"A Year On One Fly"

For those long time followers of this blog know of my fondness for simplicity, as a matter of fact it's my sub-title. In this day of complexity and the "more is better" style of life simplicity has taken a back seat. I'm not against the "new way" but I prefer the alternative.

In the latest issue of Fly Fisherman magazine is an excellent article written by Yvon Chouinard. I have never met the man but I know I would get along just fine with him on a stream or in front of a vise. The article go's on to tell of his use of a fly "the pheasant tail soft-hackle". Yvon used this fly entirely for one year, and was so very successful with it. He used it in both fresh and salt water. In his article he speaks of the simple ways of fly fishing, both conventional and tenkara, which he was fishing before it was popular. I wish all of you would pick up a copy of Fly Fisherman and read the article in it's entirety.

While I tie the Pheasant tail soft-hackle, I don't fish it enough. The reason is "I don't know what the reason is"....well maybe I do.

This is the reason....Pete, aka TROUTI, is the master of this fly. He can take trout at will when he is fishing it. The group of anglers that is known as "The Crew" can attest to that. Here Pete is working a shady spot along the bank on the Farmington. I watched him nail two trout from that little run one July day several years ago. If there is anyone besides Yvon Chouinard who could fish the PTSH for a year and be successful it would be Pete.

Let's all simplify...it can be done.