Boarding Pass Notes ...

  Multiple western trips I’ve taken in the fall season have shown the importance of carrying Spruce Moth patterns. In fact, they have been like carrying fishing insurance that I was glad to have brought along. Trout seem to feed on them opportunistically, and don’t often pass them up when they manage to fall in the water. One design I’ve use for a few seasons has been very effective. Another pattern had very limited success. The key difference between them is the profile of the pattern and footprint in the film. The best one had a distinctive triangular shape, while the “under performer” lacked that. As a tyer that likes to design imitative flies, things like this keep my imagination fueled as I look for ways to improve my patterns.  On a recent flight home from a trip to the Idaho Panhandle a thought came to mind and a boarding pass provided enough space to make some notes about an improved fly design. While I had the color, size and shape nailed down on the first version, I think the addition of delta style underwings of Poly X yarn might be a great improvement. Hopefully I can test this version next fall somewhere in the west. Till then …