Having too much time on your hands can give you a headache. It can cause you not only to out-think yourself, but actually rationalize the nitpicking that can result: How many tails do mayfly nymphs have? How many segments to their abdomens?
By the time you get that straight in your mind, something else slithers in. What about emergers? Duns? Are those Catskill patterns you’ve been using really adequate for Michigan streams?
One way to get the dust off of your bookshelves is to try to find answers to the doubts that crept into your mind and maybe, just maybe, apply some rational thinking and adventuresome fly tying for the solution. (Actually, adventuresome fly tying is nothing more than trying something different; something not written down for you to copy from.)
When I get into one of these funks, I usually go to one of my go-to books I consider the bible on hatch imitations; Handbook of Hatches by Dave Hughes. Of course, I’ll still tie the Catskill patterns, after all, the brookies may not have read his book and there’s room for six fly boxes in my vest.
Come on spring!
TD