Occasionally, fish will strike other fish to protect their offspring. Male bass, for instance, guard their nests and attack marauding sunfish. However, most fish, even large predators, flee from flies that appear to be on the attack. Animate baitfish imitations so they appear to be escaping, never attacking. In A Nutshell 1.
Fish are predators as well as prey.
As predators, they attack creatures that appear to be fleeing, crippled, or so abundant that the prey is easy to take without much effort. To select an artificial fly that simulates a fish's natural food, determine what the fish is eating by observing it and collecting samples. Match the size, shape, and color of the natural food and animate your fly to make it look alive. Attractor flies look nothing like natural insects, but they sometimes catch fish when nothing else will. Move on to Introduction Return to Top Essential Fly Fishing is available from the Adventurous Traveler Bookstore.