Can I de-scent flys?

"S. Inkson" wrote in message
...
I have a lot of good (expensive) flys but I seem to get a lot more
suspicious looks and then refusals than I should. I know the size and
patterns are good but wonder now because of the incredible sense of smell
trout reputedly have that the flys have somehow become tainted. I'm not a
smoker,careful with sunscreen,insect spray and wash my hands etc but is
there a way or product I can wash the flys in or with?
Regards Simon .

Simon,
I am a smoker and I sometimes use deet bug repellant, but I have never had
to descent my flyz.

I'm with Steve Welsh on this one. I'd try droppin' down a size or two.

It may also have something to do with the stream that you are fishin'. Is
the water low and clear? If so, the trout might actually be gettin' a
glimpse of you just as they are about to take the fly. Or they could just
be very educated, bug wise. If the stream you fish gets a lot of pressure,
and the trout have seen that fly on many other occasions, they might just be
refusin' something they know to be a fake--now we are talkin' about trout,
so don't think I am givin' them more *intellectual* credit than they are
due. It's just that on some of the famous streams I have heard that trout
will refuse offerings that they have seen over and over again.

Try the smaller flyz and be as stealthy as you can be--trout are wily little
critters!

Op