THE OLD BECOMES NEW AGAIN

• BY JOEL EVANS

The Old Becomes New Again

Aren’t we always looking for something new? one pattern will give me an advantage I’m missing What we have may be just fine, but we are out on. Well as much as I like to cruise the fly box tempted that we might be missing out on counter of my local fly shop, or tie the new pattern something better. that my fishing buddy just invented, I am a believer

Take for example that nice sweater you got for that on the list of things that matter as to catching a Christmas a few years ago. You like it a lot, you wear fish on a fly, other things such as stealth, presentation, it regularly, and take good care of it. So even though casting accuracy, and reading water matter more than it has been around awhile, that comfortable sweater pattern selection. still looks good on you. But this year, there you were So what about that old favorite pattern that worked in the clothes department of your neighborhood store just fine, but you haven’t fished for a few years? You and a new sweater caught your eye. Gotta have it. can probably think of one from your past river days. Suddenly that old favorite sweater gets pushed back One that comes to mind for me is the Halfback. It’s in the closet and forgotten. primarily intended as a stonefly pattern, but given its

Well, fly patterns have a way of getting pushed proven material and enticing shape, could be other back to the corner of your fly box. Old favorites get insects, all the way to just simply an underwater atmentally lost in favor of the latest new pattern. You tractor pattern. were catching fish just great with the old pattern, but, So this winter I have vowed to myself to tie a few just like the sweater, some- dozen Haflbacks and place thing new came along. Got- them prominently in my ta have it. box. I’ll tie the standard

Same here. Being not just size 10 on a long shank a fly buyer, but a fly tyer, it hook. But I’ll also tie some is easy to experiment with down to a 14—some with a new materials and new techniques that tempt us with HALFBACK WATCH FLY TYING VIDEO bead head, some with rubber legs, but the basic pattern of years ago will get the thought of maybe that the most quantity. Being a nymph, I expect to lose

HOOK: 8-14 NYMPH, 2X OR 3X LONG a few to snags and bushes along the way, so I’ll need

THREAD: BLACK, BROWN, OR OLIVE 6/0 more than a few, anyway.

BEAD: GOLD BRASS OR BLACK TUNGSTEN, OPTIONAL If you are not familiar

UNDERBODY WIRE: LEAD FREE 0.020, OPTIONAL with the Halfback, give it a

TAIL: PHEASANT TAIL try. Also, think what that

BODY: PEACOCK forgotten pattern is for

ABDOMEN BACK: PHEASANT TAIL OR TURKEY, CEMENTED HACKLE: BROWN SADDLE HACKLE, PALMERED you. Move it to the front of the closet.