Re: [VFB] Re: presentation vs pattern- the great debate rages on...

[DMurphy832]

In a message dated 11/1/2004 3:40:40 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: One of the things that truly makes my blood boil is to listen to some dolt bad-mouth a pattern when in fact they aren't fishing anything resembling the original... Paul, I read most of your posts and learn a lot from you.  Here we are on a rare dispute.  Not disputing that a pattern is good or bad, but that your implication a variation might be a "bad" idea.  To the point that movement and impression of a particular food form is important, I concede.  If we diverge from this on minor pattern variations, I might disagree.  You did say "resemble" so maybe I'm off base here.   Four of us (Byard, Howard, Richard "dances" Ross, myself) tie different versions of a pattern Byard came up with (which is actually of a variation of a known pattern).  We each fish it in different colors using slightly different materials but the "impression" is similar.  All of us do well with it on the same stream.  Usually, the best presenters (I admit to being the worst) catch the most fish but not always.   Howard often adds a bit of partridge, Byard usually sticks to his original with Awesome Hair, dances prefers a color the others don't and I tend to copy all of their various nuances in various combinations.  The results?  Byard, dances and Howard alternate catching the most but sometimes my hybrids slay em.   No way would I bad mouth the original as it is the basis of lots of good fishing.  My only point is that variation of an original theme might not be a bad idea or take away from the principles which make it successful.  My impression on flys is that the fish focus on their perception of what it is and not always any hard and fast rule otherwise.   Your turn.   Murf