Tattered Flies

It's been a little while but on occasion I have had a fly work so well on a trip that it got pretty ragged looking. It seems to have that "something" the fish like although it looks quite different than when I made the first cast with it. I have a tendency to want to replace it with a new fly same pattern but it seem experience has taught me leave well enough along and keep using the fly the fish have nearly destroyed. What are your thoughts along these lines?

I would agree, but never had that experience. Glad you did.

I tend to tie a new one on to get it tattered so it will maybe work better the next time I use it.

Rick

I will leave the tattered fly on if the profile of the fly has not substantially changed. If there are some long strands hanging off the fly, I will trim those back to keep the profile. I don't think long stringers hanging off trout flies help.

Ted

I find that my flies, especially leech patterns seem to be even more effective when they get tattered looking. I keep fishing them until I can see bare hook shank or I donate them to a submerged tree limb/stump.

As long as a fly is still catching fish, I'll leave it on. A beat-up fly often out fishes a new one.

A fellow came into the shop with one of my flies, the thread and hackle was hanging and he said he was still catching fish on it.
I think the trout liked it.

Since I buy and don't tie , I try to get my $'s worth out of each fly. While I can't vouch for better results with "tattered" flies, I can state I don't notice much or any difference in their use. I have, however, fished many "must match the hatch" streams where THAT just doesn't work. Most of the streams and rivers I have fished lately in NW Wyoming have fish with a less discerning palate and seem to eat my presentations mostly based on color and less on their condition.

Mark