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TROUT FISHING WITH MAURICE RODWAY - Weekly Column: 27 November 1998
 Southland, New Zealand

ANGLING MYTHS

People are wondrously attached to myths. A myth is a story, something created by people, to explain an event. They can become guiding principles, defended to the death by their creators and converts alike. Religions are founded on myths of course and to those willing to believe, become all important.

Generally myths have an important role in society in binding communities and nations together, although in an increasingly global society myths of one culture become less influential in society as a whole.

Anglers are often accused of being religious in their zeal to pursue their sport and they, like others with great passion, have their share of myths. Perhaps not so long held as those of the great religions of the world but nevertheless used to guide decision making. As with other myths they can sometimes lead to trouble. Too much reliance on angling myths result in missed opportunities.

One belief that has come about with the increasing sophistication of fly fishing is that nymph fishing is the most  effective way to catch trout.  Another frequently touted rule is that trout fishing on the Mataura is a waste of time in an east wind. A third is that you need a careful match of the hatch to catch trout with a dry fly.

On Sunday afternoon I fished a riffle in the Mataura with a friend and was reminded that things people believe to be true are not necessarily so.  A strong north easterly was blowing, so much so that every time a car traveled down the nearby gravel road from Gore to Mataura we were smothered in dust. Yet a steady mayfly hatch was occurring at the same time. Sometimes enough to resemble a flurry of snowflakes, and continuous enough to make the trout look up.

There were few obvious rises so I used a small mayfly nymph as a dropper and a home tied Adams dry fly on the tippet. I rose four trout and none took the nymph.  My companion had a less than "desirable" dry fly with conspicuous white wings and a scruffy body.  He caught four fish and lost one or two others. This fly only had a remote resemblance to anything real and tasty drifting on the water.

Three rules of trout fishing, all broken. In such a wind I would not normally have fished at all, and with few fish rising maybe I would have used a only nymph, but certainly not a raggle taggle bunch of feathers and fur on trout as fussy as those of the Mataura.

Relying on the beliefs of others and not being prepared to search for  what is really true leads down a blind alley. Giving it a go can sometimes open up new opportunities and success where it is least expected.

So endeth the lesson.

Maurice Rodway
Southland, New Zealand                           E-mail: fishgame@southnet.co.nz

Article ©1998 Maurice Rodway, All Rights Reserved.

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