The selection of fly-tying materials in today’s market can be a bit overwhelming. Tying flies is not really a passion for me, unlike fly fishing and catching fish. It became much more important when I became a guide. Having the options to tie my flies the way I want and selecting the right amount of specific material makes me more successful in catching fish. There is always a lot of “hot and new” stuff out there to make our flies even better, but it usually takes time to convince me into new products. Ultraviolet and fluorescent fly-tying material became more and more important to me over the years. I started using it for my Atlantic salmon flies, especially tube flies. Seeing the success in such a hard fishery made me a believer. Later, I used it more often for my saltwater flies. Over the last couple of weeks while being at home more than usual, I spent quite some time looking up color charts for different depths and different light conditions and what I found, supports my belief. There may not be science behind it, but I’m a believer!
I use a lot of ultraviolet or/and fluorescent fibers, brushes, hair, eyes and thread in my flies. Guiding full-time here on the Treasure Coast and using these materials in my flies has proven to be successful, at least for me. Lastly, words of wisdom from an old Norwegian guide, “We know, when we think we know, but we don’t really know – that’s fly fishing!”
The Fly Fishing Column is written by Capt. Michael Mauri, www.mauriflyfishing.com, michael@mauriflyfishing.com, (772) 485-3321.
