Been catching a few crappie on Wooly Buggers, Clouser Minnows and Crappie Candy. I tie most of mine with a good bit of weight. Is it better to tie them weightless?? Also, are there any other good crappie patterns that I’m missing??
Thanks in advance,
bd
“Life is tough. Life is tougher if
you’re stupid”-
John Wayne
Hey BD,
Al’s Crappie Candy is hard to beat. I
find it works even better for me in the
early and late season cool waters if I add
a hot pink wing. Worth a shot. Warm regards, Jim
rick z sent me some that will “knock your eyes out” only problem is that i am afraid to use them for fear of losing them. he has some good patterns posted in the panfish section under features, rick’s favorite crappie flies in the archives. mine don’t usually turn out like the ones that he sent me???
BD,
I use the same ones you mentioned with good success. I really like the Crappie Candy. I also like one called the Marabou Miss.
I also use crystal prince nymphs (chartruese crystal chenille for the body, and one called the Horse Fly with good success.
All mine are weighted. I have used unweighted flies but seem to have better success with the weighted versions.
Heres one that i was just recently told about. I used it this weekend and caught several good crappie
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=“1” face=“Verdana, Arial”>quote:</font><HR>Hook: 2X long standard nymph/wet type hook in sizes 8 - 16
Thread: Black, Olive, Red 6/0 or 8/0
Weight: small amount of .015 lead wire
Tail: Small amount of Marabou featheres in red, black, olive, chatruese or bright green, blue, just about whatever you can come up with!
Body: Standard or small Chenielle in colors like the tail. Or if feeling spunky, use peacock herl in either natural or dyed colors!
Ribbing (optional): fine gold wire
1.First start thread one eye width rear of eye and wrap to bend.
2. Wrap and tie in a small amount of lead wire for weight (if needed, it generally will sink without any but not very deep.)
3.Tie in a small amount of Marabou for a tail. Tail should be no longer than hook shank, with most of my tails being 3/4 to 1/2 shank.
4. Tie in ribbing (if used) and chenielle (or herl) at hook bend. Move thread forward to one eye width back from eye. Wrap chenielle (or herl) and ribbing (if used) to thread and tie off and trim tag end.
5. Form SMALL head and whip finish! DONE!!!
For colors, I like to use red, blue and bright green material for tail with a black body. My favorite for louisiana is using a green tail with a olive or dull green body using ultra or small chenielle, this imitates grass shrimp if tied in sizes 14 and smaller in louisiana! I have had luck last fall with using a purple dyed peacock herl body and green or red tailed on with a little weight on the fron of the hook shank , here in the louisville area! Every now and then, I will tie in a 1 or 2 wraps of hackle (brown or black)in appropriate size near head, but remember to use it sparingly!!!
The key to the chenielle gnat is to imitate something that you can by for spinning gear! Go to any fishing gear and tackle shop and you will find small plastic tube jigs for bluegill and crappie in all kinds of colors! Normally these are sold in lengths about 3/4" - 1" long. They work well for spinning gear! I can’t remember a time in louisiana that we didn’t have a few packs in the tackle box for bluegill and crappie! This fly is extremely user friendly and flexible!!!
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
The way to a flyfisherman’s heart is through his fly
[This message has been edited by Bass_Angler_04 (edited 07 March 2005).]
I have excellent luck with Carter’s Dragon tied in either basic black (also great for big bream) or tied in crappie colors of chartruese and white. I also have had excellent success with a small polar fiber minnow unweighted tied in chartruese over white. Let me know if you need the recipes for either of these patterns.
Jim Smith
I really, really like microjig flies for crappie. A pink or red painted head with white marabou and a red thread collar has done the trick many times. Also a red head jig with a red marabou tail and yellow chenille body is a hot fly for old paper mouth. A 8 1/2 foot sinking leader with a 2-3 foot tippet should get you down deep enough. I’ve also had good luck with a chilli pepper fly.
Mike B
Wooly Buggers are hard to beat also. Ditto on white and pink. Blue and white is killer too. One thing you might consider when crappie fishing is to change flies when you’re in a school and the fish quit biting. I’ve fished them for years with both spinning gear and fly rods. It’s weird but you can catch them on one color or fly or bait and they’ll quit and you can tie on something different for them to look at and they’ll start back up again. I’ve sat for hours anchored over a brush pile in deep water in winter fishing a jig straight down and done this over and over. It works the same with a fly but not quite as well.
Thanks for the responses guys. I’m an unabashed Wooly Bugger fanatic. I’ve caught trout on “hot pink” stuff like San Juan worms but have not tried that on warm water stuff. I look forward to trying these suggestions this weekend.
Thanks,
bd
Zac,
Glad to see that the chenille gnat has been working for you!!! What color combos have been working for you so far???
I went to San Marcos, Texas last weekend and did some float fishing of the San Marcos river. I had a ball catching small bluegille and 2 small bass on my chenielle gnat in black with green tail!!!
Reg