Wet Flies for Lakes

[Zak]

It is hard to fish a halfback wrong. My first experience was fishing it on a floating line in the surface film during a hatch and having a massive fish take it right at the surface. The take was insignificant, I thought it was probably an 8-10'' fish and was pleasantly surprised.

Then I started fishing it right at the bank in spring and got lots of takes. Nowadays I tie it as a flashback and think it often gets taken for a boatman pattern. I have used it on every line from floater to Type 7 and it just seems to have universal appeal to fish at all depths.

One of the most surprising results came years ago when Coffeepot Lake still had lots of fish. Fishing the closer at the end of September I used a size 12 Halfback on a Type 6 line in 30-40' of water with most of the line off of the spool. I caught fish after fish and this was back when the fish were big and plentiful. How fish could spot that tiny fly down that deep in such a huge lake has always been a mystery to me.

My pattern is very similar to the one that Zak shows but always has a tail. I use pheasant tail fibers fairly short and splay them out. To keep them that way I use a tiny drop of UV and zap it with a light and I also do the same with the legs to keep them away from the body. If you have watched nymphs swim under water you probably noticed that they don't swim with their legs plastered to their body. And they seem to use their tails to navigate much like the rudder and ailerons on a aircraft. They get taken for live nymphs so often that I'm starting to think I might be on to something!

I'd love to see a picture of your tailed, flashback halfback!

 

[skyriver]

I'm getting some great ideas from this thread!
View attachment 103664

That fly in size 8, on the Yak, in Sept and/or Oct.

 

[Grayone]

Zugbug

 

[Brian in OR.]

My go to set up is a small leach with a prince nymph trailing 30" behind and i let the fish tell me what they like...

 

[Zak]

Super simple and always deadly. The Camo Carey!

Camo Carey?

 

[Islander]

Camo Carey?
View attachment 104164

That looks more like a Carey Bugger with the collar. Here’s the Camo Carey, only need one pheasant rump feather and the “I can’t find this color anywhere“ chenille.

 

[RCF]

That looks more like a Carey Bugger with the collar. Here’s the Camo Carey, only need one pheasant rump feather and the “I can’t find this color anywhere“ chenille. View attachment 104191

Dayum ---> well done!

I fish damsels and dragon nymphs almost exclusively in lakes. Why? Because they work! I believe the brownish feather (exoskeleton) with an olive body mimics the natural nymph. They are in the lake year-round and are a major source of food. What amazes me is that a torn up/tattered fly fishes as well as a new one. Maybe because the tattered part looks like legs on the nymph? I think so...

 

[Zak]

That looks more like a Carey Bugger with the collar. Here’s the Camo Carey, only need one pheasant rump feather and the “I can’t find this color anywhere“ chenille. View attachment 104191

Thanks!

 

[Roper]

Thanks!

I usually bribe him to make these for me with reloading components or ammo. I’m reasonably sure he’d accept whiskey or beer…

 

[Zak]

I usually bribe him to make these for me with reloading components or ammo. I’m reasonably sure he’d accept whiskey or beer…

I'm going on a hunt for the unfindable chenille.

 

[Richard Olmstead]

i have tried a variety of patterns for damsel fly nymphs. Here’s my current fave. Marabou tail, abdomen and thorax, swiss straw carapace, and olive glass bead eyes.

 

[Flymph]

So many "Doc Spratley" variations with different names. Hare's ear spider (or your variation) hung 3 feet behind your favorite EHC pattern!!

 

[Islander]

Dayum ---> well done!

I fish damsels and dragon nymphs almost exclusively in lakes. Why? Because they work! I believe the brownish feather (exoskeleton) with an olive body mimics the natural nymph. They are in the lake year-round and are a major source of food. What amazes me is that a torn up/tattered fly fishes as well as a new one. Maybe because the tattered part looks like legs on the nymph? I think so...

I’ve found this to be true also. Sometimes there’s nothing left to a CC except the frayed chenille, some loose thread and a couple strands of the rump feather and it still fishes.

 

[Islander]

I usually bribe him to make these for me with reloading components or ammo. I’m reasonably sure he’d accept whiskey or beer…

I’m easy…….but I’m not cheap!

 

[Buzzy]

That looks more like a Carey Bugger with the collar. Here’s the Camo Carey, only need one pheasant rump feather and the “I can’t find this color anywhere“ chenille. View attachment 104191

So the tail from the same pheasant rump feather (the fluffy stuff?)?

Of course I don't have that magic I can't find this color chenille ;-)

 

[Buzzy]

@Jeff Dodd mentioned the Six Pack - I haven't tied one in years and haven't spent time wetting one for a long time: my bad as that used to be a really good "go to" fly. I wonder if I should try to tie one "balanced". ;-)

 

[Islander]

So the tail from the same pheasant rump feather (the fluffy stuff?)?

Of course I don't have that magic I can't find this color chenille ;-)

Yes, the tail material is the lower fluffy part and the collar is the top section wrapped and pulled back. There is also a “secondary small feather” (I’m sure it has a name but I don’t know what it’s officially called) attached behind the rump feather, I save these for the collar on the Carey Bugger.

 

[Zak]

Yes, the tail material is the lower fluffy part and the collar is the top section wrapped and pulled back. There is also a “secondary small feather” (I’m sure it has a name but I don’t know what it’s officially called) attached behind the rump feather, I save these for the collar on the Carey Bugger.

Aftershaft.

 

[Zak]

Another Olive Willy. I like tying these and they work well.

 

[Cliff]

Another Olive Willy. I like tying these and they work well.
View attachment 104241

Nice.