Patterns

Even though I have literally thousands of flies in my bag, I find myself reaching for one of two or three standards each time I fish. And I usually do just fine, thank you.

But other folks swear to me that I would do better if I used such-and-such a tie or attempted to get my hands on a pattern that they said is a killer.

It seems to me that what makes a pattern successful for an individual is the confidence he or she has in it and the willingness they have to fish it well. Perhaps they work the fly more carefully or their casting and retrieving techniques are that much sharper because they believe that fly will catch fish.

I also am fascinated by the creativity that folks exhibit in their tying, especially with all the new manmade materials that are out there. Traditional patterns have been modified and new ones established because someone got a brainstorm and went to work on it. Listen to Harry Koons and you hear about the development of the Rat's Arse. Page Rogers' involvement with epoxy is legendary, as is Bob Popovics experimentation with that material and silicone. Some folks are convinced that a fly has its own individual character and trying to create perfect duplicates is a waste of time . . . and perhaps more futile than we realize. There is a unique quality to much of the material we use and some folks measure exactly and stack their bucktail in a hairstacker, while others revel in the special qualities that each fly possesses, totally unconcerned if one is a little bit longer or fuller than the other.

Some of the changes have been subtle, such as the addition of the overwing on the Sea Biscuit, which otherwise very much imitates a Deceiver. And it catches fish; just ask Chip Gouger from the Fly Shop.

Size is another bugaboo, with some folks sneering at the plethora of big flies out there and others ascribe to the notion that big baits catch big fish.

But it doesn't have to be a professional tyer who is just inspired by the tying art. I watch and observe Steve Shiraka at the vise or look over one of Art Crago's Ugly Mothers and I'm suitably impressed. Clousers and Deceivers come in all sizes and shapes; some work and some don't, but there is a lot of energy out there.

I fished with Glen Mello the other day and you could see the genuine pleasure he took in catching striper after striper on his own flies.

But there's the rub. Even if you have a favorite pattern and know that it will catch fish, the other person might not be that convinced and prefer to use his own pattern. Just the other day I was reading a give-and-take about bunny flies on the Members Report page on Reel-Time. While many folks extolled the action and fish catching qualities of this pattern, another gentleman had nothing good to say about them, especially about their tendency to foul even with a supporting mono loop for the tail and get soaked and sloppy. And I began to think about the need to be open-minded and keep adding to our knowledge and repertoire.

And on this Independence Day weekend, that's what I'll celebrate: that independent, creative fire that burns in those folks who tie and imagine. But I'll also nod my head in approval to those who believe that the beauty of flyrodding is the appreciation of the individual in it all. Let's not lose sight of the old saw ``that there's more than one way to skin a cat'' and listen and learn from everyone. We'll all be better for it in the long run, as people and fishermen.

Reel -Time

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