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Every once in a while someone will post something on the
Bulletin Board which is just so terrific. DShock put some
links up from the annual Mustad European Tying Contest.
The flies are just wonderful. Really quality tying. I was
pleased to find one of the winners of the Mustad contest was
also one of the winners of the FAOL Atlantic Salmon and
Steelhead Fly Tying Contest here that past couple of years.
How neat is that?
One of the winning flies in the Mustad Contest stopped me flat.
"Bass At Work" Open Division, was tied by Andreas Weiss,
Germany. What a delight, and obviously, Andreas was not thinking
INSIDE the square box.
Funny how ones mind works. That fly immediately brought to mind
some terrific flies the late Al Campbell tied for the Intermediate
Tying series here on FAOL.
Quoting from Al, "Perch are common in South Dakota lakes. For any
number of reasons, many of them get sick or injured and die. Since many
of those sick or injured fish become dinner items for larger fish, it makes
sense to tie a fly that looks like a sick or injured perch. If bluegills, crappie
or sunfish are the predominant panfish in your local lake, this week's pattern
is easily adapted to those species as well."
"If you spent any time at all watching dying panfish, you probably noticed
that they rarely swim upright like a healthy fish. Instead, they usually wiggle
along on their side. This is the dinner bell for any hungry predator fish. Why
spend any extra energy chasing down healthy fish if there's an easy meal lying
on its side in front of you?"
Now for the really outside the box thinking.
From the archive of the Mustad Flies here on FAOL, by Jeff Pierce:
"Jeff's EGGstravaganza is a super egg cluster imitation. This is one of my
'go-to' flies for steelhead and big brown trout when the salmon are in the
tributaries spawning. While I have caught several coho and chinook salmon
on this pattern it is truly a killer steelhead and brown trout fly. What a sight
to see a 14lb brown trout come six feet to engulf this fly in clear water.
Obviously, this pattern is most effective when there are loose eggs washing
down river. While fishing for the trout and salmon with this pattern I have
also caught big walleye, largemouth and smallmouth bass and carp as well."
Fly tying is just one of the many aspects of fly fishing. You can take it as
far as you want - or tie up a batch of flies a couple times a year to refill
your fly boxes.
But while you are tying, let your mind drift just a little. Isn't there a fish
you'd really like to catch? Do you know 'exactly' what it will take? Why
haven't you tied it yet? ~ DLB
If you would like to comment on this or any other article please feel free to
post your views on the FAOL Bulletin Board!
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