Y2K By John Berry I am not writing about the overly-hyped computer crisis of a few years back, but the fly. The Y2K is a bead-head egg pattern made with orange and yellow yarn that is trimmed into a conical shape. It can be quite productive. A large part of its effectiveness may be due to its resemblance to power bait. Yesterday, I was guiding two clients on the White River at Rim Shoals. We were struggling and I tried a Y2K. It produced immediate results and my clients caught several fish on them. I ran into an old fishing buddy that was also struggling. He asked what fly we were using to catch fish. I told him we were using the Y2K. He said that he would be too embarrassed to fish one. I told him I would be more embarrassed to take clients out and not catch fish. What is it about certain flies that cause them to garner no respect?  I hear the same things said about Woolly Buggers, Marabou jigs and San Juan worms. I have to admit that I once had the same attitude about the western attractor flies with their bright colors, foam bodies and rubber legs. Then there are those fly fishers that will not fish a nymph of any kind. They only fish dry flies preferably to rising fish. Maybe it is this kind of thinking that gives fly fishing an image of elitism. Is it their name or appearance that relegates these patterns to some obscure corner of the fly box? Certainly there are names like the Woolly Bugger that do not engender respect. You have to admit that it is better than Moose Turd (yes, there is such a fly) but still not a winner. Probably appearance has a lot to do with it. The Y2K just does not look like a fly should and neither do the western attractors. At the same time certain flies have a certain cachet. They are discussed in the hushed tones reserved for the Founding Fathers or Congressional Medal Of Honor Winners. Flies like Royal Wulffs, Parachute Adams and even Gold Ribbed Hares Ears are discussed with awe. If they are followed by the words "size twenty-four" they are accorded the respect of holy relics. Sure, these flies have well documented genealogies, they have been around for a long time, have an elegant buggy look and yes, they are productive patterns. Maybe the Y2Ks of the world do not have the background or have not been around too long but they do catch fish. If truth be told, I have probably caught more fish on a Woolly Bugger than any other single pattern. Rip Collins caught his World Record Brown Trout on a brown marabou jig. I am currently catching the majority of the fish I take on dry flies through the use of western attractor flies. What I am trying to say is that the most important criteria for judging a fly should be its ability to catch fish. The name, creator, history, and appearance are not as important as that bit of information. I proudly fish Y2Ks, Woolly Buggers and anything else, as long as it catches fish. The next time you tie on one of these flies and your fishing buddy snickers, just smile confidently and fish on. John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and can be contacted at http://www.berrybrothersguides.com/ . Hatches Magazine Subscription Price: $6.95 for each issue The Premiere issue is ready for shipping & the Fall 2008 issue will be available September 1st.