a moment to take it in…

perspectives…

A tree leaning out over the river. Colors, angles, light and the sense of a river’s movement. For the most part, we all can look at the image and perhaps say, to ourselves, that it is pleasing in some way. To the fisher, a more analytical mindset ensues that rapidly dissects the image.

The fisher, be it gear or fly, sees color for clarity, structure and currents, seams and holding water for trout, steelhead or salmon…each slightly different depending upon the flow and structures.

Pockets, slots, buckets, pools, tailouts, lies and routes are coupled with probabilities and chance. Raise the river or lower the river and the calculations are altered. What to use to entice a take, the presentation of fly, lure or bait all are measured against these observations that are made in mere moments.

Like a designer, builder, surgeon or mechanic the vision and understanding of the parts make the whole.

Of course, we could just say “That’s a beautiful picture”.

The spot, a sanctuary,

the secret spot, upstream. A deeper pool, with a canopy of over hanging branches making casting/presentation difficult. The water races down from above stream into the pool and slows. I stand upon a narrow ledge, almost ready to vanish to rising waters. I work the water, dredging as best I can. The rod is darn near unmanageable to maneuver with all the over hanging branches snagging the tip, the line. I yield to the obstacles. Nature combines to thwart this man, in this remote spot. I turn to depart and there on the alder tree’s bark, someone has carved in ‘Fish’. Yes, probably quite true. Homage to a sanctuary I could not penetrate this day.

Some leave chocolates…….

while someone else decided to leave strawberries, tastefully presented upon our arrival. Presentation of the simplest of things…nice.

Quiet, back bay…

of a lake, lined with tall reeds. The bottom drops off quickly and the tinted waters are about 10′ deep in no time. Weed pods reach the surface here and there. The wind is not reaching this spot on the lake. It’s early morning and calm. The surface is still save insects coming off the surface and sizable swirls and waves caused by a cruising, large trout working just below the surface on emerging insects.

This was not a place for a horizontal presentation via an Intermediate, slow sink line. I decided upon a Stimulator dry fly on the surface with a chironomid pupa pattern as a dropper pattern some four feet beneath the surface. A soft, turn over cast plopped the offerings into the channels amongst the weeds.  The take was powerfully slow. The dropper was taken and the surface dry fly disappeared away from me. I raised the rod tip, gave a slip strike and expected to feel the power of my rod challenged by a nice fish. My rod and then my wrist felt more than the usual thrust of power. My boat took a lurch toward the fish so strong was the surge away. A nice battle ensued amongst the weeds. The calm water was thrashed as the trout went airborne and came down broadside to create quite the splash. I enjoyed the fight but knew I wanted the fish in sooner than later to spare it too much stress as I planned to release the fish. A quick snap in the shallows and the nice fish was released as its powerful tail thrust pushed the trout away.

Sly Fishing: Presentation

“Sly Fishing” I like that. I didn’t ‘coin’ the phrase, but it works for today’s post. There are many competing concepts in fishing and fly fishing in particular: matching the hatch, proper gear, the appropriate realistic fly pattern, timing, weather, lighting, location, reading the water and finally presentation, which in some ways combines much of the above considerations.

Sometimes the above images are insulting, challenging to fly fishers and tiers. Such simplicity flies in the face of the necessarily complex make up of fly fishing. I suppose, at times, there are required, exacting patterns that must be used on well bred, snobby, elitist fish. But, come on now, you know it is true….often simple patterns, sparse patterns are quite effective. It is the presentation and location of the offering that are often more important than some exacting pattern. 

I like to tie overdressed concoctions as much as the next tier. But, I annually come back around to the reality that all that material on that hook may not be necessary. At a minimum, tie some minimums. Sparse patterns that are suggestive, have movement, but are a fraction in quantity of materials and focus on presentation/location. It doesn’t lessen the sport to experiment and possess a few minimalist patterns for the less refined fish.

Read this fine piece by Tim Rolston (The Fishing Gene) entitled “The C Word” re patterns and confidence.

Marc Fauvet wrote about pattern and presentation also in this piece.

The Flymph: Not Quite Nymph…Almost Adult

A Flymph is a great fly pattern for the beginning tier and serviceable as a fishing pattern for all fly fishers. A combination of the nymph and what we now call the ’emerger’, it entices with movement and general shapes. It suits my ‘impressionistic’ almost, but not quite tying style (some might call it sloppy/lazy) and it is productive in streams and lakes. More here re flymphs

 

Here, I dubbed a tapered fly from the rear (abdomen) up into the thorax, creating a buggy/leggy/winged front end. Flymphs can be/maybe should be tied with a bit cleaner style with a clearly defined tail/abdomen (nymph like) and then a wet fly style thorax/head. Presentation, as always, is important. The wet fly swing or Leisenring lift (rising, emerging insect) are traditional presentation options for flymphs/soft hackles/wets. Here Oliver Edwards offers his suggestions that contradict the ‘swing’/down and across presentation. On lakes, I have simply cast to rising fish or used as a searching pattern with a straight forward cast it out and slowly work it back letting the fibers work their twitching magic. (Additional information)

Critter/Fly Pattern Replication: Smooth or Buggy…Why not both?

When you pull underwater critters from their habitat (mayfly, caddis, stoneflies, scuds, dragons, midges) they, for the most part, are smooth looking and segmented. They often look like some creature from a science fiction scene…in a way, I guess they actually are.

I am not presenting this post as an end all recommendation on fly pattern design. My suggestion is to recognize the options of fly pattern design: exacting imitations or suggestive (scraggly) of life imitations. Have both and know how to present the options in the most appropriate manner. Where does that insect or critter reside subsurface and how does it move under control or out of control.

Here you have the scraggly Gold Ribbed, Bead Head Hare’s Ear Nymph with the buggy, scraggly thorax. Also, the lower left pattern is a nymph pattern that is somewhat representative of a Caddis or Scud. Below right is the simple, streamlined, only so slightly scraggly Czech Nymph. All catch countless fish. Have both and again pay particular attention to where these insects live…how they move (dislodged and drifting, climbing/rising, crawling, swimming).

Dragon Fly Nymph: Think Predator

BRITISH DRAGONFLY SOCIETY

Predator Beneath

This Rainbow Trout fell prey to a Dragon Fly Nymph worked slowly along the edge of a weed line. Envisioning the darts, stops and predatory movements in your subsurface presentation is important in successfully fishing a dragon fly nymph. Caught & Safely Released

Photography: Diminutive Damsels

I was going to lead with Sexy Damsels, but opted for Diminutive. Both are probably too provocative for the perverts out there. I mean when I use Nymphs, I get all manner of visits from those less concerned with entomology and fly fishing and more with waif like female forms. Well, the Damselfly is worthy of fly porn representation because in its own right, it is enticing to Trout. Double Click on Image for better look at patterns.

The diminutive Damselfly is a staple enticer pattern for lakes/stillwaters. Fish it on an Intermediate or Floating line on a more horizontal plane. I recall reading long ago, somewhere, that a Damsel pattern should be fished either parallel to the shoreline or toward the shoreline. I have caught Trout all over lakes, in the upper strata, regardless of direction of retrieve, BUT I have had the most success closer to the shoreline/reeds/structure with short strips/figure 8 retrieves…slow and easy.

Tan, Brown, Olive, Lt. Green colors all produce. Wind drifting/pulling the fly behind on the shoals or retrieving by hand along the shoreline, the Damselfly patterns are an essential option for lakes. Research the life cycle of Damselflies and how they move when in the water. Adjust your visualization/retrieve accordingly.