Quote Originally Posted by Byron haugh View Post
Being an avid tier who hangs out a lot in the big fly shops in the West - around Yellowstone Park, I can tell you, you will not find a lot of the "old standard patterns".
Possibly because the "old standard patterns" dont catch fishermen as well as the newest, latest and greatest eye-catching patterns do?
I think we over-emphasize fly patterns at times. We like new things and like to think we're evolving into better, smarter fly tyers and fishermen, when in fact the fish are the same as they were decades ago. I think that's quite possible.
I've had days on the water where a chewed up, ratty-looking fly kept consistently catching fish, even when it hardly resembled the fly it looked like when fresh out of the fly box. But if it had looked that way new, I would have never tied it on. I believe the old traditional patterns are just as effective as they ever were, its just that folks dont fish them like they used to anymore. As fly fishermen, many of us are always on the lookout for the latest-n-greatest to help us catch fish....and there's nothing wrong with that either I suppose. Hey, it's fishing....and supposed to be something we do for enjoyment and pleasure, and if that is what makes us enjoy the sport, I say go for it and have fun!