What is your secret of fly rotation?

Ernie wrote:
"adso4" wrote in message
om...

My question today is, what is your secret, rationale, or theory

of fly

rotation that goes beyond Woolly Bugger as the terminator? What

is

your initial searching pattern? If you have to change fly

pattern

itself, not just downsizing it, then, what fly do you usually

go for

next, and then? What is your fly of last resort?


The answer depends on the type of fish you are fishing for and
the type of water you are fishing in.
Generally:
1. If the fish are striking short go to a smaller fly.
2. If the fish are not striking change the color of the fly.
3. If #2 fails change the type of fly, wet, dry, style etc.
Ernie




If I'm not getting any response from the fish, my first reaction is to
try a different approach. If dries aren't working try a nymph or a wet.
If I'm getting refusals from actively feeding fish, I'll first try a
change in presentation then go to a smaller fly then go to a different
type of fly. I VERY seldom worry about color except in terms of light
and dark. (Except for orange - sometimes that color seems to really turn
on the fish. I have no idea why but it's the only color that I've
noticed having that type of reaction).

Willi

"Willi" wrote

and dark. (Except for orange - sometimes that color seems to really turn
on the fish. I have no idea why but it's the only color that I've
noticed having that type of reaction).


I've had two or three experiences where bright green was a trigger that had
to be pulled. The one I remember best was on Manzanita Lake in Lassen Nat
Park. There was a midge hatch early before the calibaetis and damsels
that most guys came to fish. Day one I couldn't touch a midge eater, so I
caught some bugs and they were a bright "insect green" I tied a few
Griffins in that color and a few emergers. Next morning, with my greenies,
I could pretty much take fish at will, and didn't see anyone else stick one.

Eventually ( this is the part of the story that makes it memorable for me )
a guy in a tube paddled over and asked what I was using. I gave him a green
Lashers emerger and instructed him how to grease only half. He went back
near his buddy and showed him the fly as he tied it on and dressed it. I
heard the buddy say, "Oh that's BULL****, color isn't important and that
fancy emerger crap is hogwash, too, stick with a woolybugger." At that a
fish rose near them and the guy covered him with my greenie ... fish on ...
the gent I gave a fly saying " Well, Jim, it may be bull****, but it sure
works." is the last I heard of their chat as I rowed my pram away, that
was almost 10 years ago, and it still makes me grin G