To all of you that take the time to read RMPFF, I hope this winter allows you some time to enjoy beautiful places, quiet times and those you love. I wish all of you and yours a wonderful and safe Holiday Season!
All the best,
Matt O'Connor
As the Patagonia Sales Rep in Colorado and New Mexico, I use this blog to report on Patagonia's products, green initiatives, upcoming events and my travels through the region. I welcome you to follow along!
By Rick Kustich
photos by David Klausmeyer
DRY-FLY DESIGN has been the subject of many discussions with one of my longtime fly-fishing partners, Nick Pionessa, who is a full-time fly tier. His flies end up in some of the better-known shops in the country. We agree that perhaps one of the more important aspects of a dry fly is how visible it is on the water. Not only does this let you see when a fish takes the fly, but it allows you to see how the fly is drifting, as well.
A drag-free drift is often essential to fool a discriminating trout. Unless you can see the fly clearly, it is difficult or even impossible to tell whether you are making a good dead drift. A poor drift results in more refusals than does poor fly selection, so you need to be able to follow the path of the fly to read the impact of the subtle currents that often cannot be seen just by looking at the water's surface. This is especially true when you are making long casts. Being able to see the fly lets you make adjustments to your presentation or position to obtain the proper drift. With a high-visibility fly — one you can see from a long way off — you can easily track your drift and see whether the trout that just rose ate your fly or a natural drifting alongside it.
The challenge is to produce flies you can see from a distance, but without compromising their realistic appearance. Happily, the fly needs to look like a natural insect only from the fish's point of view. This usually allows for some flexibility on the top of the fly. Highly visible wings, posts, or small pieces of foam tied in on the top will dramatically improve how easy it is to see the fly. At the same time, the fly's key elements — such as the body, tails, legs, or shuck — can still offer an impressionistic look from underneath.
Read more here!
by Philip Monahan
ALTHOUGH MULTI-FLY RIGS have been around for centuries and have always remained popular in Europe, fishing more than one pattern was nearly a forgotten science in this country until about 15 years ago. In fact, even when angling magazines flooded the market with tandem-rig stories, many anglers outside the Rockies took a long time to catch on. For instance, my older brother, Brian, has been fly fishing since the late 1970s, but he had never fished two flies until we traveled to Wyoming last summer. Troll a few Internet message boards, and you'll find that a large portion of the fly-fishing community is still discovering the effectiveness of this "modern" technique.
Read more here!