My #1 Winter Project: Completed

Typically, I go into the winter tying "season" with a few goals.  Maybe some new patterns, trialing a new idea or two I have brainstormed, building a surplus of commonly used streamers, etc...  This year, I kept it pretty basic and straight forward.  One goal: fill one fly box with my go-to patterns for creek bass.  Thanks to volunteering to participate in a Fly Tying Expo at my closest fly shop, I had the perfect opportunity to top off my box with the last (and most important) patterns I needed to fill it up.  Last year, my best creek bass pattern was the HD Craw, and that was the fly I was to tie at the show.

I was not sure how many I would be able to crank out in a show setting, because a lot of time is spent explaining steps and answering questions.  I had the materials with me to tie a lot of them, and figured whatever I can't fit in my box would be stored in a surplus box for refilling later in the spring/summer.  I was a little shocked at how many I was able to turn out in just a couple of hours.

Here's a quick run down of the other patterns I have stuffed my creek bass box with for the upcoming season.  Arguably my second most important fly is the Murdich Minnow in a size 6.  I can go to war with the HD Craw and the Murdich and be pretty much set.

New to creek bassing this year will be the unnamed generic streamer with the Slow Rolla tail that has tested so well early this winter/spring.

For shallower fish, the Hairy Mara streamer is a great little pattern that, fished as-is, will stay just under the surface.

Also new for me this year is a "critter fly" that has tested really well in the tank that I have dubbed the Trailer Park Ninja.  It's tied along similar lines to some carp patterns I have fished with success and is perfectly weighted for a slow fall to entice strikes.

Historically, my go-to fly for small stream bass has been the Bronze Goddess in the following color combos.  The white/gray/pink has claimed my best creek bass the last 3 years in a row, and the black/blue and craw color combos are also great producers when I need a fly to get down.

Once all was put into a waterproof double-sided box, as tightly as I could really get them in there, this was the end result.  I can't wait for warm temperatures and clean flows to put this box to work.  Typically, in this area, I will be lucky to get onto the small flows in good conditions until later in May to early June.  Spring rains muddy and raise these waters in a hurry.  It won't be long!