Lake Flies

[Lotech]

I'm trying to assemble a collection of fly patterns most suitable for lake fishing with trout being the primary target. I know, of course, about the Wooly Buggers and Soft Hackles and Chironomids, but what I'm currently interested in are some of the older flies like Carey Specials various other winged streamers and nymphs. I'm looking forward to your input here. I am no longer able to fish rivers and streams, so most all of my fishing is from my 12' Jon boat. So a good collection of decent lake flies would be most appreciated. Thanks ahead.

[sagefisher]

Don't forget about dry flying around the reeds and shallows. My favorite dry flies on lakes are the Parachute Adams, Renegade and Griffith's Gnat.

Larry ---sagefisher---

[Lotech]

Don't forget about dry flying around the reeds and shallows. My favorite dry flies on lakes are the Parachute Adams, Renegade and Griffith's Gnat.

Larry ---sagefisher---

Thanks Larry. I'm guessing that early morning and just before dark are the best times for the shallows.
Joe

[planettrout]

Joe,

I use both The Carey Special and it's variant, The Six Pack, in still and moving waters in the Eastern Sierras. Both of those ties are here along with a few others that might be of interest:

https://planettrout.wordpress.com/tag/carey-special/


PT/TB

[ScottP]

Joe,

Flies of the Northwest has been around for a while and has some great stillwater patterns (quick look on Half.com turned up spiral-bound editions for under $5.00). Anything you can find from Randall Kaufmann should help out, too; I've caught a lot of fish on his simple Marabou Damsel. Phil Rowley has a number of excellent tying videos on Youtube; lots of other ones on there as well.


Regards,
Scott

[Preston Singletary]

The Sixpacks shown on the planettrout site are not Sixpacks. They appear to be what are referred to as "self-bodied Carey Specials". The self-bodied Carey can use any natural or dyed pheasant rump feather, and uses the same feather for the hackle and wound up the hook shank to form the body (hence, "self-bodied"). The Sixpack falls into the category of the self-bodied Carey as well, but is specifically tied with yellow-dyed pheasant rump feathers. These iridescent gray-green feathers, when dyed yellow turn a rich olive color while retaining their metallic greenish highlights.

The pattern was developed by Carl Haufler in the late 'fifties and was introduced at Pass Lake at the northern end of Whidbey Island, in Washington State's Puget Sound. On that day the fly proved to be so spectacularly successful and Carl was so overwhelmed by fellow anglers offering to buy, beg, borrow or steal an example of the fly that he came up with the simple barter offer which gave the fly its name.

I like a shaggy, unkempt-looking body and usually add a wire rib to reinforce it.

[Rocketfish]

Mosca.jpg This is my favorite in still waters.

[Preston Singletary]

While the Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear may be a serviceable imitation of the Callibaetis nymph it bears scant resemblance to one. The Callibaetis nymph is a "swimmer" and, as such, has a much longer and more graceful appearance than the typical GRHE nymph pattern. I tie my imitation on a size 12 Tiemco 2312 (a 2x long, 1x fine hook, with a slightly curved shank and straight eye). The tails are marabou fibers which are then wound up the shank to form the abdomen and reinforced with a fine gold or silver wire rib. The secondary fibers, growing longer from tip to butt, form a slight taper as well as simulating the gills along the sides of the abdomen. I tie in a strip of pheasant tail just behind the eye, leaving the tips (long enough to form the legs) stick out over the eye and lay it back over the hook as far as the forward end of the abdomen. I use a little dubbing to bulk up the thorax then bring the pheasant strip back over the top, tie it down and clip it off. I tease the tips down and back to form the legs and finish it off with a small head.

This has proven to be a very effective pattern.

[Lotech]

That's a really nice looking bug Preston. I tie one similar to that but with chain eyes.

[idlerick]

Preston, I'm going to go out on a limb and guess you have a substantial damsel population where you fish that calli pattern, because that's what they HAVE to be taking it for. LT Joe even completes that thought with his bead eyes.
Look up Larry Tullis' Twisted Damsel pattern some time (I think it was the FOTW here many moons ago). I use it a lot, and it's your tie, right down to the exact materials, with the addition of a bead head but on a shorter, stronger hook. (I quit using any Tiemco nymph hooks for big lake fish years ago.)
Great addition, tho. No lake box should be without a damsel nymph AND a dry (foam) pattern.