In the sport of fly fishing you attract the fish with an artificial fly, designed usually to imitate the type of insect
that would be hatching at a specific time of year. I’m Jim Metzner, and this is the Pulse of the Planet, presented
by DuPont. You can purchase artificial flies commercially, but the serious angler ties his own. And you might be
surprised at some of the materials that are used.
“Historically, trout flies are made from feathers and fur, wound onto a steel hook.”
Austin Mac Francis is the author of Land of Little Rivers — the Story of Catskill Fly Fishing.
“We now have many artificial materials that either are more visible or more durable, that float better, but still
the old patterns are tied with the urine-stained belly fur from a red fox, the hackle off the neck of a rooster, the
wings or the barred feathers off the flank of a wood duck. And those historic flies are still very popular and quite
in use and even more, say, than the modern ones, stir the soul of the angler.”
From May through the middle of June is the height of the Catskill fly fishing season, and it follows the
appearance of the different species of insect larvae that hatch in the rivers.
“And they occur in a rather rhythmic sequence, the Quill Gordons coming out early, then you get into the
Hendricksons, the March Browns then into the Green Drakes, which is the largest, sexiest of these flies, a giant
morsel, that the trout adore.”
Please visit our web site at nationalgeographic.com. Pulse of the Planet is presented by DuPont, bringing you
the miracles of science, with additional support provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities. I’m Jim
Metzner.