Don't Forget The Classics
by Lance Kekel

Last spring I was sitting with a couple friends that I’d not fished with before, preparing to hit the water for the first time together. We were doing the usual stuff you do when you get around someone else’s toys, checking everything out. Eventually the ‘what are you going to start with?’ question was raised, and out came the fly boxes. Among us it was quite an impressive spread of flies but the thing that really caught my eye was the diversity, and, in a way, the lack of it. Yeah, all of the usual things you’d expect to see in a fly box were there; dry flies, wet flies, emergers, streamers and so on, but that wasn’t it. It was something a bit subtler; it was a lack of the classics. You know, the fully-hackled flank-winged dries, the swept-wing wets, feather streamers, etc…

We all do it; we’re always on the lookout for the next new thing to improve our success. It’s in our nature to be looking for the newest pattern the fish haven’t seen before, or that new material that gives it more life or eye catching appeal to the fish (sometimes I think it’s only angler appeal!) Somewhere, lost in all of this are the classics. We see them displayed in magazines like Fly Tyer and web sites like Fly Tying Forum; we read people's comments, as simple and precise as “Wow, beautiful fly!” We carry on about how well they’re tied and treat them like pieces of exquisite art (which many are!) However, many awe-struck readers and viewers seem to forget about or actually consciously dismiss the idea of actually fishing these flies.

I spent a lot of time thinking about why this is, watching people in shops and reading conversations on the web. Often times it’s the competitive streak in us but I think just as equally there are other reasons. To the new tier there is often an intimidation factor associated with some of these flies, the cost of hackle and other materials as well as sometimes more complicated patterns. For others, it’s related to how long someone’s been involved in the sport. Quite often I hear anglers who come into shops asking “what flies do I need”, and shop owners load them up with all the newest and most popular flies. Now don’t get me wrong, I see nothing wrong with this; it’s just another reason classic style flies are often overlooked.

There’s actually a lot to be gained by fishing the “Classics”, even on some of the more popular, heavily-fished catch-and-release waters where the fish seem to know the flies as well as you and I. Arguably fish are probably the most selective when feeding on dry flies. They have plenty of opportunity to give dry offerings a good once-over before deciding to sip the fly out of the film or turn tail and leave you standing there, yet again, both frustrated and disgusted. While Classics have not been ignored to the extent of Wets and Streamers a couple of benefits stand out to me with these. First, floatability is a non-issue. With the current choices in dressings available short of foam bodied flies very little will hold up any better, especially in faster water. Classics are also very versatile; a snip here and a pull there and you can cover emergers, duns and spinners, all with the same fly. While the Adams is one pattern that has more than held it’s own over time, flies like the Trude patterns, the Black Gnat, and many of the Catskill style flies are all flies that are still more than capable of putting their share of fish in the net. I’m always shocked at how few people carry any of the Royal Coachman patterns, a fly I flat out won’t hit the water without!



Classic flat-wing and bucktail style streamers have suffered through this change also but still have a few steadfast supporters much like the dry flies. You can actually still go into most fly shops and find a Muddler Minnow, Black Ghost, Blacknose Dace and a Mickey Finn. However, the selections of these flies is dwarfed by the selections of Wooly Buggers, Madonnas, Sculpins and the like. While it’s true that many classic patterns have a tough time competing with the movement and attractiveness of many of these new flies, they still have their own strengths. The subtleness of these sleeker flies darted about in a small stream is second to none. Another benefit is they take substantially less weight to be fished effectively and get deeper into the water column. This is especially helpful to those that like to fish short, light rods. That little 7’ 3 wt. just became much more versatile.

Makes you think, doesn’t it?

Royal Coachman Wet Tied by Charlie D

While other classics have maintained smaller followings, wet flies are the real losers when it comes to what are becoming the lost classics of the fly box. So many of them have become just "art" to most . With the exception of a few soft-hackles, how many of you can honestly say you carry selection of Hare’s Ears or Cahill wets; what about a Coachman or a Spruce???

Sure, you may have a token wet in the box but how often do you fish it and do you have the confidence in it to stick with it when nothing's happening, like you do that sparkle emerger or pheasant-tail nymph? Likely not. Truth be told, most tiers have likely not taken the time to become proficient at setting a pair of quill wings properly. I am and have been guilty of that one myself! I was recently at the Midwest fly show and couldn’t even FIND Mallard quills packaged in pairs! The funny thing is these flies still achieve the same goals we are perennially on a quest to imitate- submerged insects, including the incredibly popular "emerger" portion of the aquatic insect life cycle. The buoyancy of duck feathers works wonders for this imitation.

Next time you stock your box add a few of these flies and give them an honest try to see what happens. You may just be in for a surprise!