THE LAST IOO YEARS.

[DAVY WOTTON]

Within the last 100 years we have seen some major developments with fly fishing tackle.

What do you consider to be, given what was available 100 years ago the most benificial product for the fly fisher of to day.

You can only answer with (ONE) specific item of tackle. And give a reason why you made that choice.

I will tell you my choice later.

Davyfly.

[BigCliff]

I'll be suprised if Davy doesn't throw us for a curve with his answer.

My vote would have to be for a synthetic floating fly line. From what I have learned from those more experienced, it seems like it takes a fraction of one percent of the effort to keep a modern line floating as it did with the old silk lines. I also wonder if saltwater fly fishing was even possible with the silk lines.

I'm basing my answer on the fact that lots of folks sing the praises of bamboo rods and other antique technologies, but never wax poetic on the pleasures of silk line maintenance. (Although they might treasure the ritual involved in doing so. To me the main turn-off to owning and riding horses is the amazing amount of time involved in saddling them up and doing the rest of the rigging. I know some horseback riders treasure this ritual and the maintenance of a silk line has some similarity in my mind- a routine from days gone by.)

[Cliff Hilbert]

I'll have to agree with BigCliff on that one. I am no expert on the subject because I haven't really done "serious" fly fishing but for about five years now and I am not a technical fly fisherman by any means. But I do think that the lines today must have improved dramatically from what they were years ago. I would also imagine that the tippets have taken a great turn for the better in the past few years as well.

[Fish Bones]

No doubt there have been a lot of improvements and developments over the last 100 years that have helped the fly fisher. Here is my personal top 10 list.

10. The fly rods have improved... faster and better
9. The Internet This is a great tool for fly fishing research.
8. Breathable Waders... What did we do without them?
7. The SUV... We must get to the river in style.
6. The Leader Loop... OK, I admit it, I'm lazy and don't like knots.
5. Flip Focals... I'm going blind but don't want to admit it. Maybe that's why I don't like knots.
4. Sit on Top Kayaks... Great fly fishing craft.
3. Pocket Size Toilet Paper Rolls... When you gotta go...
2. FFF and TU
1. The Fly Line... I agree with Cliff and Cliff that the single improvement that has helped fly fishers the most is the upgraded fly line. No doubt!

[DAVY WOTTON]

For my self it is the modern fly line, no doubt of that. Much of all else was around 100 years ago, and that allowed you to catch plenty of fish. But you did not have the versatility that fly lines can offer you to day that enable you to fish flies more or less at any depth and means of presentation that you are looking for.
I still have a love for silk fly lines, as they do differ considerably from the dry lines of to day. They have a far grater degree of flexibility and move on the surface in a very different way. The only way l can try to discribe that to you is to take the equivilant of a I ins diameter length of rope and equate that to the modern fly line. On the surface of the water they will be subject to surface movement in a very different way. The modern fly line will move more freely by smalll influences of surface movement, the rope will not do so. Now relate that to a silk line and a modern fly line.
Yes they are a pain to deal with in the respect that you have to dress then and clean them.
For those of you who have a interest to use them they are still available at around 150 to 200 bucks.

Other than that of course a close second is the mono filaments that we have.
The aspects of fly rod construction are another matter and we can delve into that one on another post at some time.


Davy.