Thursday, July 14, 2016

"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.


19 comments:

  1. Brk Trt. Thank you for the kind words,and acknowledgement! I am quite humbled, but it is a very deadly and versatile fly. I have taken many trout from wild brookies and browns to some very large Farmington River browns on that fly. Again thank you!! I very much appreciate your kind words!!!

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    1. TROUTI
      Thanks
      Pete I mean every word....you are a master.

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    2. Thank you that means a lot to me!!!!

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  2. Replies
    1. Kevin Frank
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      Kevin most people who have tried them would soon agree.

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  3. It was the simplicity of tenkara that brought me into the world of fly fishing. Though I can appreciate the attraction of matching the hatch and having 5 fly boxes full of cool looking flies, I prefer the simplicity of a narrow fly selection. I typically use 1-3 patterns on most trips to the stream and they are all that I ever need. I could probably get away with one...a Killer Kebari (which looks a lot like the fly in the article). This freedom from too many choices allows me to spend less time going through fly boxes and more time fishing and enjoying it. There is definitely something to be said for this kind of approach to fly fishing.

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    1. Chris"Kiwi" Kuhlow
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      Chris lots of good words here. You got me to try a few tenkara flies, and they worked when called upon.
      Part of fly fishing is collecting all sorts of stuff, but I for one collect it because of the history, and art of our passion, and not because it will improve my catch rate or impress another angler.

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  4. Alan, I have always admired simplicity , I have trouble achieving it because I love tying flies almost as much as fishing them, as a result I have more flies than I will ever need. I think it is something you have to work at and remind yourself that adding fancy embellishments only complicates our sport. Your soft hackles are spot on, I would gladly fish that fly for a year and probably have more fun. Thankyou.

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    1. Brad Basehore
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      Brad I'm in your camp. I to love to tie flies and enjoy adding those little extras that make them "your" pattern. But reality is an insect is not embellished at all, they are pretty drab.....oh well back to the vise.

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  5. Alan, as you know we share a love of simplicity in our fly fishing activities. I have fished the P.T. Nymph on a bead for years and loads of fish have responded. Now that I am focusing more on soft hackles the P.T. Soft Hackle is a natural. Thanks for the tip on the magazine article. I will look into it.

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    1. Grandpa Mel
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      Mel I think you'll find that the added movement of the partridge hackle will add to your strike rate. I know you'll like the article.

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  6. Props to Pete or anyone who can put a fly within that bank where the trout are hiding. Well done. Regards, Sam

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    1. Parachute Adams
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      Sam the guy is one hell of a fisherman.

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  7. Alan,
    A great article, beautiful soft-hackled P.T.'s, and a wonderful concept....simplicity! It's getting better all the time!
    Yours from Ohio,
    Dougsden

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    1. Dougsden
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      Doug I give the man credit, I don't think I could do it, I like to many different flies. I do love simplicity.

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  8. Alan - We can all take a lesson in simple! Fish a few flies well and don't worry about the rest. Pete is a master with that pheasant tail! He brought those things home from a trip to NH and asked me to tie some for him, which I did but he cracks me up out-fishing me with flies I tied for him!!!!

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    1. Mark Wittman
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      Mark, when I read a post on his blog I'm surprised when he uses another fly. A fine angler he is.

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  9. I find it funny that an article about simplicity is in an issue with Blane Chocklette on the cover. Don't get me wrong I love Blane's flies but it goes to show the dichotomy of this sport.

    One can have amazing success tying incredibly complicated flies just as one can have incredible success tying simple flies.

    What's funny to me is I find myself in both boats quite often. Fishing for trout and panfish I love nothing better than soft hackles and an X-caddis / comparadun. I tend to wear the fish out using one of those patterns.

    When fishing for bass I tend to have articulated messes or complicated hand-carved, hand-painted poppers. There are the tried and true fairly simply flies like the Clouser, but I often elect for something I've put a lot of passion into.

    This weekend I was fishing a private pond with my 2-year old son. He has a 4wt eagle claw feathlight and he at least understands the casting motion. With my help orchestrating the starts and stops we can usually get a fly out about 30'. We were throwing partridge and yellows at bluegill when he hooked into about a 16" largemouth. I had a articulated minnow streamer on my rod and wasn't getting the first hit. We dropped his P&Y next to a log and the fight was on.

    I love this sport.

    Hokie.

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    1. Anonymous
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      Scott first off I'm glad you were finally able to connect. I'm very poor at computers and not really much help.

      I have that same Eagle Claw and do enjoy fishing it Good that your son is learning the craft, or "passion" that is so much a part of our lives.
      Simple or Complicated it all has a place.

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