Ten minutes into being at the gas station, my wife comes over to the drink section where I am attempting to make a decision. She gives me that sigh that I know all too well that means more than just a sigh. What her sigh really means is, "You've been over here ten minutes and you still don't know what you want? It's cold and I want to go." She is right to think that. Who on earth takes that long to pick out a drink? Me. I am one of the most indecisive fellows when it comes to the small stuff. So you can imagine what it's like for me to pick what fly I want to use if there's not anything that's "hot."
Logically, someone could suggest the one fly concept as a basis for me to stick to something and not take 5 minutes staring at my fly box by the stream. The one fly idea has been open to application, as I will say- not interpretation, but application. There is no argument that the one fly concept is where an angler would use one fly only, for a day, a trip, a month, or whatever designated time he or she sees fit. The goal is for the angler to sharpen his or her skills using just one fly making the reliabilty lie within the angler, not the fly. Some can take the concept to the extreme and designate their one fly for life.
This practice demands discipline. While you watch other anglers around you land many fish when you are hoping for just a bump on the line can be discouraging while trying to stick to the one fly rule. Doubt may even creep in as to the vailidity of your decision to choose just one fly. Frustration from a fruitless outing can keep you away from the tying vise for a while too. The constant posts on social media of this person's and that person's one fly with evidence of success can be maddening! "How? How are they able to get such amazing results? It must be where they live, they have more fish." I'm sure plenty of us anglers have had those thoughts.
Take heart! Like I said, the one fly concept takes discipline. Success is to be had! But it will demand heartache, frustration, loss of faith in yourself, and death- ok maybe not death. Once your one fly takes hold however, it can set you free! Free from doubting your choices and doubting yourself.
As I mentioned earlier, the one fly idea is open to application. I myself have a variety of kebari that I tie and keep in my box. My one fly is limited to when I break it off. Then I put on another! Usually a different one! Not because I believe it will work better, but because it's what I have. You could ask, "Why not just tie one fly and keep several? Isn't that the concept of the one fly?" It's a valid question, but I believe it misses the heart of the one fly concept. The one fly concept is for the angler to believe in one's own angling abilities and not in the ability of the design of the fly. Don't get me wrong- you have to fish with something that resembles part of the fish's food chain!
To humor you, I have tied my own fly that I do use more often. If I have it, I will use it all the way until I run out and then I'll tie some more! Remember, whatever is on the end of your tippet should not matter, what you do with it is where you can find sucess. Without further delay, Here it is:
And from the the back end:
My formula:
Hook: Size 12 Orvis Scud hook
Thread: Uni Thread 6/0 - Red
Body: 3 strands of Peacock Hearl over wrapped by medium sized copper wire
Hackle: Ring-Neck Pheasant
I am asking for name submissions for the fly from you as the name "Adam's Fly" is already taken (My name-vote is "Jumanji"). Also, in your comments, feel free to post your one fly!
*Disclaimer: I am not a master fly craftsman when it comes to tying. In the fly from above, I use different colors of thread and hackle. Sometimes, the hackle is further back.
Cool post! I have fished in streams with only one pattern for a season and a half and there is no doubt for me that I would not have improved my skills if I had continued to fish multiple patterns. But I think that someone who wants to try the one fly theory has to be conscient that he will have to challenge what he thinks he knows about fly fishing. I am convinced that my skills as a tenkara angler would not be the same if I had not experienced the one fly theory.
ReplyDeleteT.N.- Thanks! I totally agree, my skills have been honed as a result of using one fly for an entire trip or certain length of time. It has opened up a new level of intesity of fishing for me and my pursuit of tricking the fish. Do you have a particular pattern?
ReplyDeleteThat fly should be very effective. It has all of the right elements that have been proven time and again by numerous anglers. The highly active and variegated shading of the hackle, the green-bronze metallic sheen of the peacock herl, the segmented appearance of the copper winding. It should be especially good in the summer. A one fly approach is certainly effective, but I firmly believe that if you want to catch the most fish, it should be the "right" one fly, and I stand by my own tying and fishing philosophy.
ReplyDelete"Tenkara technique with it's inherent control provide a decided advantage. However, I would add that... "using kebari of the rough coloration and size of the largest, abundant, recognizable food (commodity flies), at the level that the fish are feeding, all things being equal, will increase your performance dramatically. Given that, a small selection of kebari chosen for your specific ecosystem makes a great deal of sense."
Thank Jim! I have been keeping a Tenkara log of my trips. One of the things I track is what fly or kebari patterns are working, with location, season, tempuratures, weather conditions, etc... I hope over time I can develope a course of flies/kebari that are limited to 1 per season, so 4 flies for the entire year. But that may change as well, I may stick with what I do now- fish with what I have. Do you have a list that works for you?
ReplyDeleteHi Adam. I like your thinking there in doing the math for your fav streams. I fish the same region constantly (all within about 50 miles of home), and in the east, so my personal patterns may not be ideal for everyone. My best subsurface pattern is a black, brown or olive killer bugger, very small (usually a #14 or 16 Daiichi 1260 hook) with a sparsely tied tail. My second choice goes to the Skye's Killer Kebari #14 Scud hook, and third the Eastern Killer Bug #14 or 16, also on the Daiiichi 1260. For general wet or emerger types, I prefer the Amano size 14 or 16 scud hook, and for a surface pattern in shallow water, I like the Ishigaki Grizzly #14 or 16 or a large, bright red or flo pink Akiyamago on a scud hook. Most of the fish I catch are rainbows or browns, and time of day is the key factor in fly choice. Early, the Killer Buggers, late the Grizzly. Finally the Amano, Killer Bug or Killer Kebari in the middle of the day. Browns like the Killer Buggers, Grizzly, Amano and generally dull flies. rainbows like everything, especially the Akiyamago. Two flies that have worked well for me in deeper or in slower pocket water are my own Glass Kebari and Glass Ants. They tend to get down deeper without sinking like a stone. Although I haven't used them myself (I use an extremely light rod - the Suntech Kurenai) for those who own heavier rods, I think the Red Ass Monkey jig pattern would be killer in faster pocket and around rocks. Tight lines, Jim.
ReplyDelete