By Jeffrey Konst
“You have to match the hatch.”
“Wild water must be fished with a dry fly cast from a bamboo rod.”
“If you’re not on the water by sunrise, you’re late.”
These are all quotes I’m sure you’ve read in articles, seen on TV, or even heard from your friends; I know I did when I was beginning my fly fishing experience. And I’m here to tell you, it’s all a lie.
These anglers often proudly portray their boxes filled with row, upon row of dries and emergers. Flies that may serve their purpose one day a year, but otherwise, go unused in a box stuffed in the bottom of your pack. They will proudly tote their $2,000 bamboo rod and gently present a single dry fly to a single rising fish. Maybe they will catch it, maybe they won’t; all too often, a fish will burst out of the water to take a big bushy dry and you will be left with your fly tangled in the bushes behind you.
Recently, I was blue lining one of my favorite wild streams in WNC and decided to try something new. I left the dry fly box and shorter rod at home and left with only my nymphing rod. Equipped with an 11’ 3wt and a size 10 mop fly I began my assault. And guess what? I caught fish. A lot of fish!
I kept the same mop fly on the entire day and caught plenty of wild 5-8” trout with ease. I never got stuck in a tree, never had to make a difficult cast upstream, and I never had to worry about tricky mends through a myriad of microcurrents. I know my success was mostly due to the fact that the wild fish there had never seen a mop fly before. Who would dare use a fly typically reserved for dumb stockers on water like this?
I do not wish to change your life, and certainly do not want to tell you how to fish. I certainly still enjoy throwing dries and enjoy the satisfaction of perfectly matching whatever hatch is popping off. I only want to say, don’t get caught up in tradition; mix it up and catch fish in as many ways as possible.
Jeffrey Konst is the full time operator/guide/rod-builder/fly-tier for Upper Creek Angler located in Morganton, NC.