I've been doing a good job keeping up with the loose a fly- tie a fly this spring. I feel like I'm pretty well stocked up although this whole fly thing is pretty funny. No doubt a good fly is as good fly. At times flies that look spot on and swim well and don't foul are the ticket. But what about the other times.
Below is an example. The fly on the bottom I have officially retired. It a "Beauty shop of Horrors Fly" tied mostly with cheap-ass weave material from a Beauty Supply Store in the bowels of Trenton. It
once had eyes and maybe a little something else along the sides. It wasn't pretty but it got the job done. Well done. That fly helped me catch 15, exactly, striped bass to 30 pounds. The hook is dull, chipped here and there, the material off-set just a tad, but in the water it's deadly. The top fly is its replacement, this one is keeled with lead on the bend. I hope it gives me solid results as well.
I had to chuckle the other day when I saw this reply to a post on the raising cost of bucktails, both the bucktail lure and the buck tail deer tail. It was just another opportunity to pick on the fly anglers.
Yes, the Beast Fleyes are great when you need a big bait fly, but to be honest, would any mop do it if you could cast it out there? The thing is those properly tied flies do let you present a bulkier-than-it-is fly that sheds water and can be easily cast. But for the most part if your fly swims sexy, or at times like it had a stroke, and you can present it to a fish willing to eat, you should be good. The back-up to the replacement fly is below. Tied on a 5/0 Clouser hook this 8 plus inches lights up the water and the
darker back, which you can't see, gives it nice contrast in the water. They too will be retired one day or will get stuck, broke off, or donated to the local jetty or bottom of the river.
Fly tying is an art, maybe a little science mixed in as well. I tip my hat to my friends, well you know how I hate how that word gets thrown around, better to guys I know, that create works of art that can be displayed, framed, or fished. But for me flies are like bait, like worms, bunker, or dead squid. They're just a tool to get the job done, hopefully.