Bitey Whitey

Matt B · Dec 22, 2023

As requested by @Pink Nighty. It’s really just a synthetic woolly bugger, I won’t kid, but it is a combo that has been working.

These are the materials.

Bitey Whitey tying steps

Tie in thread.
Wrap some wire for weight as desired. I like some for sinking but not so much that it kills fly action.
Tie in tail (mallard or marabou) I use two feathers. With the mallard I try to get it sorta of symmetrical with pinching and rolling and thread pressure.
Tie in chockletts filler flash
Tie in yellow/brown chenille
Wrap chenille up shank leaving plenty of space at eye.
Palmer the filler flash up the shank to desired fullness. “Less is more”
Wrap baitfish emulator shoulder. About 1.5 - 2 wraps.
Form a nice thread head for a hotspot and finish.

I fish this with sinktip lines.

Pink Nighty · Dec 22, 2023

Beautiful, thanks man!

Josh · Dec 23, 2023

Have you tried it with a cone or beadhead?

Matt B · Dec 23, 2023

Josh said:
Have you tried it with a cone or beadhead?

No, not with this exact combo of materials but I am sure it would work as it has on plenty of other patterns. But after finding how well @Dave Westburg ’s traditional feather wings catch fish, and what a pleasure they are to cast compared to the dumbbell-weighted soggy gym socks I had taken to fishing a lot (“big fly big fish” right? Sure, sometimes), I’ve taken to using less weight. A small cone might be about equivalent to amount of wire I’ve been adding.
Those rabbit flies look and fish great but only if you can cast them efficiently! I get tired of casting them after a couple hours. And I am still working on my feather wing streamer tying game. The Bitey Whitey takes far less skill to tie, which makes sense since I put it together and I tie about as well as I did 20 years ago. Maybe marginally better, haha.

Josh · Dec 23, 2023

Matt B said:
and what a pleasure they are to cast compared to the dumbbell-weighted soggy gym socks I had taken to fishing a lot (“big fly big fish” right? Sure, sometimes), I’ve taken to using less weight.

Makes sense. Are you casting it on a sinking line or just using the lead weight/water flow to get it down?

Matt B · Dec 23, 2023

Josh said:
Makes sense. Are you casting it on a sinking line or just using the lead weight/water flow to get it down?

Sinktips.
But I did recently hook one on a full floater and Miyawaki popper! Lost it, but still...

Pink Nighty · Dec 23, 2023

Matt B said:
Sinktips.
But I did recently hook one on a full floater and Miyawaki popper! Lost it, but still...

Gaaaahhhh I'm always to chickenshit to stick with it! Caught a bunch with them on a tip, but man I want to get one on top!

Matt B · Dec 23, 2023

Pink Nighty said:
Gaaaahhhh I'm always to chickenshit to stick with it! Caught a bunch with them on a tip, but man I want to get one on top!

Fish were on dries the other day. I had no dries but after catching some fish it seemed like I was out of excuses. Hands weren’t frozen, no precip, etc.

Smalma · Dec 23, 2023

During the winter I typically carry a variety of dries and a dry line in vest while chasing local bull trout. While finding fish on dries (typically mayflies but a couple of times on stoneflies) does not happen as often as we would like when it does it is wonderful change of pace to the typical winter day on the river. Taking double digit numbers on the surface is certainly doable, though to fair I have not taken may larger fish on the surface.

I agree with Matt about rabbit strips, they can be a pain to fish. In fact, I so dislike fling heavy flies for my bull trout fishing I eliminated rabbit, marabou, and any weight from my bull trout fishing more than 30 years ago. Do so allowed me to drop down in rod size without significant reduction in catch rates. Somehow a 18- or 20-inch bull on my 5 weights is a much more enjoyable than on a 7 or 8 weight!

Curt

Matt B · Dec 25, 2023

Smalma said:
During the winter I typically carry a variety of dries and a dry line in vest while chasing local bull trout. While finding fish on dries (typically mayflies but a couple of times on stoneflies) does not happen as often as we would like when it does it is wonderful change of pace to the typical winter day on the river.

I am going to add a small selection of dries to my BT box. I think the other day that they might have been on midges as that was the only flying insect I saw, although I wasn’t looking too too hard. In the past I have seen those late winter mayfly and stonefly emergences that, although far from a prolific hatch, still manage to get at least a few of the fish up and going. That has been later in winter or closer to spring or at least spring like conditions. I need to be less lazy and take the time to switch lines and tactics to take advantage of the opportunities when they present themselves. It’ll help to have a proper leader ready and attached, etc.

Smalma · Dec 25, 2023

Matt -
A few BWOs in sizes 14 to 18s, a generic grey mayfly in sizes 12 and 14s and maybe a couple skwala stones should cover the basic winter dry fly needs on our local rivers for cutthroat and bulls. Seeing a few bugs and/or a smattering of rises often is enough to produce a handful of fish, sometimes more. Adding a couple "gurglers" for skating should cover the bull trout anglers dry line needs.

Have fun!

Curt

Pink Nighty · Jan 2, 2024

Ok @Matt B, I had some issues sourcing the chockletts, and I flat spaced the baitfish wrap at the shop so I spun some slinky fibers and flashabou for the collar. She swims tomorrow!

Pink Nighty · Jan 4, 2024

Matt B said:
Sinktips.
But I did recently hook one on a full floater and Miyawaki popper! Lost it, but still...

You inspired me to give it a go, had a big 300yd run and about 200 yds on something flushed the toilet on me! On for about 10 seconds, lost it to slack line and an old, dull hook. But it was the first time I dedicated that long to swinging a dry, and it worked! On Jan 3 no less, 40° and raining. And it was also my only eat of the day, ran back through with the popper and several subsurface presentations (without a bump.

I was legitimately shocked that it worked under those conditions and it has gifted me a lot of confidence to try it more.

Smalma · Jan 4, 2024

One of the cool things about bulls is how active they can remain even at some pretty low water temperatures. Have had decent days with water temperatures near freezing. Have even caught fish on the surface with water temperatures in the mid-30s!

Pink Nighty · Jan 4, 2024

Smalma said:
One of the cool things about bulls is how active they can remain even at some pretty low water temperatures. Have had decent days with water temperatures near freezing. Have even caught fish on the surface with water temperatures in the mid-30s!

Consider me converted!