The flies everyone wants in their box...Guide Flies! To ensure we're on the same page, these are not "secret" flies that no one knows of; instead, "Guide Flies" are patterns that are easy to tie and effective to fish. More importantly, if the fly is lost, it can be replaced quickly. These flies will not guarantee that you catch fish, but they will place you in a position with a greater opportunity. Presentation is the key to effectively catching trout on a consistent basis, thus push yourself in that area...plus having these tied on will help, too!
The flies are ordered with dry flies first, then mayfly nymphs, caddis nymphs, midges, and streamers. This is a great starting collection of flies that will give you many opportunities to catch trout and other fish in rivers and streams.
In this video, I tie a simple, yet effective pattern known as the BWO Comparadun that can imitate various stages of the mayfly. The stage I tie closely resembles the dun, but can also be easily modified into the emerger or spinner stage. One of the materials used is Snowshoe Rabbit Feet for the wing, which helps to maintain a superior buoyancy with the fly. This material can also be substituted with cdc for similar results, though you may want to select a material that works best in the style water you will be fishing. Throughout this video, I also suggest ways that you can tie this fly to represent your local mayflies, and offer suggestions on modifications to imitate other stages.