I was thinking that if anyone published another pattern consisting of peacock, white and brown and called it a new invention, I would see red and strangle the bloke. It doesn't matter what it looks like...peacock, brown and white catches trout, it's a sure thing.
How many REALLY new ideas have there been in flytying?
Then I happened upon a Dave Hughes book among the stack I had brought home from the library. This one is Essential Trout Flies published by Stackpole Books. I never paid much attention to it before because the first 20 out of the 90 pages is basic flytying instruction. But when I started looking at the organization of the book, it struck me...Hughes has organized the book according to the major inventions in fly tying. In each section there is a photograph of at least six flies that are representative of that genre.
Here's his list...see if you agree that each of these categories represents a major invention in fly tying.
Traditional Dry Flies Hairwing Duns Sparkle Duns (Comparaduns) Thorax Duns Spentwing Spinners Wulffs Humpies Parachute Dry Flies Elk Hair Caddis Quill Wing Caddis Stonefly Dries Traditional Midge Dries and Griiffith's Gnat Grasshopper and Cricket Dries CDC Dry Flies
Fur Nymphs Herl Nymphs Fuzzy Nymphs (ala Rosborough)
Rubber Leg Nymphs Beadhead Nymphs Scud Nymphs Stonefly Nymphs Caddisfly Nymphs Serendipity Nymphs
Soft-Hackled Wet Flies Wingless Wet Flies: Flymphs Traditional Winged Wet Flies Sparkle Caddis Pupae (ala Fontaine) Muddler Minnows Hairwing and Featherwing Streamers Woolly Buggers and Marabou Leeches Matukas and Zonkers
I think to this list I would add Foam Flies, and I think he's left out Terrestials in general.
Comments?
Wes Wada Bend, Oregon
