I’m not a “match the hatch” angler. Instead of mimicking the exact meal that a trout may be looking for, I’m looking to put “something tasty” into whatever water column depth the fish is paying attention to. The idea behind this box was to create a broad capability that can target all levels of the water column in a reasonably buggy way.
You won’t see any kebari in this box. It’s not a snub to kebari patterns… I selected all these flies from a vendor who’s modest offering of kebari was out of stock when I placed the order. I don’t feel that I lost much capability in selecting western patterns. The sole concession is that it left me unable to fish the sakasa pulse technique. All the unweighted patterns are perfectly suited for traditional tenkara manipulations and technique otherwise. I’ve never noticed a difference in catch rates between sakasa (forward sweep) or jun (rearward sweep) hackles, so to me they are interchangeable. What is not interchangeable is the utility of the futsu (neutral) stiff hackles for working the film.
This box is an attempt to create a balanced mix of opposites – colors that are light/dark/natural/loud, visual profiles that are slim, medium, or large, with weighted or unweighted options. In many cases, I chose the pattern because it is basic, and be adjusted by stripping or clipping parts of it away to change its look. I can also quickly apply color to a fly with Sharpie markers, allowing me to darken the pattern or add an attention-grabbing hotspot.
1. Orange and Partridge #14
A slim profile with an almost natural color. I consider it to be a “medium light” shade and can darken the body or hackle with a Sharpie if needed. Riding the film in a dead drift or skittered across the top with some action, I’m usually fishing it within the upper 6 inches of the water column, and rarely deeper than a few feet. I’d throw this fly where the fish are oriented upwards in slow to moderate currents and relatively clear water. The hackle can be stripped away to result in a very simple nymph/midge. Its smaller profile and natural colors make it easier to lose in very fast or dark water.
2. Shakey Bakey #14
A similar profile with louder colors. It gets fished the same way as the O&P, but the high visibility tones are useful in fast water or on overcast days. The pattern can be adjusted down to a nymph/midge by clipping the tail or hackle. These could be darkened as needed, but I’ve never encountered a situation where that seemed necessary.
3. Adams Trude #14
This dark natural with a Jun hackle is all about fishing the surface in faster water. The stiffer collar keeps it riding high. The white wing helps keep it in sight but can be easily removed or darkened if needed. Like the soft hackles above, it can be trimmed down to a simple bug.
4. Blonder Wulf #14
A light natural that makes an excellent stand in for the ubiquitous caddis. Almost always fished in the film or broken water. I’ll sometimes prune it up for a slimmer profile, or add a hotspot with a Sharpie, but most often I throw it just as it is.
5. Pass Lake #14
Jack of all trades, this classic can do just about anything the four other wet patterns can do. Adding a bright Sharpie hotspot to the tail is good way to add color, and it could always be deconstructed if needed. I like to start it with a dead drift and move into increasingly dynamic presentations, focusing on the top 12 inches of water. I’m yet to find a stream where trout won’t take this fly. If I could only fish one pattern for the rest of my life, it would be an orange, red, or neon green tailed version of the Pass Lake.
6. Euro Hare’s Ear #14
Slim, dark or light natural, and tungsten. Nothing to adjust. Fished like any nymph in just about any water. Boring and reliable.
7. Bread and Butter #14
Same as above… Nothing to adjust. Fished like any nymph in just about any water. Boring and reliable.
8. Blowtorch #14
Medium profile, loud color. You can clip the tail to tone it down a bit, which leaves you with a peacock hurl thorax soft hackled beadhead with a hotspot collar. I’ll typically choose this in fast or stained streams. It’s probably too much on sunny days in clear water.
9. Big Ugly #10
Larger profile, natural. I’ve really come to depend on larger nymphs for “searching patterns”. It’s not quite a streamer but big enough to be easily seen. Whether on a tight line drift or fished aggressively, I typically move larger fish in mediocre conditions when I offer them a meal worth moving for. This pattern has a larger profile but keeps the overall size and weight within a package easily manageable by most fixed line rods. I usually go as large as #8 when filling this role.
10. Baby Bugger #10
Larger profile, natural with flash. When looking for a productive searching pattern, you can’t go wrong with a good old Woolly Bugger. A scaled down version in black and crystal flash is perfect for the down and across swing, or fast strips across angry water. This version isn’t tungsten, so its well suited for fishing the top of faster water and down into middle depths.
11. The Capability Gap…
I’m on the hunt for a pattern to fill a gap in this plan – it needs something larger, natural, and squirmy; this box needs a micro leech! The Baby Bugger imitates bait fish very well but doesn’t have a lot of natural motion to it. I’ll feel that the box is fully rounded out once this gap is addressed.
So far, the box has been productive, but Id like to spend the rest of the season testing out the contents. Ideally, I’ll stick to the same patterns the full year and push this concept as far as it can go. Other than a handful of extremely picky fisheries, this box should do the work on just about any trout, in any water, top to bottom!
Matt purchased all of the flies in this article from (and images were provided by) Big Y Fly Company.
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