How often to you change your flies?

[jimmadsen]

Here is a question I want to throw out to the group.

When I'm fishing and not catching, I'm in the process of trying to figure out what's on the menu for today. I know from previous experience in my waters what bugs are there and I'm always checking to see if there's anything different or present with any great abundance.

After I make my choice, I fish it for about 15 minutes at the most - then if I have no strikes on it I'll change to something else. My reasoning is that if I know that there are fish holding in an area, and they haven't found my presentation to be a reasonable representation of what they are currently dining on, then I want to change and try something else that might work.

So...how long do YOU fish a fly with no takers before you swap out and try something else?

Thanks!

Jim

[Fly Goddess]

Sometimes too soon. Specially with a client. As a rule I give it 5 to 10 casts, then I move up a little and switch flies. If I am on familiar waters and nothing on the 3rd cast, then I switch.
Jim, I just scored some PURPLE pheasant tail and I have purple peacock, so I was going for the Purple Nurple Pheasant tail. I have been playing with Yellow, Orange and Red Phesant tail (thanks to a good sole here on FAOL) Just a plain old flashback bead head Phesant tail. But the Orange and the Yellow plus Orange/yellow have been deadly on Brookies. The Red is a one cast fly. I told you about Purple working so well. you shoot me an PM with your address and I will send you some Crayola PT's to try out.

[Gramps]

I guess it depends on how confident I am with the fly i'm using. If i'm just searching i'll change it often.

[Rick Z]

About 10 casts and then I am onto something else. By this time I have covered about half the clock dial and three different depths.

Rick

[JeffHamm]

Hi,

My Grandfather always said that if you didn't get a strike after 15 minutes, change flies. This would be when fishing blind through a stretch of water. I don't wear a watch, and often lose track of time when fishing though. Some days, I'll fish the same team of flies for a few hours, before realising that I should probably switch at least one of them. I've had occasions where, just when I'm thinking it's about time to switch, I start getting strikes! This makes me wonder if it's not so much changing to the right fly that makes the difference, but rather the fish have changed their attitude and have gone on the feed. Mind you, one of the benefits of changing fairly often is that it can make you slow down, observe what's happening on the water, and stops you from whipping the surface into a froth.

If I'm fishing to a sighted fish, if I don't get a strike or at least a look after a few presentations that I think should have "worked", I'll switch if the fish is still there.

- Jeff

[tea stick]

It depends on several factors; am I feeling lazy or active, is it a stream I'm familar with or not, am I fishing drys or nymphing, and have I seen a refusal. After 2 refusals I'll change immediately. Oh....and if I've caught one fish, I'll go a long time before giving up on the pattern.

Bottom line is anywhere between 5 minutes and 45 minutes.



Scott

[Bamboozle]

I only change once I'm convinced it's NOT the fly that is causing the refusal.

I find that changes in presentation account for more success on stubborn fish than changes of flies.

[tea stick]

Bamboozle,

I will not argue the point that presentation may often cause refusals. However, too many times after changing flies and on the first well placed cast did I get a strike. I find it hard to believe that my changing flies has somehow made me a better fisherman to now all of a sudden produce a drag free float. If it did I would change flies all the time
No, I do believe that fish refuse for reasons other than detecting drag. I believe that besides presentation selective trout are looking for size, colour and silhouette and you have to have a good approximation of these.

Scott

[Fly Goddess]

Bamboozle,

I will not argue the point that presentation may often cause refusals. However, too many times after changing flies and on the first well placed cast did I get a strike. I find it hard to believe that my changing flies has somehow made me a better fisherman to now all of a sudden produce a drag free float. If it did I would change flies all the time
No, I do believe that fish refuse for reasons other than detecting drag. I believe that besides presentation selective trout are looking for size, colour and silhouette and you have to have a good approximation of these.

Scott

Right On

[loufly]

Are you talking rivers, streams, or lakes. I fish mostly lakes and when a fly does not work, it means I am not using the right retrieve or not the right depth. Trout in lakes are oppurtunistic and when a fly is presented correctly, they will take it. There are different situations where these fish get just as picky as spring creek fish, but I will fish a fly way longer than its time. In rivers and streams, I put on what the fly shop says is working and never take it off and then blame them later for a bad day of fishing.