Thanks all for the suggestions of some great overall fly patterns, keep them coming! DanO, you were right on about my preference for rivers so thanks to you and to all those who recommended good lake patterns. The fishing agenda for the newbie crew has not been officially set, but they will in all likelyhood start out on stillwater and hopefully get to a local stream or river for at least one day sometime in mid-September. As you can see by SalmonTackler's response, I did indeed mean an Olive Willy--sorry you feel that way ST--on the few occasions I've fished lakes, the OW has been by far my most productive fly. But then I've had pretty good luck with parachute Adams and the very "cool looking" Royal Wulff, and those are easy flies to spot on the water, esp for beginners.

Anyone ever fish this area using a Madame X with nymph dropper or would the orange stimi be a better choice for a 2-fly rig to increase odds of someone catching something, or at least getting a nibble?
Thanks much!

flygirl