"Willi & Sue" wrote in message
...
SNIP
. With "wets" - weight,
absorption, texture, flexibility, water resistance, etc etc are going to
effect how a fly will act in the water. IMO, this "attitude" that the
fly takes when it is fished, is much more important than using a fly
that's a precise color or profile match to our eyes.

Willi


I would agree with that. In most cases I consider presentation to be of much
greater importance than any "exact" imitation, but at the same time, if the
presentation is correct, and the pattern is also good, one will be
successful.

With poor patterns, a good presentation can be largely a waste of time, as
the pattern simply is not good enough for the fish. One may still catch a
fish or two, but nothing like the success one can have when everything comes
together.

Further to that, in my experience "exact imitation", ( i.e especially
"realistic tying"), is also not very successful in terms of fish catching,
mainly because the flies so tied do not behave properly. Many "suggestive"
flies are however extremely successful. The trick is, to find the right
combination of presentation and pattern, and I maintain that the only way to
do this properly is to observe the creatures themselves, and using this
knowledge, dress the appropriate patterns which are behaviourally correct,
and also suggestive of the real thing in appearance.

One can indeed learn what insects should be hatching when, ( or use "hatch
charts" prepared by others, and fish "standard" patterns which more or less
match the supposed hatch. If one is accurate with ones predictions, ( or
the chart is accurate!) this too can be pretty successful. But still not
as successful as "Knowing" what is happening, at a specific time.

Often, a few simple deductions from careful observation on the water, will
tell you all you need to know about what is hatching. All you then have to
do, is match it properly, in terms of appearance and behaviour.

TL
MC