Thoughtful Fly Poll

[Danoinark]

I actually voted for size..but I am beginning to wonder more if it may not be the most important.

Doesn't it make sense that when trout for instance are feeding on scuds or sowbugs that there are different sizes of them being taken from the bottom or fish are seeing various sizes floating by? The fish are not going to encounter just a size 18, or a size 16 as they wait..Think about it like a crowded sidewalk, we see all sizes of folks walking by. IMHO they are feeding on all sizes, its just opportune what they hit. I also don't believe that fish are keying in on specific colors, only shades of colors. So maybe shape is the most important..the fish, in its infinite wisdom, which is very little, says to itself...now that looks like something I have eaten before. I know very little about entomology, or the cycle of these bugs, so I may be completely off base here. Now, a hatch may totally require the proper size. When there is a midge hatch, are all of the emerging insects the same size?....Dano

[Phil Lilley]

Yea- we have a "color" vote. I was beginning to wonder if I should have only had 2 choices.

But 17 votes? I thought for sure this would explode with traffic, votes and comments. The shuffling issue has gotten more votes!??

[motroutbum]

think about it though.....if you dont have the right size fly, then you wont even get a look from the fish. all you guys need to read Dave Whitlocks guide to Aquatic Trout Foods......also you are more apt to catch fish if you throw a smaller size than a bigger size. shape not even a close second. i mean yeah dano...fish are gonna see all different sizes of scuds come by, they arent gonna necessarily gonna eat every scud that they see. its like in a baetis hatch....if the baetis that are coming off are a size 20, and you throw a size 16 adams or other BWO pattern, you may catch an opportunistic fish, but you will catch more fish with a size 20 because its the size that matters...

[John Berry]

I would say that there are three factors. Size, size and size.

John Berry

[Rolan Duffield]

Phil:

I changed my mind set. I change my vote to color, Color color.

If the color isn't right, you won't do very well, however I could use several different sizes and still catch Trout.

[Phil Lilley]

You can't change- sorry.

[Micheal Kyle]

The three choices of size, shape and color, is a little restricting/narrow, but is a good place to start this topic on this part of the forum

Fly proportion is probably the biggest factor, which combines size and shape. If your fly is not tied in the correct proportion, to what you are trying to imitate, it will be refused a majority of the time. A fly can be two sizes larger than the fish are taking, tied with correct proportions, will work with good success, even with a somewhat poor presentation.

Materials used to give the fly action/motion, whether dead-drifted or animated by the angler, would also need to be given a large consideration.

Now back to the topic at hand, given the three choices of size, shape, and color. I would have to voted equally for size and shape.

jim

[gonefishin]

It has to be shape. I mean if a person is trying to imitate a mayfly they are going to take size into account as part of the overall shape. My vote is shape.