Let's say you get snagged...

[jayL]

You are using a fly that you tied the other day. You have a few of the same fly in your box, but also a few other flies that you suspect will work.

You catch two fish in your first 20 minutes at the stream, which is good. Not amazing, but respectable. You get snagged and lose your fly.

Who here ties the same pattern on? Who tries something new? Why?

 

[gfen]

Three fish in 20 minutes? I'm on fire. Same fly.

 

[jayL]

Let's say two then. Three is a bit high. Two fish, one of them is tiny.

 

[trowpa]

I stick with the same fly. Long as I'm catchin, I don't like to mess with success.

 

[bam]

nymphs and it's the same fly, maybe a different dropper.

If it's a dry, I'll stick with it.

 

[MattBoyer]

Of course it would be another Cougar! ;-)

Boyer

 

[1wt]

I'll probably stick with the same fly. But when I see how the fly is sinking, I just might tie on a bigger bead head with the same color.
But only 2 or 3, I'm used to catchin' a lot more than that...... I'll probably work my way to the next pool! LOL

 

[FarmerDave]

jayL wrote:
Let's say two then. Three is a bit high. Two fish, one of them is tiny.

If the fishing is that slow, chances are I wouldn't have used that same fly for 20 minutes.;-)

Depends on the stream.

also, is it stocked, or a native stream.

If it is a stream that is usually more productive than that for me... I'd probably try something else, and if that didn't work any better ... and so on and so on ... eventually returning to what worked.

But... if it is a stream where i often don't have success... I'm going diving for that fly if I don't have another in the box.;-)

 

[osprey]

I'd probably stick with what was working , but this scenario has played out in real life at times and there were times when i changed up and then asked myself why did i change when i caught fish on that other fly? One reason i distinctly remember was when i had some new stuff i wanted to try , the fish were obviously feeding , the oppertunity was there to see if the other stuff would work. This particular time i remember i fished with the new pattern for awhile and after awhile with no luck went back to the sure thing. Matt......do you use the whole cat or just some of the fur or hair?

 

[JackM]

Two trout in the first 20 minutes, I tie on the same fly. If #s 3 & 4 are caught right away again, then I would definitely change flies, snagged or not, because a day like that would spoil me for the rest of the season.

 

[pafisherman]

It really depends on what I am expecting of that day and that stream. I may tie on something different but would only fish it 5 - 10 mins. If my new fly did not bring better results and would probably go back to the previous fly.
Bill A

 

[pete41]

With the itty bittys I would probably go same fly but with streamers I always felt they were on the feed[or not] and never found the pattern to be important-
color-sometimes.
ie. dark or light.

 

[MKern]

Same fly -- it's working.

 

[PaulG]

Same fly for me. I like to give my fly at least 20 mins or more to work, plus I've caught two fish, not to bad. So I would probably stay with the same fly.

PaulG

 

[afishinado]

I nearly always fish with multiple flies. You can be sure that one of the flies I tie back on would be the fly pattern that caught fish.

 

[Acristickid]

Why would you change to a different fly?

Just to see if it will work?

Using another fly because it is easier to tie and you don't mind losing those?

It's real snaggy water and you don't want to lose too many of those flies because their are other stretches of the stream less snaggy?

 

[jayL]

acristickid wrote:
Why would you change to a different fly?

Just to see if it will work?

Using another fly because it is easier to tie and you don't mind losing those?

It's real snaggy water and you don't want to lose too many of those flies because their are other stretches of the stream less snaggy?

I have for all of these reasons.

To be honest, the original post said "3 fish", and I'd still probably put something else on. I would obviously key back in on what worked as the day progressed, but I like to tinker.

Like afish, I usually fish two or three flies, so in that case I often keep at least one of the hot fly on. Even then, I will try a few others to key in on what the fish are doing. I have found that I can learn a lot more about what the fish population is doing by catching them different ways.

Looks like I'm alone in that. Good responses.

The question was actually raised by a post redietz made in the wet fly leader thread. He's got the same outlook as me.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

Same fly. I'd move to see if it was the fly or the type of water I was fishing.

 

[shipnfish2006]

For me, there would be a few factors in my decision.

Have I been fishing the same pool for that 20 minutes? If so, then I would tie on a new fly.

Am I "speed fishing" for stockies or natives? If so, then I would tie on the same fly, because I typically use the same fly while I'm doing this approach.

Is there a hatch with rising trout? If so, then I'll most likely go right back to the same fly.

 

[pete41]

I was thinking about this question on my walk-dries and nymphs I would stick with what was working but on streamers pattern didn't seem to be nearly as important-
It occurred to me thats because these are action flies,not static flies and the fish were responding to the vibrations.
Then I started wondering what if you utilized the other factor-noise.
So I am wondering if anyone uses those little rattles they sell for jigs in their fly tying.
It might work and especially at night.If I was still tying I would try it on streamers and bass flies.
I know somewhere,somebody has tried it-too obvious not to.
Not trying to change the post-just curious.
Thanks
[my apology to Jay].