Fish Finder

No one has ever seen fish inspect a fly with a magnifying glass to see whether its head was finished with half hitches or whipped, or use calipers to check a tail's length. Using less than perfect flies is like driving a new car with a dent in one fender. They don't look as nice, but they still get the job done." - Author Unknown

My first fly caught Steelhead was fooled on what was supposed to look like a traditional Steelhead Nightmare pattern. I still have that exact same fly and looking back at it, it was nothing more than some over sized pink bunny strip clumsily attached to a dull #1 Mustad Salmon hook finished off with an over sized pile of pink thread which I thought was wrapped good enough to represent the head of the fly. It fooled a fish and I was proud. I tied patterns for trout before I started whipping them up for salmon, and I never in a million years ever thought I'd be tying them to chase after Steelhead, while the drift gear stayed in the garage. I have kept a few firsts went it comes to flies. I still have my first tie that caught me a fish, which was a little silver 12 inch Cutthroat Trout. That little Brown #8 Marabou Leech is still stuck in my Outback hat to this day. My first ever attempts of a Chironomid, Halfback, Bloodworm and Carey Special pattern are still tucked away in a film case in some box of materials. From time to time I stumble upon them while looking for something, and I almost always stop to have a look. Come to think of it my 2nd through 12th tries weren't much better esthetically , but they did catch me a fish or two. For some having a few wobbly pops brings out the creative juices in the imagination for conjuring up a great idea that will surly be a sure fire winner at success. For me after a few Crown Specials I back away from the vice. Other wise it's just a waste of good material. I have learned somewhere that avid fly tiers break down in to two categories. The first being the tier who does it out of necessity, so they can get out on the water and fish as quickly as possible. They enjoy it, but are not too crazy about it, and they do it so they can fish without burning a big hole in their pocket. Perhaps their patterns don't look quite as "pretty" as the next guys, however the idea still does the job and still catches fish. The second category is the tier (which is unfortunately me) who is so meticulous it can be painful for the dying need to have their bug or fruit of their imagination look like the real insect or the perfect offering with every little minuscule detail properly arranged, that they'll give up a few extra minutes of their time on the water to achieve what they believe is the most ultimate creation in the history of fly fishing....well at that moment anyhow. These too catch fish, but in the end can be a hassle especially if the fish aren't willing to play along. It is also another reason why I try and stay off the vice after breakfast on the lake's edge before heading out to begin a day. If I don't then it's a safe bet it'll be a brunch start to the day on the water. Sure these flies look great but when it's all done it took an hour to whip up 3 intruders with all the fix'ns. Which in the end If it came down to it, wouldn't do any better if it was placed side by side with that Pink Bunny strip on a hook and passed in front of a Steelhead's nose. Then there is the infamous 2 cast fly. This is the fly that builds the personal character of a fly fisherman. The one that seemed like it took an eternity to finish, only to have it lost to the river bottom or some sort of snag after only two passes through the water column. I'll eventually come up with an appropriate name for this pattern, and I'm sure it'll start with some sort of profanity when I figure on a good handle. In the end I know that all flies have a place and time in glory, no matter what they look like. The key is to have confidence that what you are presenting will work in fooling fish. Personally I'm my own worst critic when it comes to tying flies, even though I know better and witnessed some of the most ordinary, basic looking and even beat up messes of floss and feathers that pass for patterns catch some of the most amazing fish. Not once but over and over again. There are no rules when sitting behind the vice, and the only boundaries are the ones set by imagination, and that's the beauty that comes with fly tying. An art within the art.

Finder