Essential Ottawa and Rideau Flies?

[Fly Willy]

Hey Guys and Ladies,

I am trying my best to clean up my fly boxes, I love to tie all the interesting looking patterns, the British wets, all the complicated nymphs and the foam and deer bugs for bass and pike. Unfortunately, every year I have probably a hundred flies that get stored (Read: recycled or stored indefinitely), then I start tying for the coming year.

This year, I am trying to only tie what works. A few patterns, varying sizes and colours as required.

I am having some difficulty figuring out what to keep, but started with the flies that catch fish around here.

Streamers
Woolly Bugger - Size 12 - 4 Olive, Black, Tan, Cone or Beadhead
Muddler Minnow - Size 8 - 2
Dexter (See Ian Colin James Site) Size 8 - 4 Gold/Silver or Purple/Silver
Point's Feather Wing - (http://www.flickr.com/photos/88127066@N00/2935824449) Size 8 - 2

Nymph's
Hare's Ear Nymph - Size 12 - 6 Classic and Olive, Regular or Beadhead
Pheasant Tail Nymph - Size 16 - 10
Crystal Scud - Size 10 Light and Dark UV Olive, Fiery Brown, Purple

Dries
Elk Hair Caddis - Size 14 - 10 Classic and Black
Stimulator - Size 10 - 6 Classic and Black
Comparadun Green Drake (See Weekly Fly, Bob Jacklin) Green Size 10 - 6 and Brown Size 16 - 10
Royal Wulff - Size 16 - 8 Classic and White (with yellow band)

Bugs and Bass Flies
Stealth Bomber - Size 10 - 4 Black, White, Purple, Green, Yellow
Tapp's Bug - Size 8 - 4 Black, White, Purple, Green, Yellow, Red (any combination of the colours.)

Well, there it is. I think I have everything covered. Caddis (Brown, White and Black), Mayflies (March Brown, Green Drake, Whites, and Hex) and the main Stonefly hatches. Plus a few attractors and surface flies when I want some stillwater fun.

Any great Ottawa River/Rideau crayfish patterns out there?
Anything that I am missing?

I hope this list helps a few beginners, most of these patterns are pretty easy to find, tie, and all are easy to cast. I use a 6 wt.

If anyone wants a description of how or when these flies are used, or to figure out a night to head out in the spring either post on this or send a PM.

Thanks,
Billy

[Todd B.]

This is what I would consider to be my essential (bass, walleye, and trout) patterns in my flybox for the Rideau and Ottawa.

#6, #8 Olive-Dun Beadhead Wooly bugger
#6 Olive TCB Bugger
#10 Black Panfish Popper
#6 Foam Head poppe (Black, Purple) - (check LeBaron)
#10, #12 Bubble Head Caddis
Stimulator (various sizes)

I did tie up some of ICJ's Outcast Crayfish the other year, which worked pretty well, though I find that the olive buggers work just as well as a crayfish pattern.

[Fly Willy]

Thanks Todd, I know I have to many patterns I just can't resist trying to match the hatch when there are thousands of mayflies in the air. The panfish and bass poppers are great flies to have, and take more abuse than Tapps Bug.

[Todd B.]

Thanks Todd, I know I have to many patterns I just can't resist trying to match the hatch when there are thousands of mayflies in the air. The panfish and bass poppers are great flies to have, and take more abuse than Tapps Bug.

With the exception of the big sedges on the Ottawa I don't bother matching the hatch, rather simply using something that is roughly the same size shape and colour. The bass don't care. LOL