...dries,emergers, nymphs, midges, leeches, buggers, streamers,salmon, steelhead, eggs, flesh, trout, bass, pike,spey, saltwater, carp, shad and I'm not so naieve as to think these are it--but you must admit such a long is certainly a good start. How many styles and patterns are out there? Hell, I couldn't even begin to guess. In the mid-90s Charley Waterman made a stab and guessed at least 20,000 commercial patterns and probably double that number concoctions never made it much past the inventors' door. Right on or way off one thing sure in the 15 years since both numbers would have swollen exponentially as no season I know ever passes without boucoup new patterns hitting the streets. If I were to make a wild guess at updating Charley's commercial guesstimate...well, what?...30,000...40...OK, lets just say one hell of a bunch and get on with it...Really what's the point anyway since no mortal fly flinger can even begin to collect or, more to the point, tote 'em all to the crick anyway.
But that doesn't mean some of us can't try. A PA pal claims his "western trout" boxes hold somewhere in the neighborhood 4000 dozen...Yes, it's true, each summer he brings with "as near as I can figure" 48,000 flies give or take a few dozen of course. While I can't prove it one way or the other, having seen the collection up close and personal can't/won't argue either. And remember we're talkin' here only "western flies." I've never seen his "eastern trout" boxes and then too he also fishes saltwater and occasionally steelhead and salmon so...How many fly patterns in the TOTAL COLLECTION...Again I really can't say and no I ain't gonna ask... some things being...you know...just too personal to pry.
Oh, by the way, for what it's worth the above fly box represents my personal stillwater ( for trout living in lakes, ponds, etc.)fly collection in its entirety...admittedly pretty damn skimpy but what can I say.
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