"W. D. Grey" wrote in message ...
In article , riverman
writes
Certain mayfly nymph patterns insist on three tails. Has anyone done an
experiment where they have tied up several identical patterns, differing
only in the number of tails, and fished them in the same water? I'm
wondering if it really makes any difference at all.

--riverman


Welsh trout can, they're damned clever :-)

Seriously, some of the dry fly patterns which should have two tails are
frequently tied with a small bunch of whisks of cock hackle and they
work well.

Have to agree with Bill, though I'd emphasise 'small'. There comes a
point where the tail becomes thick enough to be a body extension
rather than a tail
(in the imitative sense).

Steve