I am particularly fond of flies that float "in the film". These kinds of patterns are attractive to trout because they (a) can see the fly easier and (b) recognize that this is food that cannot easily escape.
My number one pattern for several seasons running has been a carpenter ant-sized winged foam ant. This one floats in the film with a dry line, and acts more like a booby fly on an intermediate or sinking line (very good for imitating a caddis pupa). One thing you might consider is adding weight to the tippet rather than to the fly. Adding weight to a small dryfly kills any action that fly might contribute to the "entice the lunker" process. I have found that adding weight even right above the tippet knot on the fly works, and doesn't reduce the catch rate. The closer the weight is to the fly, the easier the whole contraption is to cast. The whole idea of "not that great-floating flies" is what makes fishing emerger and cripple patterns so successful. I think that cripple patterns I have fished outperform regular dry flies 3:1 for the reasons stated above. Some of your best flyfishing discoveries will be made by thinking "outside the box." Chuck, sometimes it helps to be a newbie who doesn't automatically conform to the "rules". You were able to make a discovery that improved your fishing. Wes Wada Bend, Oregon
