As fly tyers and fly fishers we have lots of patterns to work with. I have several books on wet flies, spiders, flymphs and nymphs. In many of these books the patterns show flies tied with a tail and flies tied without a tail. In my own tying I find that most of the flies do not have a tail. One book I work with named Fly Fishing Soft-Hackles by Allen McGee has many patterns featured and going through them I would say half of them have tails and the other half have not. Tails on these wet flies from my experience serve no purpose in the effectiveness of a wet fly. The overall look of the fly changes and that change is in the length of the fly. Below are a group of wet flies and soft-hackled emergers. Some are tied with tails and some with out. What are your thoughts, and what do you fish more often, tail or no tail?
My rule of thumb for flies of my own design is to put a tail on mayflies and no tail on caddis.
ReplyDeleteWilliam Shuck
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Bill a very good point. A mayfly at the point of emerging does have a tail, I'm not sure of that?
Alan, I have to agree with William on this one. My olives and sulphurs usually always have tails. Midges never have tails in respect of subsurface. I think you make a great point in. That I don't know how much of a difference it makes.
ReplyDeleteBrad Basehore
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Brad do you think a pheasant tail nymph would be just as effective without a tail? I've seen them tied both ways.
I used to put tails on everything, it didn't matter if they belonged there or not. I caught fish. Then, I went the other way and I didn't put tails on my flies. I still caught fish. This summer I tried to do as Mr.Shuck suggests and put them where they are appropriate; ...I just tie them really sparse. I had a great season. Those flies are beautiful, Alan.
ReplyDeletemike
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Mike so you went with both options and could not see a difference. Sparse is a big key to success. Just look at the north country spider.
Alan, The simpler the better for me. Lovely tying too. Thanks for your comments on the two terriers, I’ve had a load of aggro from Google and British Telecom, mostly the later and my replies disappear into the ether. Damned computers. We’re down looking after the grandsons until Sunday then Sue is going to straighten me out on Sunday when we get back. Regards, John
ReplyDeleteThe Two Terriers
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John no need to explain. Computers are wonderful things when they work. I have confidence in Sue.
Most of the flies that I use often (tenkara style sakasa or jun kebari) don't have tails. But other Japanese kebari do have tails. Some tails are hot spots, but a few are "anatomic" tails. I still catch fish on flies without tails. Great thought experiment though!
ReplyDeleteTom Davis
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Tom most of my flies are tied without tails and I have no complaints on their performance. I was unaware that Tenkara flies had tails.
Two thoughts, flies with tails can be greased and fished like dry's, dual purpose. although, when dead drifted in the water column and slowly stripped back through fast running seams,
ReplyDeletetail fly's fly better. However, dead drifted flies usually fish better dead drifted..Make any sense LOL.
Anonymous
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It makes sense, and that's why I pose these questions.
Lot's of good info out there.
Hi Alan, I tie tails or no tails to satisfy my idea of what constitutes a handsome fly. A fly must first please me or I'm not interested, in spite of how successfully it may fish. I disdain foam and rubber and other materials that are now in favor. I did stop using microfibbets on "rusty spinners" and simply leave off the tails.
ReplyDeleteJohn Dornik
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John I like the idea of a fly pleasing the tyer first, after it's that confidence in it's looks that will get you to keep fishing it. A fly on the water will work. I use only one item that I consider "not natural" and that's a black foam ant.
I dye deer body hair black and use it for "beetles". Floats like a cork and I believe Chauncey K. Lively suggested it. Unfortunately, its too coarse for small "ant" patterns.
DeleteJohn, dyed deer hair..like those crickets. I'll fish them in winter and really get a rise out of a few.
DeleteHi Alan
ReplyDeleteI have no preference on tailing or not tailing. I am Bill’s camp - if the anatomy of the fly I am hoping to match has a tail, I will add one to the pattern. If not the tail stays off.
Alistair
Alistair Corbishley
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Alistair, well said, simply put.
I have to admit if i tie a new fly out of my head i tie with & without to see what they both sit like on the water, doesn't always work out the way i want but thats fishing for you.:)
ReplyDeleteGeorge
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George that's the fun of tying your own flies, being able to try new ways and sometimes it works which makes you so happy.
Alan
ReplyDeleteNo preference here, as long as I can get a take I will go with either. I will say the tail for me seems to give the fly a completed look, if that makes sense. Thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell
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Bill having a tail in place will give the look of a completed fly. But it's that little oddity in nature that will sometimes make the difference.
The tail could also not be a tail at all, but a representation or suggestion of the shuck that an emerger is climbing out of....just a thought. I have had fair success with a fly called a Red Spinner which has a white tail, which never really made any sense, maybe it should be called a Red Emerger!
ReplyDeleteGrannom
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I prefer a strand or two of antron in place of a tail. To me that sparkle is a trigger. I don't poke around in the stream doing a good look at what insects look like. But sometimes a real first hand look will appear, such was the case when when I saw a struggling fly trying to free itself of the shuck. I can see why it was eaten so rapidly.
I just want to apologize for the late response on some of your comments....I'll do my best to respond much sooner.
ReplyDeleteAlan
No need Alan. No need at all. Keep up the good work. It's very appreciated. Bravo!
DeleteI think the rule of thumb is generally tails for mayfly and no tail for caddis. But for softhackles that doesn't always matter personally. Especially in smaller patterns such as BWO. Also, many softhackles are tied as attractors and not for specific hatches.
ReplyDeleteRalph Long
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Ralph you make some very good points.
Alan, John D. said it all for me. One point I'll make is if you like to have a compact fly box, there's more room for more bugs if they are tailless. I have a few boxes but mostly I use 2 recycled Copenhagen cans and my felt crusher hat.
ReplyDeleteMatt Harding
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Matt good to keep that in mind. I like the recycled Copenhagen tins for fly boxes.