One of the most often posed, and seemingly harmless questions a beginner can ask a fellow flyfisher, is what fly should I put on if I am at so and so creek, river, lake or wherever it may be at such and such a time? Sounds reasonable? But, this loaded question, once asked, will have a more experienced angler firing off a list of questions for you! That’s right - you only asked one, and got twenty in return. And you thought he was going to help, not throw up more questions than you have answers! I almost bet a few of those questions will revolve around what the weather is like? Is it cloudy and warm, cloudy and cold, patchy cloud, or bright? What’s the wind strength and direction? Is the barometer on the rise or is there a low approaching? What's the water clarity? What is hatching on the water? Are there any signs of life in the water or in the air? These are just a few possible questions! But don’t worry. Many years ago Mark decided that instead of answering so many questions about which fly to tie on for beginners, he scribed a list and handed them out at our clinics. That was some ten years ago. Since then, David Dodd the master flytyer and artist he is, picked up on the idea and refined the list into something very handy for people starting out, or for those who simply don’t have the time to become seasoned anglers. We can never keep enough of the printed version in the cabin and it’s not only the beginners who grab them! So here it is below, for you to refer to or print out at will. |
