This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the Bi-Visible. Ever use one? I have…many years ago. But I haven’t had one in my fly box for some time.
The Bi-Visible was created in the early 1920’s by Edward Ringwood Hewitt. In his book Telling on the Trout (1926) Hewitt stated:
“Dark colors are more visible to the trout from below than light colors, and, therefore, take more fish under most conditions and are more generally used. They are often, however, more difficult to see on the water than the lighter flies. This is the reason for my favorite design of fly which I call the Bi-Visible which consists of a palmer-tied brown hackle on the head of which is wound a small wisp of white hackle. The white resting against the brown becomes very visible in most lights to the angler; on the other hand, the trout see the brown hackle from below better than any other color used. This fly is by far the best of any I have yet seen for all species of trout and it is based on a sound physical principle.”
Many fly fishers have problems locating their dry fly on the water and patterns have been developed using bright materials to help them find their fly. In fact, I use them periodically on flies used at dusk. For example, adding a small piece of chartreuse fibers in front of an Elk Hair Caddis helps tremendously.
Perhaps I should take the Bi-Visible out to the river and see if it still works…
