Possie Bugger - Good all around fly

This fly caught my eye a while back and luv working with Possum. Picked up a couple of possum skins and a whole bunch of Ause Possum hide pieces from an Ebay auction. Great stuff to work with and make great dubbing.

Got my son-in-law hooked on fly fishing about a year ago but has no interest to tie his own flies .... go figure :) So I tie a bunch of flies now and then and send them to him.

This is a great pattern to tie and just a good fly to have. Fairly easy to tie. I stuck to the original pattern pretty closely except I use small wire to counter wrap the pearl flashabou ribbing for durability. Got the idea from a Youtube video. I like using the curved nymph hooks as they seem to have a more life like profile then the straight hooks.

Hook: TMC 200r #8
Bead: to fit hook
Weight: lead tape wrapped front 1/3 of shank.
Tail: Ause Possum w/Pearl Flashabou
Body: Nat., Ause Possum
Ribbing: Pearl Flashabou w/sm. copper wire counter wrapped
Hackle: Partridge or Grouse
Throax: Ause Possum w/Blk & Olive Rabbit mixed
6/0 Blk Thread

Hope you like it. Sorry about the poor quality pic not the best camera in the world.

Mike

Hi Mike,

My closest friend used one for about an hour when he and his family and my wife and I were in Yellowstone last year, and he caught the 2nd largest fish of the trip on that fly.

Good pattern.

Regards,

Gandolf

Thanks Gandolf. I'm in the process of tying a dozen of these in a size 12 for a fly swap. Never tied one smaller then a 10 so it should be interesting.

Mike

mickalo,

Never used American pahsum, but have a batch of Australian that I've used for years. It's bleached a Light Cahill shade. Have to check out the American stuff sometime. Liked your fly - very buggy! Ever try possum on a half shell (armadillo)? No? Me neither! LOL!!! Pardon my sense of humor. I just can't help myself!

Best regards, Dave S.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fishdog54

mickalo,

Never used American pahsum, but have a batch of Australian that I've used for years. It's bleached a Light Cahill shade. Have to check out the American stuff sometime. Liked your fly - very buggy! Ever try possum on a half shell (armadillo)? No? Me neither! LOL!!! Pardon my sense of humor. I just can't help myself!

Best regards, Dave S.

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HAA! :) .... when I lived down south in Louisiana those armadillos were all over the place! Some really nasty critters. Like to see someone come up with fly pattern using one of those hides.

I found an Ebay seller that sells Ause Possum in large quanities at a good price. So when they have in I stock up on it. Otherwise hard to find. Got a couple of reqular possum skins I use for dubbing but the Ause Possum is so much better.

Mike

That fly looks great, Mike!

Thanks David. Just wish I had a better camera.

Mike

I always have a few in my box. Great pattern.