Ringing the changes with flies

[tyneflyfisha]

Apologies folks if this has already been discussed...

Whilst looking through various fly tying magazines it struck me that we always tend to err on the side of tradition when it comes to flies
Just think how many shrimp patterns there are out there that consistently do the goods for example .
But do we tie them on for us - or for the fish?

My question is - has anyone really experimented with some of the more saltwater inspired creations .?Thinking along the lines of the cockroach styles or those used for tarpon (albeit scaled down.)
A pal used to use the vulturine elver pattern and it worked in the estuary some years ago.
It just strikes me that there have been huge advances in saltwater fly dressing & that some of the new patterns may work just as well for our silver chums....especially in brackish water.

[tyneflyfisha]

salthingyer = salt water (sorry)

[dangler]

PC gone mad! Just because salt water contains the word t wat it becomes salthingier.
I'm glad I don't live in Sthingyhorpe!

Mike

[splash]

I've always been meaning to try a crab pattern like a Merkin to see if it would work on fresh fish. I put a a couple of these in my box at the start of the season but have never got round to giving them a shot. Don't see why they shouldn't work for sea trout and grilse used to feeding inshore as I assume they must eat crabs on occasion

[tyneflyfisha]

The chaps in Urban Angler in New York were the ones that really got me thinking. some of the new materials would look ace if incorporated into our salmon flies.
Once had a day on the Tyne with a new rod on the beat, really nice bloke, brother used to fly him all over the world for fishing. (mega bucks !)As a result he was used to the ghillie tying on a fly for him.
He opened his fly box and all of his patterns were for steelhead or pacific . What do you suggest.... I bottled it and told him to stick a cascade on .
My point being if I had said use a pink wooly bugger he would have fished the fly with confidence.
Try that crab pattern splash !

[Deveron loon]

Splash,
Never a good idea to admit you have crabs in your box.

[al44]

I've tried the elver pattern a few times on the Tyne, but no success yet.

I should try alternative fly speeds and angles to see if they really need a different approach.