What fly?? What fish??

Dr. Magill · Jan 28, 2022

A lot of times these awesome flies show up and I wonder what the target species/presentation they are meant for. So I’m thinking the fly- target- and maybe the technique would be helpful. Might work might not- but I’ll start.

This little fly has caught coho, rainbow trout, bull trout, chum, pinks, and one steelhead. Typically floating line, long leader, quarter down and sink, jig back.

Jake Watrous · Jan 28, 2022

#12 Peeping/Peeking Caddis w/2.3mm bead:

Catches many troots in rivers.

Dr. Magill · Jan 28, 2022

Jake said:
#12 Peeping/Peeking Caddis w/2.3mm bead:
View attachment 103

Catches many troots in rivers.
View attachment 105

Yes
That fly probably wouldn’t win a prize at the fair but that’s not what we’re after. We’re fishing!!
Good looking piece of work.
I’m not slamming your fly

Jake Watrous · Jan 28, 2022

Dr. Magill said:
Yes
That fly probably wouldn’t win a prize at the fair but that’s not what we’re after. We’re fishing!!
Good looking piece of work.
I’m not slamming your fly

Oh, you’d be welcome to even if you were. I’ve been a high school teacher for 18 years and have incredibly thick skin.

Unless it’s a shrimp fly, for which I have a borderline-unhealthy passion for tying,

I’m a pretty much functional fly tier at best. Two, maybe three flies of a pattern, and usually only then if I’m out of something.

Dr. Magill · Jan 28, 2022

I could eat those shrimp
I taught public school for 30 years
I feel ya

Dr. Magill · Jan 28, 2022

I would use that orange guy all day long for steelhead

Yard Sale · Jan 28, 2022

Dr. Magill said:
A lot of times these awesome flies show up and I wonder what the target species/presentation they are meant for. So I’m thinking the fly- target- and maybe the technique would be helpful. Might work might not- but I’ll start.
View attachment 100
This little fly has caught coho, rainbow trout, bull trout, chum, pinks, and one steelhead. Typically floating line, long leader, quarter down and sink, jig back.

I'm thinking you could add shad to that list pretty quickly.

Vandelay Industries · Jan 28, 2022

Jake said:
Oh, you’d be welcome to even if you were. I’ve been a high school teacher for 18 years and have incredibly thick skin.

Unless it’s a shrimp fly, for which I have a borderline-unhealthy passion for tying,

View attachment 108

I’m a pretty much functional fly tier at best. Two, maybe three flies of a pattern, and usually only then if I’m out of something.

Good to see you're getting ready for August!

Jake Watrous · Jan 28, 2022

Vandelay Industries said:
Good to see you're getting ready for August!

I am. Tied a silly amount of nymphs and dries already this winter, so on to tuna. I’ve filled 1/2 of my second giant Cliff’s box…and will probably end up just taking one.

Vandelay Industries · Jan 28, 2022

Jake said:
I am. Tied a silly amount of nymphs and dries already this winter, so on to tuna. I’ve filled 1/2 of my second giant Cliff’s box…and will probably end up just taking one.

Nice. I'm finishing up some SRC flies for a swap and then it's back to tuna and lingcod flies.

Northern · Feb 7, 2022

This thread deserves a bump! I like the idea of flies for specific purpose/conditions.

If I really want to fish on top and it seems like the big bass won't play that day, I often switch up to a lighter rod and this fly. It's easy to cast, and smaller bass can't leave it alone. Twitched, waked, popped - they all work

Dr. Magill · Feb 7, 2022

Northern said:
This thread deserves a bump! I like the idea of flies for specific purpose/conditions.

If I really want to fish on top and it seems like the big bass won't play that day, I often switch up to a lighter rod and this fly. It's easy to cast, and smaller bass can't leave it alone. Twitched, waked, popped - they all work
View attachment 3800

What’s that head made out of?

Northern · Feb 7, 2022

Dr. Magill said:
What’s that head made out of?

Pencil popper foam, but used in a slider orientation and painted with nail polish. These ones I think were just the Cabelas pack that came with hooks - smaller than most of that type out there.
Can't see it in the pic, but I fill the hook slot with orange uv resin.

Old Man · Feb 7, 2022

Jake said:
Oh, you’d be welcome to even if you were. I’ve been a high school teacher for 18 years and have incredibly thick skin.

Unless it’s a shrimp fly, for which I have a borderline-unhealthy passion for tying,

View attachment 108

I’m a pretty much functional fly tier at best. Two, maybe three flies of a pattern, and usually only then if I’m out of something.

Wow, these shrimp really look good. But where I fish they would be a waste. It must take a little while to tie just one of these.

Jake Watrous · Feb 7, 2022

Old Man said:
Wow, these shrimp really look good. But where I fish they would be a waste. It must take a little while to tie just one of these.

Thanks! It does take some time which, since my tying desk is also my Zoom-meeting-desk, is not always a bad thing. I’ve never timed it, but my guess is that it takes about 10 minutes, more if I don't have the silicone sheet and the keeling foam already cut.

That said, I think my days of tying them are over. I got them to keel right (tested in a fly tester), they look good underwater (movement, etc), and I think I've got the stripping motion down, but...the fish don't seem to agree.

Dr. Magill · Feb 7, 2022

Jake said:
Thanks! It does take some time which, since my tying desk is also my Zoom-meeting-desk, is not always a bad thing. I’ve never timed it, but my guess is that it takes about 10 minutes, more if I don't have the silicone sheet and the keeling foam already cut.

That said, I think my days of tying them are over. I got them to keel right (tested in a fly tester), they look good underwater (movement, etc), and I think I've got the stripping motion down, but...the fish don't seem to agree.

Sweet
You should record it