On the Fly: Don’t leave home without them

There’s two things (besides cold beverages and the right fly pattern) I just can’t live without on the river. If I’m fishing locally and forgot my polarized sunglasses or dry fly treatments, I would drive back home or to a nearby fly shop to get them. In my opinion, glasses and shake (fly-drying desiccant) can make or break your day. If you’re in a thick hatch and your dry fly is soaked and sunken, most surface-feeding fish are going to say “No, thank you.”

Fishing glasses must be polarized to be effective — there’s no way around it. Polarization pierces through the surface glare and allows you to see the contour of the river bottom and, most importantly, the fish. Protecting your eyes from harmful UV rays and sharp hooks is just as important. A fly can travel off-course and hit you in the face — take it from me.

Can you live without them? Yes, but you’ll be flying blind or risking being blinded, as well. 

As far as dry fly shake goes, I try to have two full bottles on hand at all times in case there’s an epic hatch (or I drop or spill a whole bottle). If your dry flies aren’t practically levitating, it’s going to be refusal-city, especially on the finicky Fryingpan River. We use certain liquids and gels for their hydro-phobic qualities as well, but doing the “shake and bake” really makes them ride high on the water. Popular floatants consist of Umpqua’s Shimizaki liquid and powder, Frog’s Fanny, plus Loon’s Aquel, and Top Ride.

If you tend to be forgetful like me, keep an extra pair of cheap sunglasses and dry shake in your vehicle in case of emergency. Plus, you’ll have a friend who will forget them one day, and you’ll be the proverbial Johnny on the Spot. If you’re unfamiliar with what polarized glasses offer, try on a pair in your local fly shop or borrow a friend’s pair on the water. Glasses made for low-light conditions can come in handy also and are usually tinted yellow or gray versus the popular copper and green for midday. You’ll see the difference and have an improved on-the-water experience.

I hope your flies float high and your eyes see the fish all day long!

This report is provided every week by Taylor Creek Fly Shops in Aspen and Basalt. Taylor Creek can be reached at 970-927-4374 or TaylorCreek.com.