Pete V
Active member
I find this thread somewhat mind boggling.
Marc LeBlanc will not fish a Green Machine because it catches too many fish and charlieH will not fish cascades for the same reason.
Compared to you guys I am obviously a complete novice but I am dumfounded.
It looks like you have both discovered your Holy Grail of salmon flies.
For me a salmon fishing trip is a big event as it usually involves getting on an airplane or driving well over 1000km and catching ferries.
I understand that fly fishing is probably the most difficult way there is to catch a fish and that salmon are moody b...ards and will only take when they feel like it. If I had discovered the perfect fly, I would use it most of the time only changing when it didn't work or if I decided to use a dry or a hitch.
I can understand Marc trying to work out why classic flies worked over a hundred years ago. I would be more interested to know why the Green Machine works so well.
From what I have learned from my travels is that a GM or a bomber with a similar shape works well in Canada. I have caught fish on a Green Francis.
In Scotland a Cascade or a Willie Gun are THE flies.
In Ireland shrimp flies are the thing.
In Iceland Red or Black Francis will normally do the job.
Is this because the people in these counties normally only fish these sort of flies? or is there something else?
What in reality is the best catching salmon fly?
I know some people will say that it doesn't matter as long as you fish with confidence. Others will say that presentation and fishing at the right depth and the right speed are more important.
Assuming that these things are a given what is the correct fly pattern?
Marc LeBlanc will not fish a Green Machine because it catches too many fish and charlieH will not fish cascades for the same reason.
Compared to you guys I am obviously a complete novice but I am dumfounded.
It looks like you have both discovered your Holy Grail of salmon flies.
For me a salmon fishing trip is a big event as it usually involves getting on an airplane or driving well over 1000km and catching ferries.
I understand that fly fishing is probably the most difficult way there is to catch a fish and that salmon are moody b...ards and will only take when they feel like it. If I had discovered the perfect fly, I would use it most of the time only changing when it didn't work or if I decided to use a dry or a hitch.
I can understand Marc trying to work out why classic flies worked over a hundred years ago. I would be more interested to know why the Green Machine works so well.
From what I have learned from my travels is that a GM or a bomber with a similar shape works well in Canada. I have caught fish on a Green Francis.
In Scotland a Cascade or a Willie Gun are THE flies.
In Ireland shrimp flies are the thing.
In Iceland Red or Black Francis will normally do the job.
Is this because the people in these counties normally only fish these sort of flies? or is there something else?
What in reality is the best catching salmon fly?
I know some people will say that it doesn't matter as long as you fish with confidence. Others will say that presentation and fishing at the right depth and the right speed are more important.
Assuming that these things are a given what is the correct fly pattern?
