Come on Don, you're responding to the post I sent in response to Murf. Read the one I sent in response to yours.
Nonetheless, let's examine your premise. First, it's necessary to clear away a ton of dead wood. 1. the only way you know the fly has been refused is if you can see the fish; either in whole, or in part (a rise). 2. assuming we're speaking of "rising" fish, you can present a dry-fly pattern drag-free, or with drag. Not too many other choices I can think of except the "secret" little twitch. In my experience, if a trout persistently refuses a drag-free drift of a likely imitation, I do the following: a. drop the size by one, then two, steps. b. make sure I'm in the feeding rhythm. c. no luck; try different designs (ie parachute, no-hackle, comparadun, etc.). d. get bugged and try streamers, nymphs, etc. e. salute the beast that just stuck it to me and go look for a less discriminating trout. Frankly, I find initial failure far more interesting than quick success. A trout that makes me ring the changes rates a specific diary entry rather than being lumped in with "took 15 on an xxx today." If I had the right answer first time, every time, I'd sell my rods & library, give away my flies, and take up bird watching. The importance of pattern has been debated for a thousand years and will be long after we're all dust. Cheers, Paul -- Paul Marriner Outdoor Writing & Photography. Owner: Gale's End Press. Member: OWAA & OWC. Author of Stillwater Fly Fishing: Tools & Tactics, How to Choose & Use Fly-tying Thread, Modern Atlantic Salmon Flies, Miramichi River Journal, Ausable River Journal, and Atlantic Salmon.
