Does Fly Pattern Matter?

Does Fly Pattern Matter?

“In order for fly pattern to matter, to be the sole factor behind our success, it must first be made the limiting factor. By that I mean all other variables are accounted for. For instance, imagine that we’re fishing to a feeding trout on the Madison River. For our fly to matter, several things have to happen. Our approach to the fish must go unnoticed. Our cast has to be accurate and timely. The fly must be generally free of drag (unless intentional). In short, we have to fish flawlessly. Only then can we attribute success or failure directly to the fly pattern.

If any of these variables (or numerous others) are not accounted for, we simply can’t say definitively that our fly is making the difference. (Well, we can say it, but we’d be wrong.) And herein lies the rub…”

Read the entire article on Substack.

The Cut Bank

“There is no place a big cutthroat or brown likes to hang out more than under a cut bank, where the high water currents of the river have scoured out a cave to hide in. Rainbows tend to prefer riffles and seams, although they, too, will inhabit cuts if there is enough current.

When you find a horseshoe bend on the trout stream, which creates a deep, dark, cut bank, you can almost bet there will be a big brown trout living inside…”

Read the entire article on Substack.

Product Buzz

We review a bunch of new gear: fly rods (Epic, Scott, Sage), the Epic Backcountry Fly Reel) and a great holiday stocking stuffer– the Victorinox Swiss Army Knife. “I like the Huntsman ($52), because it has a little saw that actually comes in handy sometimes when you’re doing things like cutting thick cord, or cleaning birds. It has scissors, a bottle opener and corkscrew, as well as two cutting blades–pretty much all the essentials.” Fishpond is collaborating with Protect Our Winters (POW): “Advocating for conservation, public lands, and science-based climate solutions is core to what we do here. We’ve joined POW to strengthen policy progress, back on-the-ground restoration, and use our voice to bring customers and employees into climate action. 50% of sales from these products are donated directly to POW. Grab yours while you can and back the mission.” Spencer Durrant reviews the Tom Morgan Favorite (TMF) from Winston. “The rod is infamously light, with even Tom himself describing it as more of a 3.5 or 3.75-weight than a true four. That incredible lightness is a large reason why this rod retains such a great feel in-hand, and wonderful line control at 15-45 feet.” Flylords reviews the Best Saltwater Fly Rods of 2025 (Scott Sector, Hardy Marksman Z, Thomas & Thomas Exocett 88, Sage Salt R8 all stand out) and the high-end Skwala RS Outpost Jacket. “The Outpost never bunched up while rowing, never felt too bulky underneath my waders, and I didn’t feel constricted in my movements when reaching to net a fish, bending over for a release, or loading the drift boat back on the trailer.” They’re not cheap ($649), but a warm and waterproof option for serious trips and anglers. Find one today. Angler’s Academy founder John Hudgens tests out the new Scott GT fly rod (8-foot, 10-inch 4-weight) for Yellow Dog Flyfishing–he loves the upgraded performance from 25-to-50+ feet. Yellow Dog also breaks down their favorite new wading boots for 2025 (the Skwala RS Boot, Skwala Carbon Boot and Korkers Salt Sneaker). We loved these three boots as well. From the House of Fly: Orlando Garcia, the director of operations for Abel Reels and Ross Reels, goes deep on the aluminum anodization and custom color processes, which are “critical for durability, corrosion protection and perfect color finishes.”

Fly-fishing News

Shawn Combs, formerly the Director of Product Design and Development for The Orvis Company, will join The Scott Fly Rod Company as Vice President, starting early next year. The move effectively combines two of the leading-edge fly rod design powerhouses–Combs, who spearheaded “Helios” design efforts for Orvis, and Scott President Jim Bartschi, who developed “Centric,”  “Sector” and the newly-launched “GT” series for Scott–under one roof. More on Simms and their Transitional (private equity) headaches: Private Equity Is Ruining a Beloved Fly-Fishing Brand, Retailers Say. “The final straw for John Flick came when a $120,000 order failed to fully arrive in time for Duranglers’ annual April season kickoff event. Warehouse problems, Simms told him, caused the delay. Flick’s order was fulfilled in July, but by that point he estimates he’d lost tens of thousands of dollars in sales…” From Hatch: St. Croix’s Return To Fly: Four Years On. Zack Dalton, who came on board in 2023 as the company’s director of fly rod sales after working for Far Bank, talks about the company’s recent evolution and growth. “According to Dalton, St. Croix’s fishing rod tech–and that includes fly-rod tech–is second to none. As someone who’s worked for other fly-rod manufacturers in the past, he describes St. Croix’s technological processes, when it comes to building fishing rods (fly rods included) as ‘light years ahead’ of those employed by the competition.” Greg Thomas on Dec Hogan’s A Passion For Steelhead: “A Passion For Steelhead is now 20 years old, but it’s as relevant today as it was when released in 2006. One of my favorite sections of the book is called The Four Seasons, and it details the attractions of each. It discusses how fish behave in various weather conditions and nods toward water temperature and the possibility of getting steelhead to raise to skated flies.” The International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4) announced RA Beattie, founder of Beattie Outdoor Productions and co-founder of Off the Grid Studios, as the winner of the 2025 IF4 Best Film for his groundbreaking film The Silent Spotter. From IF4: “The Silent Spotter introduces audiences to the extraordinary life of Tommy Batun, a deaf and mute fly-fishing guide from Xcalak, Mexico.” Letter From Montana: A Revolt Against DOGE Cuts. “Dust billowed behind Denny Iverson’s pickup as he drove past the irrigation pivot on his ranchland in Montana’s Blackfoot River valley. He was only irrigating a small strip of grass for his cattle to graze later in the season. Montana was experiencing its worst drought in 50 years, and the river was as low as Iverson, 67, had ever seen it. ‘We’re trying to keep enough water in the river to keep the fish alive,’ Iverson said.” 

Recent Press

On Hard Lessons About EVs and Hybrids: “Great piece on hybrids. We are delighted with our RAV4 plug-in–goes 42-45 miles with full charge and the gas engine also gets good mileage.” – Rob, Flylab Fan

“Another week, another casting banger from John Juracek at Flylab. This time, John breaks down the fundamental mechanics of the overhead cast, that is, how your arm should move (or not). Take a look, and heed his call: let your shoulder do the work, and keep your elbow and wrist out of it.” – Nick Parish, Current Flow

“I just want to thank you for the conservation and access content in Flylab and say how impressed I am at what you have accomplished there. Most of us are limited by time, and all of us need to be aware of the many and increasing threats to habitat, fisheries, and access that we face. Flylab is an elegant tool to address these needs.” – Jock, Flylab Fan

We’re always looking for Flylab feedback–send any comments, thoughts, suggestions, and we’d love to hear from you.

The Hidden Demands of Destination Fly Fishing

“Once on the water, even the more moderate fishing days require thousands of small, repetitive movements while casting, stripping, bracing, balancing, pivoting, reaching, walking and wading. These patterns, repeated over hours, can accumulate stress that quickly and perhaps unexpectedly shows up first thing the next morning. Environmental conditions add another layer: wind, variable footing, slippery rocks, shifting sand, sun, cold or heat and aggressive or fast-moving fish, all of which can feel far more challenging when your body is already fatigued or lacking overall stability…”

Read the entire article on Substack.

Partner Spotlight

Madison River Fishing Company

The Madison River Fishing Company is a full service fly shop, guide service and e-commerce provider in Ennis, Montana. Focusing on high-end customer service, quality tackle and 34+ years in the outfitting business, MFRC has built a well-earned reputation as being hard-working and knowledgeable.

FlyLab discount: 20% off all full-priced flies, 22% off spring guide trips on the Madison River.

If you’re a fly shop, outfitter, fishing lodge or outdoor brand and interested in becoming a new Flylab partner, learn more about our program here. Join the best partner network in fly fishing.

The Hard Way: some gorgeous cinematography from filmmaker RA Beattie and words from Miles Nolte. “Set along Oregon’s Deschutes River, the Hard Way is a story about patience, craft, heritage and the quiet lessons a river teaches–told through the life of Warm Springs guide and tribal member Matt Mendes: ‘I’m a steelhead guide, a lifer, and this is my story…’”