Have you ever thought that too many fly patterns mess up your fishing efficiency? Early on, I used to be a guy who fishing with an adams, elk hair caddis, gold ribbed hare's ear, and a muddler. And I did okay. But as I became more savvy, it went to parachutes, comparaduns, cdc, emergers, bead heads, spinners, etc. etc. Another point, is a couple of my friends are some of the best dry fly men I've ever known. They have orderly minds (unlike mine!), and they tie flies you can fish with Rene Harrop on the Henry's Fork: biot bodied cdc emergers, ultra match-the-hatch patterns, all kinds of spinners, etc. Nothing generic. I've never known either of them to even fish an adams. Anyway, sometimes I want to let go of all that perfectionism, go off by myself, and fish an adams. Have any of you felt like that?
Have you ever..,
- Thread starter Billems
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gfenlikestolosepasswords
Well-known member
perfect is the enemy of good.
5footfenwick
Well-known member
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- Dec 20, 2006
- Messages
- 712
Sometimes I get the simple itch. I will select an offering the night before. Select a single pattern and bring maybe a half dozen in an old film container. Just fish that one pattern all day. No switching or changing, except to a newer less beat up version of the same fly. I’m just pretending I’m one bug or one minnow that day. For me it is a pretty fun way to mix it up and the challenge of not being able to switch flies adds a lot to improving my skills in areas other than retying.
~5footfenwick
~5footfenwick
Since I don't tie flies, too much time messing with server code, I stick to what I call meat and potatoes flies in my box. I focus on the primary hatches for my box and then use generics to backfill my obscure or nuanced needs while on the stream. This really cuts down on the number and sizes of boxes I'm having to haul around. I still catch fish and even miss more.
I still like variations with styles like comparduns and trailing shucks. Those distressed or compromised flies are proven winners for me.
For some reason I think I can catch fish with an #18 Adams during a sulphur hatch, but never have tried it.
I still like variations with styles like comparduns and trailing shucks. Those distressed or compromised flies are proven winners for me.
For some reason I think I can catch fish with an #18 Adams during a sulphur hatch, but never have tried it.
wildtrout2
Well-known member
All the time. I have encountered very few times when an Adams/Parachute Adams won't get it done. I also swear by a Parachute Ant.
dryflyguy
Well-known member
Fishing only dries to rising fish, I carry several types - for each hatch that I'm trying to match
Besides my normal Catskills style, I also have some comparaduns, parachutes, and klinkhammers
Sometimes a different kind of pattern will do the trick on picky fish.
I rarely use an Adams, or other attractor type flies - unless I'm fishing for brookies
Besides my normal Catskills style, I also have some comparaduns, parachutes, and klinkhammers
Sometimes a different kind of pattern will do the trick on picky fish.
I rarely use an Adams, or other attractor type flies - unless I'm fishing for brookies
Most of the time I am generic and that has done well for me most of the time. However, for "super hatches" like olives, tricos and sulphurs that trout can see every day for months often I need something more specific. That is especially true late in the season when the trout have already been stung by all sorts of patterns. By the time August rolls around my sulphurs on the West Branch or my tricos on my local limestoners must be a little better, and maybe different than what the crowd is using.
wildtrout2
Well-known member
While fishing mountain freestone streams for wild trout, I have noticed very few actual hatches that produce noticeable top water action. I do see some very small hatches with an occasional rise, but they're the exception rather than the rule.
I have found that these trout, both natives and wild browns, don't really care what dry fly you present to them, they'll take whatever you toss without hesitation most of the time. I fish dry flies because I really enjoy the visual aspect of top water action, regardless of what pattern I use.
I have found that these trout, both natives and wild browns, don't really care what dry fly you present to them, they'll take whatever you toss without hesitation most of the time. I fish dry flies because I really enjoy the visual aspect of top water action, regardless of what pattern I use.
