Do flies matter?
In a previous NEWS we recommended a book by Chaytor from 1910. Then the pattern of flies did not matter because the salmon took anything that moved of descent size. 1910 we can assume that pools were steaming with salmon and it did not matter what, a salmon always took. We have also read Kallebergs report (1) where juvenile salmon in a tank attacked the end of a stick. Let’s forget the joy different salmon fly patterns give, let’s forget the discussions, that it would be very boring to have just one pattern in the box. Today there are less salmon, and they have more space to be less aggressive, we recognize that fly patterns do matter, perhaps to trigger old sea memories. We can argue how much but the more times a pattern helps to come over the threshold for taking the more often a salmon will off cause take, whatever the small effect. Fly patterns do matter, more today than ever.
To believe is everything. Otherwise, go train spotting.
- Harry Kalleberg, ”Observations in a stream tank of territoriality and competition in Juvenile Salmon and trout”, Institute of Freshwater research – Drottningholm, report no 39 1958.