THE PERFECT FLY...
Bri & Leah writes... So tell me Jim, what are the most important aspects of a fly that make it delectably alluring to fishies? In other words: So tell me Jim, could you describe the theoretically perfect fly?

Well Bri & Leah, the perfect fly is the one that catches fish. Fly theory starts with two basic classifications of flies, imitators and attractors. Imitators are flies that imitate the fish's natural food. Attractors do not look like anything specific but entice the fish to strike anyway, similar to the way a cat will chase a string even though it looks nothing like anything in its' natural diet.

Imitators will have certain proportions that would match what ever it was trying to imitate. By the way, even when we are talking about imitators, we seldom see a fly that looks exactly like what it is trying to imitate. Theory has it that the fish will key in on color, size and proportion. The imitator that has those key features will out fish a fly that will be an exact replica. That is because, most of the imitators are trying to imitate something that is alive and moving. When a fly has a hackle collar, it gives the impression of legs or wings moving. An exact replica gives the impression of something still and generally less enticing.

Attractors, on the other hand are less concerned with proportion and more concerned with movement. Materials such as marabou feathers and mohair yarn have movements in water that can be very alluring to a fish.

One of the wonderful things about fishing is that it is not an exact science. One day a certain fly will catch a certain fish, the next day, nothing. Some days, fish are very aggressive, other days they are not. Also, what attracts a trout may not attract a bass. So, when it comes time to tie a fly onto your line, you are guessing what is going to be effective at that time.

There are many theories of what fly to use and how to fish it. They all work sometimes, none of them work all of the time. The best way to learn what to fish and how to fish it, is to go fishing. Try something, if it works, keep trying, if it doesn't work, do something different.