Looks Aren't Everything
By Lloyd Metcalf, ME


I had a customer come to my little tackle shop with a fly a deceased friend had tied. He said it was the best brookie fly he had ever used and wondered if I could tie some up for him. He said he kept catching fish on this fly, but was afraid of losing it. My first impression was hell no...I don't think I have ever seen a worse looking fly.

It was a moshed mess of orange, sparkle and an awkwardly placed duck flank on top with mis-shapen red thread head. I said I would try and do my best to match it. Tying samples of them was almost embarrassing, and I made a few only much neater and organized flies. One I matched as closely as possible and tied almost as an afterthought just to make a match. I was very dissatisfied and really didn't want word to get out that I had tied such a simple and ugly looking fly.

Sure enough that was the one he came back with, "I want a dozen of these."

Everytime he goes out to his favorite trout pond he swears that he gets his limit and a few catch and releases in just a half hour of fishing.

A good fly is indeed one that catches fish and stays together.

Looks aren't everything. ~ Lloyd Metcalf


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