Florida winter fly tying

[SteveGibson]

Since it has been too cold to fly fish, I've been tying. Over the last two days, I've tied a variety of fresh- and saltwater flies.

Wooly Buggers:



Aunt Sara's Homely Daughters (great for bluegill and specks):



Group photo:



D.T. Special, my best beach snook fly:



Gibby's First Cast Crab:

[WarrenP]

Steve,

I am impressed with your tying skills. Those are some good looking flies. Job well done...

[Kytroutbum]

Are the Snook surviving this cold snap? I'm heading to Collier Seminole SP, end of the month,for about a week, then Ft. Myers for the rest of Feb and March. A few years ago, the folks at the Baitbox on Sanibel talked about young snook rotting all over the place in the Ding Darling. Hope it warms up and stays that way rest of the winter.

[tigfly]

Really like the way you tie, very nice, I also want to mention I always enjoy your reports and someday hope to get to fish Fla. Did it get cold enough to snow anywhere in Florida this week? I was watching the weather and it sure looked like it was snowing in the northern part of the state a few days ago on the radar.

[SteveGibson]

Are the Snook surviving this cold snap? I'm heading to Collier Seminole SP, end of the month,for about a week, then Ft. Myers for the rest of Feb and March. A few years ago, the folks at the Baitbox on Sanibel talked about young snook rotting all over the place in the Ding Darling. Hope it warms up and stays that way rest of the winter.

Snook are not doing well at all. Just got some reports today of snook kills from Hillsborough County down to Charlotte Harbor. Seems to be the worst kill since 1989.

Check this out: http://gibbysfishingblog.blogspot.co...-on-snook.html

[vmabuck]

Very nice!

I just moved out of FL(Clearwater) a couple years ago. I didn't do any fly fishing there though but I did spend a lot of time on the water in my Kayak...

[kelkay]

Nice flies, I really like them!

[Bedlam]

Very impressive!

[Martin McFly]

Wow, those are amazing looking flies. Would you mind sharing the recipe for the Gibby's First Cast Crab? I can sure use something like that for carp.

[SteveGibson]

Wow, those are amazing looking flies. Would you mind sharing the recipe for the Gibby's First Cast Crab? I can sure use something like that for carp.

Here you go:

Gibby's First Cast Crab

Hook: No. 4
Thread: Brown flat-waxed monochord
Tail: Tan craft fur (can stripe with brown Sharpie Marker) or other natural or synthetic substitute. For this fly, I used black and blue monga tail. Two or three strands of gold Krystal Flash atop.
Collar: Brown or orange cross-cut rabbit.
Body: Black palmer chennile.
Eyes: Small lead eyes.
Optional: Mono stalk weed guard.

History: I wanted to come up with a crab/shrimp fly that would appeal to redfish and other species in shallow water. I discovered palmer chenille on a trip to Bill Jackson's in Pinellas Park. When I got home, I sat down at the tying bench and started fooling around with it. I found that it laid back nicely. I then started fulling around with different materials and patterns to go with it. About a half hour later, I came up with this fly. It got it's name because I caught a fish on the first cast during a trip to Pine Island Sound. It also has been an excellent redfish fly.