers:D

[DarkAisling]

I think #4 is "McGinty" http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw/060500fotw.php

That leaves 1, 2, 6, and 11 without names.

[Fishfinder]

Paul Coffey is that u?:lol::lol: Go Oilers Go!:rolleyes:

[Kingfisher]

Ok I'll give your misc flies a go. 1,2,6,11

1) Salmon fly of sorts. At least that's what the hook that it's tied on. Bob's Big Boy
2) Is for sure a Carey Special. This fly is actually a great pattern in lots of trout lakes either here in Alberta or in BC.
6) Is a very rough version of a mayfly pattern. VERY Rough. In one of my books it has a similar pattern called a Lead wing coachman.
11) I looked through my books and the best I can see is a pattern that is called a Grey hackle peacock. But the fly shown has a brown hackle. I have tied a similar pattern and it works for rainbows. But don't ask me what it's called.

Hope this helps. Where are you located? I am in Calgary and have been tying for a long time. Since about 1979 actually. I'll be tying lots over the winter if you need a hand. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. I'd be happy to help.

There are a couple of books that you can get to help you along the way. Phil Rowley has a great book for trout patterns. It's called Fly Patterns for Stillwaters. It shows how to tie the basic patterns. Which will help you actually catch fish with the flies that you tie up. The Fly Pattern Encyclopedia is a good one. There are about 1000 patterns in that book.

Another great books is one by Brian Chan and Skip Morris called Fly Fishing Trout Lakes. Read this book and you'll learn lots. I have to admit that I learned a lot from reading it, and I've been fishing trout lakes all my life.

Rick Passek is a good friend of mine. Rick's written a few books for beginner fly fisherpeople. They are called The Freshman Flyfisher and the Insect Guide. Both are good books for beginners. I am fishing with Rick on a team in the Canadian Fly Fishing Championships from the 19th to the 27th of this month in Fernie. If Rick has any coppies laying around the condo I'll try and snag one of them for you. I can't guarantee he'll have any with him though. If not you can order them from his website. http://www.rp3flyfishing.com/

Rob

[DarkAisling]

Cool :) Thanks so much, Rob. I'll certainly give you a shout if I need help. I think I should be quite good at the technical aspects, as I've made jewelry, done beading, and fine needlepoint. I can certainly see myself getting stumped though.

I'm in Calgary, in Huntington Hills (west side Deerfoot and north of 64th Ave NE).

I'm trying not to buy any more books (I unloaded nearly a thousand books at Fair's Fair a month ago, and still have around 500 left). I'll see if the library carries any of the ones you've mentioned, and if they don't maybe I'll buy one or two. We'll be moving again in the spring, and books are horrible to move. I think I have a "National Audubon Society" insect guide . . . somewhere.

Rick's website looks quite useful (and he books look really good) :) I haven't dug through it in depth yet.

[pikester]

1)- No clue
2)- Carey special
3)- Black woolly worm
4)- McGinty
5)- Royal Coachman(wet)
6)- Hares' ear(wet)
7)- Joe's hopper
8)- Royal Wulff
9)-Mosquito(wet)
10)-Hare's ear(dry)
11)-Blue winged olive(dry)
12)-Black gnat(dry)

Gotta say though, that first fly is a real puzzler. Probably someones variation on a common steelhead/salmon fly.

[DarkAisling]

Thanks so much!

I think it'll be pretty easy for me to work out the discrepancies :) It is much easier to figure out exactly what is going on with them when I've got them right in front of me.

I did do quite a bit of searching for salmon and steelhead flies. Couldn't turn up anything in the same colour as the one I've got, but I did turn up a number that were virtually identical in their construction.

[Caper28]

I would have to disagree on the #6 and #10, it could be the picture, but they look to me like a Blue Dun, # 6 being wet and #10 being the dry version.