Odd how Europeans grab onto this and that from American flyfishing and seemingly reinvent an aspect of flyfishing. Case in point, the Montana Stone. Thirty years ago, it was a standard fly to carry in the western USA. The green or orange thorax were standard. One of the largest trout I have ever caught was with an orange thoraxed M.S. on the Metolius River. Then more exacting patterns emerged and the fly fell into disfavor along with Wooly Worms, Muddler Minnows and Royal Coachmans. Seems the Montana Stone is not only popular for streams in Europe and stonefly imitations, but also even in lakes in Great Britain.
We search for more exacting imitations and new patterns and perhaps have turned our backs on still satisfactory patterns. There is much new and innovative out of European flyfishing masters. In all world flyfishing matches the supposed hotbed of flyfishing knowledge, the USA, loses every competition to Europeans. It does not seem to be the patterns, but rather techniques, which are ignored or discounted here.
I am not a devoted Euro slave, but in flyfishing they do have something going on. So, I am going to tie up some Montana Stones for old times sake and see what shakes. Hell, with Nicolas Sarkozy in power, I might even say moderately nice things about France…maybe.
