My One-Two Punch

Carman's River near blind #8

I have slowly been coming to the conclusion that I'm becoming a "two-fly" angler.... my "one-two punch" if you will.  My fly box has been described as spartan and by most fly fisherman's standards it is.  As this season has progressed I have found only a 3-5 patterns have produced all of my fish no matter what or where I have fished.  But what I have discovered is that on virtually every trip one of the following two patterns have brought fish to hand....

Royal Sakasa Kebari & Killer Bug

The Royal Sakasa Kebari is one of the first sakasa kebari I created a couple of years ago and is still one of my favorites.  I have been able to catch fish any where with it from brookies to bluegills.  The color scheme was based on a Royal Coachman, which was created in 1878.  Mix this color scheme with the benefits of a reverse tied soft hackle and I have one heck of a fly. The second fly, the Killer Bug designed by Frank Sawyer has become my other "go-to" fly.  It was Chris Stewart's TenkaraBum website that first "enlightened" me to the potential of this fly.  I have tied it in the same fashion as Chris but lately have started tying it in the same way as the Tenkara Guides and Jason Klass.  Either way produces the same results.  In addition, both flies are simple to tie and have a generalized look to them making them effective in many different locations.

Typical stretch of the upper Carman's

For instance, last weekend I managed to get 3 hours to fish the Carman's River (one of Long Island's trout producing spring creeks).  I decided to only bring these two flies and once again I was able to land a few brown trout on the Killer Bug.

I usually stick closer to home, so this was my first trip to the fresh water portion of the Carman's.  The hatches are plentiful and the trout have a variety of items to choose from.  Usually "matching the hatch" is the way to go on a spring creek but I'm happy to know that having these two flies will give me a chance at a few trout.

One of the rivers residents, no those eyes are not evil.

Though I find fishing this kind of stream a little tough, it's a beautiful and peaceful place to visit and fish.  I plan to return as soon as I can....and of course I plan to bring my "one-two" punch.