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.
 

 

Looking Back...a small stream angler remembers

 

A fly rod...a post I did back in 2010. My Orvis Superfine Small Stream fly rod I purchased 30 years ago...the post has seen 6000 page views since published. Yesterday I pulled out the Orvis rod and went to the stream where I fished it back a long time ago. The post was originally posted on a local fly fishing forum in the early 1990's.

 

This is the wild brown I caught so many years ago.

The run where I took that brown has seen some dramatic changes in the years.

I fished that run again with the 2020 version of that 1990 Orvis rod.

When the fly worked through the riffle and settled in the pool I felt the take. The fish did what most wild browns do it found the nearest cover. Luckily for me it was only a small branch and I was able to bring it to hand.

Could this brown be a descendant of the one taken  there 30 years ago? I really don't know but I like to think it may have been.

One Hell Of A Bucktail Streamer

Back in 1929 in Portland Maine a fly tyer and fly angler named William Edson created one of the best bucktail streamer flies ever.  This fly has been fished the world over for every game fish that swims. Originally tied for brook trout and salmon it is also great for brown trout and smallmouth bass. I have fished this fly for 40 years and and when I put it to use it does the job. I would say it's the number one brook trout streamer out there. The fly has also accounted for several salter brook trout.

The streamer is named  the "Light Edson Tiger" it's material list consists of yellow bucktail, Wood Duck black and white flank feathers. peacock herl and red saddle hackle feathers. It can be tied with brass eye as Bill Edson used or with a jungle cock eye, or you can tie it without the eyes.

 

 

 

Here are three versions of the Edson Light Tiger. Top is plain, middle is with jungle cock and the bottom has brass eyes. And in the photo is an area where I have fished this fly many, many times.
 

Here is an old photo probably the early 1990's...I was fishing a stream with the Edson Tiger. A small brown trout took the streamer and while I was bringing it in a larger brown slammed the small brown. I was able to bring the two in for a photo.
 

 

 

Small Stream Reflections "an October day"....

Looking into a quiet pool of a stream. The trees of autumn reflecting as if an artist was at work. This is a look into what a day as such can mean to all who give it a try. The morning was cool on this Farmington river tributary. The sun made it's debut and with it's angle now gave the term "shadow" a new meaning. Although very bright there were many dark places within the stream. The rocks along the edge the stream glistened as if they were ice covered and though they were not they still required careful stepping for they were slick. Slippery rocks are natures way of slowing down a small stream angler so as to allow him to take in all the beauty that surrounds him. 

In a pool like this you could choose a dry fly or a wet fly and be able to fish them both with equal success. The wet fly would probably bring you more activity where as the dry fly would bring you an explosive surface take.

 

 

A mini leaf jam. These are common this time of year and each one seems more beautiful then the next.
 

A brookie that took a soft hackle.
 

The fast water where it enters the pool is always a great place to fish. This day I chose to tie on a bright yellow dry fly. After several casts the fly was taken with a splashy rise.
 

This male could not resist the dry fly. It is now mid October, only a short time remains in this "glorious season".....