Remember, it’s about how flies look to the fish. Photo by Chris Hunt.
Some flies are meant to catch fish, and some flies are meant to catch anglers. I am always surprised by how some of the patterns I think are sure-fire winners because they look so snazzy turn out to be duds. And sometimes, the plainest, ugliest fly I tied myself turns out to be the be belle of the ball.
And sometimes, the rattier a fly is, after it gets chewed on a few times, the better it works.
Remember this: how a fly looks to a fish from the water is a thousand times more important than how a fly looks to you as you hold it in your hand.
— Kirk Deeter