dark-winged/-posted flies...

Has anyone seen any flies in the bins at local shops that have a very dark colored (black, dark brown) wing or sighter post?

I got turned onto using a black posted parachute adams by a guide in Montana. While it is nearly impossible to see atraditional white-posted version on high glare water conditions, the dark ones are very easy to see. When fishing the dusk hatches locally where you often have to fish across several different glare windows, I now fish a double dry-fly rig, one dark posted, and one light posted, so that I can always see my flies regardless of what the light is doing throughout the drift.

I am having trouble finding any dark posted generic mayfly or caddisfly patterns locally, so before I go calling all the fly shops on the Bighorn and seeing what they have and if they will do a phone order, I just wanted to see if anyone had seen any...

I might also try to dye the white posts black with a sharpie or something...not sure if it will have the same effect...but might try it...

Ralph Cutter's Bivisible has a half white/half black post for this very reason. Parachute fly with the multi colored post and a zelon shuck instead of a tail. If you are gonna mark 'em with a sharpie maybe try one with half and see if it works instead of 2 flies (unless you are using 2 flies for other reasons). I don't see them in fly shops so no help there.

I use two flys for “other reasons”. One may, one caddis. ;)

Give them options and they give you more grabs!

I've seen last chance cripples and quiglys film critics tied with black zelon- a couple of my favorites mayfly patterns.

I remember trouthunter in Last Chance, Idaho carried a wide variety of those patterns (drakes to bwo). I've never looked around locally.

If you’re headed up to the Bighorn, All Season Anglers in Idaho Falls might carry what you’re after. I’ve fished the Henry’s Fork Ranch section for years and rarely use a white posted fly. May just be my imagination but seems to me I get less refusals in that really clear water and smart Rainbows with a darker post.

If you route takes you up I15 you’ll go right thru Idaho falls and All Season is only about 6-8 blocks East on the down town exit.

Yes, black posts are much easier to see when the glare is silvery, like when there are white clouds above or no dark backgrounds. White posts are easier to see when the glare is black, like when the background is dark, like when there are trees or a high bank in the background. In some lakes where I fish for cruising fish you need one color for casting in one direction and the other when casting in the opposite direction. I tie some of my flies with each color, but you can easily convert a white post to dark with a black Sharpie. You can also make a compromise fly with a hot orange post that shows up fairy well in all light conditions.

A bivisible fly is the ticket. Make a post of white calf tail and stack a post of black calf tail behind that then wrap a parachute around the base of the post in the normal fashion. The white stands out in the shadows while the black stands out in the glare. I often do this on caddis patterns or Stimis with contrasting bleached and dyed deer or elk hair.

Ralph when i tie your fly up i use a black head feather and the white ringneck feathers from a ringneck pheasant. Not because its better but because i dont seem to use those feathers and they are there.

Perfect! I bet it looks just as good to a fish. I like calf tail because it turns the fly into a shuttle cock that lands very lightly on the water. Most feathers and hair like squirrel tail don't create the parachute landing, but sometimes a bigger splat is better!