How does a trout catch a fly?

Before guiding anglers on South Devon rivers I am often asked, “What fly should I use?” I advise them to start with a fly they have confidence in. This short answer avoids a long explanation but, if pressed, the following is my rationale.

I turn the angler’s question on its head to focus on the trout rather than the fly. Let’s explore how a trout recognises and intercepts a fly drifting towards it on the surface of the river. The answer may give an insight into how to design effective trout flies and why our artificial flies are sometimes ignored by feeding trout.

Traditionally, angling writers have talked in terms of deceiving a trout into taking an artificial fly. I put a slightly different slant on the angler’s task. I want to work with the trout rather than trying to deceive it. After all, fish want to eat. If we understand how a fish first recognises and then catches an insect we can select and present an artificial fly so that it can