MY "ONE FLY" EXPERIENCE

At the end of the 2013 season I had decided to experience the one fly theory that has nothing of a dogma but rather a fishing theory based on the principle that for tenkara fishermen technique is more important to catch fishes than the choice of a particular fly.
After that season finished I decided to stay true to the most productive pattern used in 2013 inspired by a traditional Japanese pattern: the Takayama sakasa kebari.
Some of my ties were the same than the original Japanese pattern, others were not for the simple reason that I did not have enough stock of this or that element of the pattern and I wanted to buy as little as possible fly tying materials during this 2014 season.

I no longer differentiate my flies in categories such as "wet", "emerging" or "dries" because I think that as I do not consider tenkara in terms such as "fly fishing without reel" so I am not limited by the restrictive boundaries of the different sects ruling the fly fishing microcosm. I rather explore all the possibilities offered by only one pattern. 

As I wrote in the introduction the one fly theory is not a dogma but it is nevertheless advised for those who want to improve their technique. 

During the 2014 season, which was probably the most difficult in many years, I did not get skunked any single time and I even surprised myself to catch trouts in places where I had never caught anything else than chubs! 

I think that fishing only with one fly pattern makes you question your technique and can help to improve it and make you more self confident while continuous fly pattern changes only lead to fill boxes.

Trout is not less opportunistic and more intelligent than other freshwater fish species, I am not a partisan of the smoking theories about the "intelligence" of trouts. Their brain is not bigger than the one of a chicken but I have never met an angler praising the intelligence of chicken. 

Self confidence and technique are the keys to successful fishing. Is it a coincidence if the true fly fishermen that were our fathers and grandfathers used only a few fly patterns generally tied with materials found in their backyard or in the woods? Absolutely not! I am sure that they know that their technique was more important than the pattern used. 

My one fly experience has really brought me to fish with more self confidence than ever and there is no doubt for me that if I had not questioned my technique I would still spoil my pleasure to fish and that I would also be a less skilled angler.