Gerald,
I'll respond within your text below IN ALL CAPS. -Murf
From: Gerald Lincoln [EMAIL PROTECTED]
I have been tying flies since 1967 and think there is less attention to attractor traits than in the past. DISAGREE. Your definition of attractor traits might differ from mine. AGREE. There is a movement away from realistic flies specifically for fishing. Realistic flies have become more of an art form. Some of the tiers are trying to include natural traits in gills and legs to give an appearance of life like qualities in those patterns. I DON'T REMEMBER REALISTIC FLYS YEARS AGO BUT I SHOULD HAVE SAID CLASSIC IMITATIONS.
There definitely is a philosophical shift to an impressionistic style for flies but more emphasis is
on the life like qualities of movement in extended bodies, legs, gills, and wings. If you consider this to be an attractor I would agree with you. EXCEPT FOR REALISTIC AS ABOVE, AREN'T ALL IMPRESSIONISTIC?
How often do you see patterns such as the Royal Coachmen these days appearing in magazines or books. How much of the streamer patterns of Stevens and other Maine tiers was imitation and how much was attractor? AH BUT WASN'T THERE A NATURAL FOOD RELATED TO IMPRESSION? Does substituting Z-lon for bucktail change a pattern from imitation to attractor? Do some of the newer synthetics permit us to imitate a natural trait that was always there but not noticed or cared about but looks only like an attractant in the vise? NOT KNOCKING SYNTHETICS...UNLESS IT REFLECTS ARTIFICIAL DIET.
As Mike pointed out in his response, changes are occurring but not necessarily with loss of insects. BUT ONE ECO SYSTEM CHANGE AFFECTS THE OTHER DOES IT NOT?
We have seen so many insects while driving past other streams now that we never seemed to have thirty years ago. BUT ARE THESE NATURAL CYCLES OR CHANGES IN ENVIRONMENT?
You might want to look in some of the entomology journals. I believe I have read that variation in color within the same species can occur naturally based upon environmental conditions that are not necessarily detrimental. It is possible that a negative condition was affecting the original coloration. A larger size, #16 versus #18, might also indicate a healthier condition. AGREED, BUT WHAT AFFECTS THE CHANGES, ENVIRONMENT, MUTATION...?
I believe we are at a high point in the history of fly tying and hope it is not an apex. There is much more cross fertilization of ideas now with the Internet and shows such as Somerset that were unheard
of a generation ago. The change in the availability and marketing of fly tying materials is another story. AH, MATERIALS, I LOVE NEW ONES. MY POINT IS NOT THE FLYS WE TIE AS MUCH AS WHY WE TIE WHAT WE DO.
Gerald Lincoln Mount Joy, PA
EXCELLENT POST Gerald! Please do it more often. Every time a new voice is heard we gain knowledge from the conversation and the forum quality improves. BTW, I'm originally from Hanover, PA and my family hails from Brogue (other side of the river and south of York). Feel free to contact me regarding any waters in central PA from south to north as I've probably fished them.
Murf
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