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waterloosunset

Don't Turn Your Nose Up At Shoulder Hackled Dry Flies

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I seem to have assimilated the notion that shoulder hackled dry flies are out of date and have a place only in museums. I am starting to revise this idea. These flies ride high on the surface, as live duns and spinners do. A better pattern would probably be John Goddard's but this is much more difficult to tie. The reason low riding dry flies usually work so well, I think, is that they represent emerging flies, flies which are unable to break free of their shuck, or crippled flies, none of which can escape. The trout have are much more likely to pursue a fly which they can't escape, they have no sense of sport, theirs is a game of survival (and of getting as fat as they can). However, perhaps during the latter stages of a hatch when most flies have emerged and easy prey in the form of emergers (the most common of the types flies which can't escape) have all finally managed to emerge, the trout must eat duns and spinners or not eat at all, and hence the high riding dry fly comes into its own. High riding dry flies also have the advantage of not getting snagged in surface weeds as often as low riders.

Try clipping a slight V-shape on under side of the hackle to get the fly floating upright(or maybe even clip the V on the top side if you wish it to float upside down, though I haven't tried this.)

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They also are a much better option when fishing a mayfly pattern on faster water.

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