Flies
In the articles written under La chronique de la rivière-école, flies were often discussed. A lot of wet or dry flies were presented as well as some techniques. However, we do not always know when to use them. This is what we will try to clarify in this article.

Choosing the Right Fly
As most anglers know, it could be said, generally speaking, that there is two types of flies: dry flies (those who float) and wet flies (those who go under water). Wet flies usually include the Streamers, those big wet flies who imitate small fish. The Muddlers, Magog Smelt and Mickey Finn are Streamers.

It often is for a matter of technique that anglers choose a fly rather than another. Some rather fish with dry flies, others with wet flies. However, anglers will choose a particular fly based on the feeling they get when getting closer to a pool.

An angler who wants to make the most of its flies must be aware of certain principles that have seemingly been tested by those who fished before us, those who “know” how to fish as it is often said.

As for myself, I will remember for a long time my first years of fishing and frustrations I experienced when I was almost alone on a river or in a pool and caught nothing.

Basic Principles
To make the most of the flies we have, here are some usual rules:

• On a clear day, bright flies;
• On a dark day, dark flies;
• When the water is high, cold or unclear, use a wet fly;
• When the water is low, warm or clear, use a dry fly;
• During spring and fall, it is usually better to use wet flies because the water is high and cold. But even when those rules are followed, thing can go wrong.
  In those times, the solution is to vary the size of the flies or to use the “surprise element”, by using big flies even on a bright day, when the water is clear and low.
  But generally speaking, using small flies like no. 6, 8 and even 10 gives better results. It is the same thing for those who do not have too much hair. It seems like they “work” better in the water and really provoke the salmon.
  

Flies color
The colour of the flies often has an important link with the colour of the water. In dark water, dark flies like Black Dose, Black Bear Green Butt, Blue Charm and the Pelletier often gives better results. In greenish water, green or yellow flies like Green Machine, Green Highlander, Cosseboom and green Muddlers are vey good flies. When the water is very clear, recommended flies are Silver Rat, regular Mudlers, small Green Highlander and small Blue Charm. When the water is unclear, contrasting flies like Mickey Finn, John Special, Orange Blossom and dark flies like Black Dose, Black Bear Green Butt, etc. are generally used.

A last rule that would be important to follow is to ask “local” anglers which flies they use in their river. Often, these “good” anglers have experience and know which flies are the best in the river they have been fishing in for years. As for my part, I lost a lot of time (read salmon) because I would not use any other flies than the ones I used on the Matane when fishing in other rivers. In the good days, I was almost the only one who would not take any salmon. But when I started to use the same flies as the others, I stopped to watch them pull out salmon and pulled some out myself.

Have a great fishing trip!

GASPÉSIE

Bonaventure Wet : Rusty Rat, Silver Rat, Green Highlander, Blue Charm, Black Bear (Green Butt), La Pelletier, L’Inconnue. Dry : Bomber (blanche, grise et noire).
Cap-Chat Wet : Green Highlander, Cosseboom, Silver Doctor. Dry: Muddler, Bomber.
Darmouth Wet: Cosseboom, série des Rats, Green Highlander. Dry: Bomber, famille des Wulff.
Grande-Rivière Wet: Black Bear Green Butt, Black Dose, Rusty Rat, Crosfield, Muddler. Dry: Bomber, Killer Whisker Grisly, Wulff, Oiseau blanc, Green Highlander.
Madeleine Wet : Black Bear Green Butt, Green Highlander, série des Rats. Dry: Bomber (toutes les couleurs).
Nouvelle Wet: Muddler, Green Highlander, Black Bear Green Butt, Magog Smelt, Rabbit Via, Baloue. Dry: Bomber (couleurs pâles), Brown Wolf, Sawis, March Brown, Griffith Guat, Mosquito, Badger.
Pabos Wet: La Pabok, Blue Charm, la Silver, les Rats. Dry : les Bombers, Oiseaux blanc et brun.
Petite-Cascapédia Wet : Skunk, Purple Spey, Green Spey, Black Dose, Blue Sandy, Black Bear Green Butt, Rallye. Dry: Bombers, Green Machine, Wulff.
Sainte-Anne Wet: Black Dose, Green Highlander, Jock Scott anglaise, Silver Doctor, Rusty Rat, Muddler Minnow. Dry: Bomber verte et blanche, Bomber, série des Wulff.
Saint-Jean Wet : Green Highlander, Black Bear Green Butt, Muddler brune. Dry: Bomber brune, Wulff.
York Wet: Black Bear Green Butt, Green Highlander, série des Rats Dry: Bomber (toutes les couleurs), famille des Wulff.

BAS-SAINT-LAURENT

Causapscal, Matapédia Wet : Cosseboom (Black et Green), Green Highlander, Black Dose, série des Rats, Lanctôts. Dry: Bomber (toutes les couleurs), Minoune.
Matane Wet: Cosseboom, Black Dose, Blue Charm, Pelletier, Rusty Rat, Silver Rat. Dry: Canuel, Bomber Le François, Bomber Badger, Bomber brune.
Mitis Wet : Black Dose, Mickey Finn, Green Highlander. Dry: Bomber (toutes les couleurs).
Ouelle Wet : Ouelle, Silver Rat, Black Dose, Cosseboom, Orange Blossom. Dry : Bomber Orange, Oiseau blanc et brun.
Patapédia Wet : Cosseboom, série des Rats, Black Dose, Mickey Finn.
Dry : Bomber (toutes les couleurs).
Rimouski Wet : Rusty Rat, Silver Rat, Cosseboom, Black Dose, Mickey Finn. Dry: Bomber brune et blanche, série des Wulff.

QUÉBEC

Du Gouffre Wet : Rusty Rat, Silver Rat, Cosseboom, Black Dose.
Dry : Black Wulff, White Bomber.
Jacques-Cartier Wet: Silver Rat. Dry : Oiseau brun.

CÔTE-NORD

Aux Rochers Wet: Green Highlander, série des Rats, Black Dose, Black Bear Green Butt. Dry : Bomber.
Escoumins Wet : Black Dose, Black Bear Green Butt, Rusty Rat, Colburn, Cosseboom. Dry: Oiseaux blanc et brun, Bomber.
Godbout Wet : Black Ghost, Black Bear Green Butt. Dry: Bomber blanche, Bomber brune.
Laval Wet: Yellow et Green Cosseboom, Black Dose, série des Rats.
Dry : Wulff.
Moisie Wet : Black Dose, série des Rats, Munroe Killer, Akroyd.
Dry : Bomber.
Natashquan Wet : Cosseboom, Green Highlander, Rusty Rat.
Dry: Black Rat, Black Bear Green Butt, Green et White Wulff, Bomber, Muddler Minnow.
Saint-Jean Wet: Silver Doctor, Jock Scott anglaise, Silver Rat, Rusty Rat, Black Bear Green Butt, Black Bear Red Butt, Yellow Cosseboom, Red Abbey, Green Highlander, Black Dose, Blue Charm.
Trinité Wet: Série des Rats, Green Highlander, Black Dose, Cosseboom, Silver Doctor, Black Bear Green Butt. Dry: Série des Wulff, Minounes blanches, Bomber brune, Mouche Miracle, Hopper.

SAGUENAY

À Mars Wet : Muddler, Black Dose, Blue Charm. Dry : Bomber brune.
Petit-Saguenay Wet : Black Ghost, Black Bear Green Butt, Silver Rat, Cosseboom. Dry: Bomber (toutes les couleurs).
Sainte-Marguerite Wet : Black Dose, Green Highlander. Dry: Oiseaux blancs.
Saint-Jean Wet: Killer Whisker Holly, Killer Whisker Grisly, Green Highlander. Dry: Black Bear, Bomber orange, Grisly Bomber, Black Dose, Blue Charm.