Ask fly fishers “what is your most important consideration when setting up?” and a very large number say “the fly I’m going to use”. Whether this is correct, is not the point of this post.
As a guide and instructor, I get to see into many peoples fly boxes. As someone who is both involved in “the industry” and a very keen fly fisher, I see a phenomenal range of flies available. The quality of these flies range from absolutely amazing, to unbelievably bad.
Given the importance so many people place on selecting a fly to fish, I am regularly shocked at their fly box contents. Simply throwing away the contents and giving them a small selection of patterns tied well, would significantly improve their catches.
So rather than look at “fly selection” from the perspective of solely what to tie on your leader, also consider it from the perspective of what quality flies should go in your fly box.
Points to look for in quality flies: –
- Hook quality
- Quality of materials
- Correct proportions & quality of tying
- Fit for purpose (i.e. if it’s supposed to sink fast, does the fly contain enough weight)
Once you have a selection of appropriate quality flies, then it’s time to ponder what to tie on!
If this all sounds a bit picky to you, that’s fine, but consider this. Even the best quality flies are the cheapest item in your gear collection, yet it’s the thing the fish eats!
Thanks for reading!
SJY