A. K. Best : What Fly Tiers Forget

As a preview to his appearance in Ohio, A. K. Best gave Cleveland Plain Dealer writer D’Arcy Egan some insight into his sometimes contrarian take on the sport and how it is practiced. Among the tidbits: use a rod that allows you to land a fish quickly, even if you are fishing a small stream, and use common sense when tying mayflies. “Fly tiers leave a lot of stuff out, trying to match an insect perfectly. But they don’t. Most every mayfly has a darker thorax than abdomen, but most flies don’t reflect that. And they don’t tie the wings long enough. Mayflies don’t read proportion charts. Their wings are going to be as long as nature wants them.”
You can also read A. K.’s thoughts on basic casting techniques on MidCurrent.