How much credit should the fly get?

[smallstreams.co.za]

I dont believe its either or all the time. It changes from day to day. I have watched my fiance drag a sunken RAB across the surface and catch a ton of fish with no help from. I have had flies rejected on good drifts and flies eaten on bad drifts. I have watched complete amateurs on the streams and stillwaters have great success not knowing what the hell they were doing. Opposed to me, who likes to think he knows what he's doing, not catching anything at all. The only thing I am sure of, is that I am not sure of anything. The one thing I do know though, is flyfisherman love discussing this stuff! Ha ha ha ha

There are two things I always mention when people ask, what flies should they use for the NEC? I fish certain flies there because of the flies qualities and not because of their fish catching abilities. Hoppers, ants and beetles, because there are so many fish hitting dries I hate having to redress and dry the flies all the time and foam its much more practical. Nymphs are mostly the same with different colour dubbing, some with flash some without and then cdc collars. Maybe a few bombs like the gun to get down if the water is pumping. But otherwise, nothing fancy, because I mostly tie them while drinking in the evening around the fire talking crap with friends. The other thing is there are so many fish in Rhodes and they have to eat or someone else will so they wont be incredibly picky I have found, maybe the one hog who wont eat, but you will always catch fish. NZ would be a totally different story though.

Admit it, you just wanted to say fiance

[Korrie]

I dont believe its either or all the time. It changes from day to day. I have watched my fiance drag a sunken RAB across the surface and catch a ton of fish with no help from. I have had flies rejected on good drifts and flies eaten on bad drifts. I have watched complete amateurs on the streams and stillwaters have great success not knowing what the hell they were doing. Opposed to me, who likes to think he knows what he's doing, not catching anything at all. The only thing I am sure of, is that I am not sure of anything. The one thing I do know though, is flyfisherman love discussing this stuff! Ha ha ha ha

There are two things I always mention when people ask, what flies should they use for the NEC? I fish certain flies there because of the flies qualities and not because of their fish catching abilities. Hoppers, ants and beetles, because there are so many fish hitting dries I hate having to redress and dry the flies all the time and foam its much more practical. Nymphs are mostly the same with different colour dubbing, some with flash some without and then cdc collars. Maybe a few bombs like the gun to get down if the water is pumping. But otherwise, nothing fancy, because I mostly tie them while drinking in the evening around the fire talking crap with friends. The other thing is there are so many fish in Rhodes and they have to eat or someone else will so they wont be incredibly picky I have found, maybe the one hog who wont eat, but you will always catch fish. NZ would be a totally different story though.

Remember the drift can be various drifts- Drag free, drift with drag, directly downstream, drag across the current etc etc

[JadeDsantos]

Remember the drift can be various drifts- Drag free, drift with drag, directly downstream, drag across the current etc etc

What is a bad drift then!? I guess its the wrong drift ha ha ha . . .

Admit it, you just wanted to say fiance

Ha ha ha yeah, it feels good either way!

[Korrie]

With good technique, a bad fly will still catch fish.
with terrible technique, a good fly will not catch fish. or normally it will not

[gkieser]

No Credit should be given to the fly. All credit should be given to the fisherman because he has selected the right fly.

[gkieser]

With good technique, a bad fly will still catch fish.
with terrible technique, a good fly will not catch fish. or normally it will not

Not sure i agree with that. First trout i ever caught was with a shocker of a 5m cast which was the best i could do as a boy, with a red setter, that landed just where i could get it, and then just mundanely pulled the fly back to me and the fish ate it. Bad technique, no experience, good fly - still caught.

I think a bad fly is worse than a bad technique. To me, like in my previous post, I think the fly makes a difference, but the art is in the fisherman knowing when he should put a specific fly on.

Having said that, there are many things that are just as important, if not more, than the fly, but the point is i think the fly is still pretty important.

[JadeDsantos]

Bad technique catches fish, better technique catches more . . . .
A bad fly catches fish, the right fly catches more . . .

[Paul J]

this is a chicken or egg question. both are important. that said, its called FLYfishing for a reason. without the fly, you are nothing but an overdressed, very expensive lightning conductor

[Jean Bence]

Its all about the fly...

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[gkieser]

The best response to that fly is the highly diplomatic "That will catch fish" :biggrin: