Wet flies as fished by Bergman

[Smuggler]

Well said William. On all points.

I'll admit I've never read Bergman. I might be a little full of myself but, I'm not really interested in reading it either. However with that being said, Bills covey of Cahills are super cool.

I'll be watching this thread in anticipation though.

[Mataura mayfly]

The wingless wet, fished upstream is a much under utilised method of trout fishing.
One that is often practised here- often unwittingly. The more usual modern method one might see in NZ is with a small nymph tied off the bend of a small dry fly. The fishers then still believe they are dry fly fishing and somehow convince themselves they are still using a method that is the highest for elitism........ but often the trout takes the nymph and the dry fly is no more than an indicator!
Upstream wet fly presentation is an excellent way of presenting natural drifts to sighted fish. A very good representation of natural progress of the nymph to the surface as he/she struggles to burst free of the nymphal shuck, or of the aborted hatchling. It is however, not as easy to keep "in touch" with your fly/flies as it is with across & down, takes are more subtle and you need to set the hook more often than the fish hooking itself as it snatches a fly on the swing/lift.

The best way to understand this is to beg/borrow/buy/steal a scuba mask & snorkel and go for a drift whilst a hatch is on somewheres. I kid you not. You can learn a whole lot more about the hatch by watching what happens below the surface and understanding that aspect as well as what we usually see above the surface.

[zen leecher]

Well said William. On all points.

I'll admit I've never read Bergman. I might be a little full of myself but, I'm not really interested in reading it either. However with that being said, Bills covey of Cahills are super cool.

I'll be watching this thread in anticipation though.

Everybody should read Bergman to learn how it was done in the "old days". I'm very glad I don't have to use gut leaders nor have to dry and dress my fly line. I've got two copies of Trout in my bookcase and am working on a third one. I'd like to have a first edition.

Roads were bumpier, trout were bigger (per the stories) and freeways did not exist in the old days. Everyone fished with barbed hooks and CNR was a version of LDRs.

[redietz]

CNR was a version of LDRs.

That was probably not true for everyone. Bergman himself admitted that he didn't actually like the taste of trout and released most of his catch.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Well said William. On all points.

I'll admit I've never read Bergman. I might be a little full of myself but, I'm not really interested in reading it either. However with that being said, Bills covey of Cahills are super cool.

I'll be watching this thread in anticipation though.

Everybody should read Bergman to learn how it was done in the "old days". I'm very glad I don't have to use gut leaders nor have to dry and dress my fly line. I've got two copies of Trout in my bookcase and am working on a third one. I'd like to have a first edition.

Roads were bumpier, trout were bigger (per the stories) and freeways did not exist in the old days. Everyone fished with barbed hooks and CNR was a version of LDRs.

Ah, Zen, my friend. I've got to get you fishing with silk, the line spelled with a real vowel. Stopping at mid-day, stringing your line over some bushes to dry, having a nice lunch of sausage, bread and cheese, a finely brewed cup of tea and a short nap. Waking refreshed, apply some red tin mucellin to your line, wipe it down and go fish for the remainder of the day. Not to mention the smell of varnish when you open your rod case, holding your fine split cane rod. Take some time to slow down and enjoy the day.

REE

[zen leecher]

Red tin Mucilin..... the line cleaner of my youth.....

[swellcat]

. . . a nice lunch of sausage, bread and cheese . . .

Plus, pickled peppers, onions, and ale.

[FliTrap]

"I have heard John Shaner and others note the reason for the dozens of seemingly pointless patterns, just rearranged combinations of materials to the point of silliness, was simply for the sake of feeding a growing market and a demand for new flies. I would be interested to hear more about that. Based on the catalogues it would seem we haven't changed much."

I had to laugh with your comment, as I recall my reaction to the statement I found in a book that highlighted the lives of a Catskills Fly Tier.... It was stated that there were fly patters that were "developed" during the winter months, tied in bulk.... by the 1000's then stored for the following season. It was noted further that this was done even prior to the flies ever being tried on the rivers; that this was done to stock pile prior to the catalog ever being mailed! Catalogs were hand printed and were often written and illustrated by hand, then print plates mad and took time.... months ahead of the coming season! Thus some flies patterns were tied, then described in a catalog and even sold as the "next got to have fly!!!!"..... months before one ever hit the water!!
Now, I could not recall the book title... as it was borrowed! And My comments are not direct quotes! But you get the picture! Fly pattern are not uncommonly "tied in the image of" but with the materials on hand!! Tweaked or out of necessity....! They are fished and catch!
When I was "teaching" tying at a local Fly shop, I was often handed "new materials" by the owner and asked to "see what I could make from it", then use these patterns in teaching classes to "sell the materials"!!
Some of those were simply "morphed" patterns from the so many I know! And yes.... so many stories of caught fish came back to the store with even more materials purchased!

You all take care! Tie one on.....

[Ruard]

Howdy All;

Our friend Doug has said everything that could be said so I'll
just X2 his statement.

hank

I agree,

greeting

Ruard

[William Anderson]

Flytrap, thanks for bumping this thread back to the top. I really enjoyed re-reading Bob's initial post and the following comments.

Bob, I have yet to put those beautiful (in their own way) boxes in front of a camera, but I will. It's on my list.