‘Fly pattern is irrelevant – as long as it’s right!’
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COLUMN: Northern Lines by Keith Williams
By the time September arrived, the contents of my fly boxes were getting increasingly dishevelled.
Gone were the neat ranks of flies tied during the winter, each imbued with the optimism and hope of a season yet to unfold. Many were missing in action, whilst the survivors constituted a motley group of battleworn veterans. Some had missing tinsel ribs or loose hackles due to interactions with the teeth of fish or rocky riverbeds; others had completely missing wings or tails.
Many experienced salmon anglers consider that fly pattern and colour is irrelevant, instead believing that the size of fly and how it is presented to the fish is of far more importance. This is a view I partly subscribe to. Typically, I rely on a relatively small number of different patterns tied in a wide range of sizes and weights.
However, when fishing the Kyle of Sutherland with a visiting friend recently I had little choice but to find something that looked remotely serviceable rather than worry too much about what may interest the fish the most. In the end I plumped for a tatty Red Frances fly that had attracted the attentions of a few salmon in its time.
This pattern is characterised by long ‘feelers’ made from the stalks of chicken feathers, but this particular specimen had long since parted company with several of its appendages, leaving just a precious few remaining in situ. It was knotted to my cast more in hope than genuine expectation.
As it transpired, I need not have worried. After half a dozen casts the fly was firmly gripped by a salmon which quickly set off into the distance. We soon parted company, but at least I knew that the fly was still good enough to be of interest. I met no more salmon that evening but later in the week I returned to the Kyle and tried the same fly. A strong wind made fishing a tricky business and yet once again the fly succeeded in tempting a salmon into taking it. Although the salmon was modest in size it was newly in from the sea and was a very welcome catch indeed. As my friend, who is a ghillie by profession, released the fish on my behalf I chuckled to myself as I recalled the advice given to me by an oracle of the same profession as his who suggested that fly pattern was irrelevant – as long as its the right one!
For those that don’t tie your own flies, examples are up for grabs in the latest Kyle Fisheries auction.
Keith Williams is the director of Kyle of Sutherland Fisheries.
