Try as we might to avoid it, the progression of age is a part of our human life cycle.
Sooner or later we will begin to feel the effects of aging is almost everything we do.
As fly fishers we use all of our senses in the pursuit of our quarry. None more important
than sight, and none as fragile.
We all have trouble with tiny flies. They have very small eyes, which are difficult to thread
our tippets through. They are next to impossible to see on the water, even for much youngest
eyes then ours.
One solution has always been to use bright materials for wings or the post on a parachute type
fly. A dry fly strike indicator of sorts.
The fly pictured here has such a post. It is a very vivid fluorescent pink color. Perfect for those
conditions where low light and age combine with the wiles of the quarry to put us at a distinct
disadvantage.
While tying recently with a group of members of South Jersey Fly Fishers, Dick Eppinger
an avid fisherman and Past Mid Atlantic Council President of the Federation of Fly Fishers,
pulled out of his kit this static synthetic feather duster.
At first I figured he was just going to tidy up the mess in front of his area a bit, but he then
took it and started examining it as though he were selecting a hackle from a neck. Sitting quietly,
I watched as he found just the right fibers, which he snipped from the mass with his scissors.
He attached this as you would any parachute material to his hook, and proceeded to tie the
above-pictured fly.
Unfortunately the picture does not do justice to the effect. The only way this thing could be
more visible would be to make it a fiber optic post. (Something which has not been done that
I am aware of thus far, but we all know it is in the works.)
The source of the post as mentioned was a feather duster type of thing, which he had gotten
from a dollar store for a buck or so.
If you keep your eyes open you will find them in many useful colors, pink, green, orange,
yellow and etc. All quite bright and capable of making posts, which our aging eyes can see.
And the fish don't seem to be affected by the color one way or the other.
Now, where did I put the batteries for my Miracle Ear?
If you have any tips or techniques, send them along, most of this
material has been stolen from somebody, might as well steal your ideas
too!~ George E. Emanuel
(Chat Room Host Muddler)
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