"Everything you just said is my favorite too!" (Nacho Libre quote)
Excellent flies, staple for us trout FFers. I also started tying red bh pheasant tails with dyed pheasant tail, it really looks good. Gives a nice "red" tinge to the classic original. Can't keep planters off of them! Also caught a 23" bow on one last year at the CR, back when I was killing them over there.
Perhaps the best pattern for trout lake waters I have ever used is a bh bugger (black, maroon, brown, white, etc) and a large bh hares ear trailer! They love to hit that bh hares ear trailer! I must have gone through a couple dozen of them with my last trip out west, the fish just tore them to pieces! I've been tying and restocking all winter long for my next trip....I'll be going to Northern UT in February and doing some FFin on the Provo and Weber rivers. Can't wait!
-Rich