Can I de-scent flys?

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 .

S. Inkson wrote:
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 .

River? floating flys? Sunk flys? Mud is good for de-scent and descent
on sunk flys :-)

Drop down a size (or two) in the same pattern(s) next time and see if
that works.
Size can make a difference.


Steve

"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

On Wed, 06 Sep 2006 05:42:14 +1000, "S. Inkson"
wrote:

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?

It's not smell. I agree with Steve that when you get refusals, drop
down a size or two (i.e., smaller). You might also think about using
a smaller tippet, or even trying FC tippet. Trout can also detect the
slightest drag on a presentation which would make it unnatural.

Work on size, tippet, and presentation. It could be any one of these,
or *all* of them.

Dave

It sounds a size issue or more likely a drag problem.

A nymph would have a higher likelihood of a scent problem than a dry,
but still not high unless you handled gasoline or other petroleum
products prior to going fishing.

S. Inkson wrote:
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 .

I think the old boys, in the old days, would store they're streamers in
their sardine cans. Just remember to take 'em out before lunch.

Your pal,

Halfordian Golfer

S. Inkson wrote:
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 .

I think the old boys, in the old days, would store their streamers in
their sardine cans. Just remember to take 'em out before lunch.

Your pal,

Halfordian Golfer

In my opinion you shouldn't need to de-scent them, unless they have been
exposed to smoke or anything else that would cause an unusual amount of
scent contamination. There is another thing though. Your hands can transfer
your own odor to different materials, everyone has a scent, but some folks
produce more of it than others, in this case just wash your hands before
going, I mean we treat them with silicone based floatants etc. and fish take
them.......Kerry
"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 .

It may aswell accept something to do with the beck that you are fishin'. Is the baptize low and clear? If so, the trout ability in fact be gettin' a glimpse of you just as they are about to yield the fly. Or they could just be actual educated, bug wise.