Our local pond has had dragonflies around it for atleast a month now. The bass literally jump in the air to get them. Made me up a prototype fly to see if I can get me a few snagged on it.
Will try to post a picture of the fly.
Basically it is this:
size 6 streamer hook
feather sections for a tail
chenile body with more wraps up front to make a ‘head’
more feather sections tied up front for wings. Two wings on each side with the front wings longer than the ‘rear’ ones.
Pretty easy to make. Gonna search for a possible better method to put the wings on.
Big Bad Wulff,
I don’t know why Bass leap for Dragonflies! I don’t think a Adult Dragonfly is a serious menu item. Also HOW R U going to simulate a Flying Dragon?
I have fished with Dragon Nymphs and I was amazed at the ferocity the fish showed towards them.
Good Luck!
Doug
They hit them on the surface of the water when they make the ultimate mistake and get stuck in the water.
I am gonna se if I can get one to leap for it too but mainly I plan to fish it on the surface and just let it drop naturally. Right now all the fish in the pond are hitting nearly anything on the drop…if you just let it drop and don’t strip it.
They will hit my bead-eyed wooley buggers on the drop now but I want to get something they are currently really looking for and that is dragonflies dropping into the water.
I have heard of times when trout will key on adult damsel flies and that the way to fish is a spent one on the surface… they will jump for them but are also keying on spent adults…I see no reason why it doesn’t happen for dragon flies…
I’m wondering though why you are using chenille for a floater…I would suggest foam…
I’m carrying some damsels just waiting for that time…
BBW,
Look at this! http://www.flyfishusa.com/flies/stlddw-4htm
Click Flies, Click Steelhead Flies, Click Waking Flies and Click Bombers.
Do you think this kind of fly might interest the Bass?
Doug
I’d imagine they float for only a finite amount of time then they have to sink. It’s my opinion the larger bass wait for them to sink while they are enjoying the cooler water at or near the bottom of the pond. It’s been 100+ degrees here for about a week to 10 days now. Although this is a spring-fed pond and stays somehwat cool I think the larger fish are deeper at this point in time.
Jack and I watched trout in the Au Sable doing that at the MI Fish-In. Mostly they were smaller fish. I guess that it was the reckless and impetuous youngsters.
One way to make a fly skip is to use a heavy butt section and a tippet 2-3 feet long. Especially if you sidearm cast, you can make flies skip across the surface. Be ready for action, if the fish are so inclined.
Dragonflies tun trout crazy and jump like rockets for them.
Years ago, I explored a small remote lake, hidden between mountains. I began casting diverse flies from my bellyboat, while trouts - which I thought were browns - jumping 2 or 3 ft above the surface to catch dragons, close to the rushes all around the shore.
I didn’t have dragonflies on that moment so I trimmed and shortened the tail of a #10 brown Woolly Bugger, began casting and started catching BROOKIES!!!
So, that was the first time I saw brookies jumping that incredible high, and hunting for that big meal in the air.
We know that a thick dragonfly is the biggest meal that fish can find, talking about insects and those Salvelinus Fontinalis took advantage of them!
