one fly and one hook

[Roadkill]

willowhead

Allow me to add a photo of an original Usual!

[letumgo]

Roadkill - When you say original, do you mean that this fly was tyed by Fran Betters?

[Roadkill]

Ray,

Yes I have a little over a half dozen of his flies that I picked up from Fran in his shop. A great flyfisher and I was lucky to sit around and talk flies and fishing while he tied and before I jumped in the river with them! He previously had mailed me an autographed copy of his book. I am fond of the haystacks as well as the Ausable caddis.

[Old Hat]

Roadkill, that is one of my favorite all time patterns.

Is this a trick question to identify the purists?

At risk of being kicked off of this site, may I introduce you to the Easy Estaz Stone AKA "The Search and Rescue" because it always finds fish to save the day.

Hook: Tiemco 200R #8-#12
Tail: marabou (short and full)
Body: Estaz Chenille Grande (must be this brand and size). Trust me others do not work as well, I have tried them all. Wrapped tightly and trimmed to shape leaving untrimmed lengths for legs.
Head: Bead coordinating with body color and in a slightly smaller size for the pattern.

[fly_fischa]

Carl, I think you might be right about the trick question. Your getting kicked off for posting the trout equivalent of a disco ball and I'm being banished for posting a fly that floats.
I've seen that fly before and believe it or not carry a few in my box, haven't given one a swim yet.

[Old Hat]

They're ugly and hard to tie on.

But don't be shy Karsten.

[William Anderson]

Wow, that's a surprise, Carl. I have no doubts as to its effectiveness, and I too carry a couple similar, but less....BeeGees. Says something about the water you have access too as well. I would worry I might spook a 1/4 mile section on the streams I fish out here.

I like this thread, makes me want to stuff a couple more fly boxes in my little waist pack.

I still have to say I'm sold on a Daiichi 1150 #14 Hare's ear and Partridge. One hook, One size, One fly. I have to say that would suit my favorite method of fishing/catching...yes, even above dries. But I don't have to choose, thank god, because I am so looking forward to some slamming dry fly action in Roscoe.

[fly_fischa]

They're ugly and hard to tie on.

But don't be shy Karsten.

When I do I'll sen you a PM

Pssst and don't tell anyone.

[willowhead]

Roadkill, that's a perfect sample alright. Fran was big on having the thread show through, specially when wet of course. So i always tell folks not to over-do the dubbing. i usually use a small drop of floatant on the thread with the remaining residue on my finger tips when i do the bodies.....that extra tiny bit of pre-treatment definately can't hurt.....unless your looking to get the fly as low in the film as possible (or even below the film), as quickly as possible.....then forget the treated body. It's just become habit for me, (even though the Usual is an emerger), to do all my dubbed (when using natural furs), dry fly bodies that way.....pre-treated that is. While we were able to visit with Fran at shows a few different times, it was our initiall meeting of him in '93 while attending the FFF Northest Council Conclave in Lake Placid, N.Y., and staying at Fran's place, "The Bunkhouse" for 10 days, that really layed the foundation for my forever after admiration of what he was all about. i have a box full of his flies in Roscoe.....Haystacks, Ausable Caddis, Ausable Wulff's, Usualls, etc. He was a TRUE original.....one of a kind dude. "Something ELSE!"

Carl, that's a really cool fly.....ppppsssstttttt guess what? William's a BEE-GEES fan.

[newriverspey]

this thread was not intended to be a trick question but i can see what you mean. my second choice was going to be a black flymph/wooly bugger cross that works well for me but since most of my trout fishing is in tailwaters i went with the purple soft hackled fly.