Ok besides the wooly bugger...

[ak_powder_monkey]

One fly, one size, one color for the rest of your life... What's it gonna be?


Me... Size 6 black stonefly nymph...

[danattherock]

silver/green clouser minnow size #4

[FishnPhil]

#18 flashback pheasant tail

or

#18 prince if I could have a second one

[BlueMoose]

On Board with Dan

One of the most productive flies ever is Bob Clouser's Minnow.

I have caught, Salmon Pacific and Atlantic, Walleye, Pearch, Small Mouth, Large Mouth, Brown, Rainbow, Lake and Brook Trout, Char/ Dollies which of course a Brook Trout and or Lake Trout are close. Bluegill, Rock Fish, Snook, Bone fish and just etc................... Fished from Alaska to Honduras always catches something from Fresh to Salt at one time or another.


Hard to beat a Clouser Minnow.

[RandallT]

Size 18 Black zebra midge. For the lower 48 of course. I've caught from 6"- 24" Browns, Rainbows, and Cutts with these little dudes.

[Wyo2AK]

muddler minnow - size 8

you can fish it high and dry as a hopper, caddis, or moth
fish it in the the surface film as an emerging caddis or mayfly
fish it on the bottom as a sculpin/darter/dace
fish it mid-depth as a baitfish
tumble it along a stream bottom when nymphing is in order

it's pretty versatile

i'd agree that a clouser rivals the wb for effectiveness when it comes to immitating baitfish. however, I'd miss fishing dries from time to time, so I'll stick with with the muddler.

[Ruger01]

I'd also have to go with the Clouser.

[akfangler]

Bead-headed woolly bugger, or is that cheating? The real question is: imitation pattern, or attractor pattern. I'd go with an attractor every time.

[jakec5253]

just one fly

If we are talking trout only, I would go with a size 14 tan Elk hair caddis. I think it is the most versitle dry fly, and it you don't using any kind of floatant on it, you could fish it subsurface like an emerger. Nothing quite like watching a trout take a dry.

Jake

[6XLeech]

I like leech patterns, (including articulated leeches)...

but, I've been liking stoneflies more each year- at least for Alaska:
http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/...d.php?p=284953

So I'll take Stoneflies, size 6 in black for $200, Alex.

[baja4ever]

favorite fly

I don't use a huge variety of flies because a few of them work so well.

I guess I could do just fine the a black leach. It used to be the muddler minnow though.

Salmon, bows, grayling, dollies.

[907_flyfisher]

If I can't have a bugger...

A few of the above ideas are great - clouser, leech, but if I were going to have just one, I think I'd keep a #16 Copper John. Most days you can't keep a trout off of 'em.

[Dirtofak]

muddler minnow - size 8

you can fish it high and dry as a hopper, caddis, or moth
fish it in the the surface film as an emerging caddis or mayfly
fish it on the bottom as a sculpin/darter/dace
fish it mid-depth as a baitfish
tumble it along a stream bottom when nymphing is in order

it's pretty versatile

i'd agree that a clouser rivals the wb for effectiveness when it comes to immitating baitfish. however, I'd miss fishing dries from time to time, so I'll stick with with the muddler.

Size 6 tied long. OD green with a small bit of "bling"