sometimes i think there is actually a big advantage to to a fly with a big stiff head that pushes that much water has a big moving silhouette under the moonlight/starlight made up of whispy fibers, spring like quill wings that pulsate, Or marabou thats always pulsating/breathing. Or in muddy water pretty much same visual/sensory situation as at night.
Oh yea almost all of them. I have found various ways to push water because the feathers on the original pusher get warped quills so I have been looking for a substitute for ever and have some new promising alternatives. I find the best floes combine 2 things anecdotally at night, water displacement, and a pulsating “snap back” effect of the wings or materials inbetween strips or rod til pulsations
A photo of a George Harvey "pusher" night fly is found here, at post #14.
www.paflyfish.com
I use swivels for pushers or really heavy tippet like troutbert said. I went out to brunch with Joe Humphries and his GF at the time, the late Annie Harpster. Asked him about the pushers. The best representation of the original is in george Harvey’s classic text. There are all kinds of iterations billed as original that are modified on the internet.A photo of a George Harvey "pusher" night fly is found here, at post #14.
George Harvey's "Pusher" fly pattern
I've bin reading about George Harvey about what an icon he is in the ff circles. One of the things that got interested in him were both from Dubois PA. And his night fishing for browns and some of his original fly patterns. One in particular was his "Pusher" or night fly pattern. The pattern...
I've tied some of these. They are wind-resistant so a beast to cast, and will twist your leader like crazy unless you use heavy leader material.
