Strange Season.

[Gander]

I'm having a strange season. I have never been a huge fan of hugely flashy flies, even when I fished for Rainbows, but I do like a bit of flash in a rib, some nicely coloured tags, butts, hot heads or cheeks. This season however, I have noticed a trend. That trend is that my more naturally coloured flies are whooping the daylights out of their more colourful cousins.

I am actually catching more fish than I have caught in a good few seasons, but I can't explain why. It is not that I have suddenly discovered the more naturally coloured flies as I have used many of them successfully for many years, but this season they have leapt in popularity with the fish. Quite often I fish a two fly cast with one dowdy fly and one with a touch of something extra to boost attraction. What has changed is not my flies or the way I fish, but the choice of the fish.

To give you an example, take the Half Hog. My most successful variation for years has been the Red and Black. A nice fine silver oval tinsel rib. A scarlet seals fur thorax and cheeks of holographic red. This fly has been a major killer for me, but now it struggles. The Half Hog now doing the business for me is a plain black variation, with a stressed pearl lurex rib that is hardly noticable and no cheeks at all. And it's not just the Half Hogs. This trend is evident throughout my dries, emergers, nymphs and wets. Basically, hot spots are not hot anymore and drab is fab.

Is this just me or is anyone else experiencing a similar season so far?