Why are beadhead jig flies shown.....

[Sylvaneous]

Why are beadhead jig flies shown and tied inverted from how they actually will ride in the water? If I had the ambition and a clear tank, a way to make the water flow or an underwater camera and an assistant to assist (?), I'd post video of bead head jig nymphs in the drift riding just exactly how you'd expect. (the more current and "stuff" out the back, like tails helps the fly sit more level in the drift. Otherwise, they point nose-up, very unnaturally) It just goes to show how LITTLE the features you put on a fly matter to the fish that eats it.

 

[dudemanspecial]

Why are beadhead jig flies shown and tied inverted from how they actually will ride in the water? If I had the ambition and a clear tank, a way to make the water flow or an underwater camera and an assistant to assist (?), I'd post video of bead head jig nymphs in the drift riding just exactly how you'd expect. (the more current and "stuff" out the back, like tails helps the fly sit more level in the drift. Otherwise, they point nose-up, very unnaturally) It just goes to show how LITTLE the features you put on a fly matter to the fish that eats it.

Shown where?

Regardless, I think all nymphs ride nose up unless they have some serious weight on the front, then they ride inverted regardless of hook style.

 

[Tigereye]

Nymph Hook Inversion -- And the Myth of the Jig Hook

You don’t need a jig hook to invert the nymph. In fact almost all nymphs invert, especially when weighted with a bead or lead.

troutbitten.com

 

[GANGGREEN]

OK, so they all (or most all) invert. It doesn't change the fact that if you really think that you're "matching the hatch", that you ought to tie the top of the bug on the bottom (inside) of the hook bend. I tend to agree with Sylvaneous that the vast majority of the time the fish strike because the presentation was good or because something about the fly (color, profile, flash, etc.) drew their interest and not necessarily because they thought they were ingesting a mayfly, stonefly, caddis, cranefly, hellgramite or whatever.

 

[Tigereye]

Ill agree. I don't think trout are so smart that they can tell top from bottom of a fly. As long as the fly is right size, shape, color to a minor extent, and behaving ( drifting) in a natural manner, a fish will mistake it for food. If nymphs are tumbling on the bottom, both sides are visible to a trout.

How else does one explain the effectiveness of some of the flashy and gaudy flies out there?
Why are smaller flies usually more effective?

 

[Letort]

Natural nymphs tumble all directions in the water at times, also.

 

[tomgamber]

A dead drift "should" create more tumble. Good luck with that. 😉

 

[nymphingmaniac]

A fad IMO

 

[dudemanspecial]

A fad IMO

It's well past that at this point.

 

[hooker-of-men]

I virtually attended a Flagler talk recently, and he showed a good deal of underwater footage similar to the Troutbitten photos.

So, does orientation matter? Seems like no. Will knowledge of this change how I tie? Also no.

 

[BradFromPotter]

It's all marketing...sells more hooks!

 

[HookedOnFlies]

I virtually attended a Flagler talk recently, and he showed a good deal of underwater footage similar to the Troutbitten photos.

His video of a squirmy worm underwater was comical "Look at all that movement..." Basically looked like a U underwater. Still catches fish though.

 

[Kms]

I like how the jig hook bend positions slotted beads. You can easily lock them down tight or leave them free to wiggle, like this one. I doubt the fish care, but I like it.

 

[GoldenRfly]

I’m sure I’m overthinking this, but, in any “predator/prey” relationship the predator always prefers the easy meal of weak or injured prey. Inverted nymph flies floating right at them probably look like an easy meal to the trout (as long as the flies are the right size, shape, etc.).

So, I agree with the OP and everyone. To me, beadhead jigs are fun to tie and they work.

 

[poopdeck]

I impale my fingers less by tying them upside down.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

reading the replies, it reminds me of my thoughts- 50-75% of what we do in tying is to please us and not the fish! 😉