You Can"t Judge a Book Nor Spagetti By The....

It was once said "don't judge a book by it's cover"...well that saying also hold's true for trout flies. A fly when first tied and it sits in the vise is not truly the fly as seen by a trout. When a wet fly, soft hackleis sent into the water it takes on a whole new look. If a dubbing material is used either for the body or thorax is a mixture of synthetic and natural the fibers will come alive. Those dubbing fibers will add movement and also trap air which I believe a a big part of the fly's effectiveness. Insects use air to help aid in the transformation from emerger to adult insect. Trout will key in on those air bubbles and take the fly when it's most vulnerable. Color is a part of the success of a wet fly. Most aquatic insects are of a bland brown color. So choosing a body of brown thread, or dubbing is going to give you a fly that closely resembles a natural insect. There a few exceptions on colors. Orange silk thread can take on a brownish color when wet...purple can also do the same. Below you will see several wet flies in their wet stages.

 

 

 

This simple soft hackle is a very effective fly for me. Brown thread, brown synthetic dubbed thorax and a brown partridge hackle feather.
 

Even a streamer fly tied with soft hackles, marabou and mallard in this case. Lots of movement and a baitfish profile make this a killer.