What flies have to be in your warmwater box? Doing some Christmas flies. I know what I carry but I’m interested in what everyone else thinks.
It’s been a bit cooler here in Central Florida, so I’ve been “creating” some Balsa Bugs for the sprng. This one I call the Ruckus Frog because it creates a lot of water movement which really get the bass interested. Feel free to ask any questions you may have. Jim Smith
1 Like
Hey, rainbowchaser. Cool topic! I am originally from Indiana, so when I am wading warm water, I am mostly focused on smallmouth, although I also love catching panfish. Clousers, Murdich minnows, a couple crawdad patterns, wooly buggers, deer hair poppers, gurglers, and foam terrestrials are my favorites. I carry a little box with me at all times with bluegill bugs - San Juan worms, smaller wooly buggers, foam beetles, and some nymphs. As I type this I am reminded of how much confidence I have in the “ol reliable” patterns.
Excited to see your Christmas flies!
Hi Kevin. Welcome to FAOL.I think our smallmouth boxes might be interchangeable but I’m curious about your smallmouth patterns. I’ve never found one that I both liked and was a simple tie. I usually just use bead head wooly buggers instead. Whoops, I meant crawdad patterns.
1 Like
Can’t go wrong with a bead head wooly bugger, my friend! Honestly, I think the “Thin Mint” variation of a bugger is probably one of my greatest confidence patterns I have. Has a lot of soul to it! About a year ago, I went through a crawdad binge at the vise. Tying existing patterns and making some variations for myself. One of the coolest patterns I can across was Clouser’s Crayfish. Such a neat tie and made to be fished like a nymph as opposed to stripping across the bottom. Clouser’s smallmouth book is also really great in addition to “Smallmouth Bass Flies: Top to Bottom” by Jake Villwock. Both have a ton of great info on SMB.
Thanks for the welcome to the forum! I am really excited to be here with you all.
My favorite, especially for warmwater, is my own version of a Polly Rosborough Casual Dress. A big fat, spiky pile of movement. But use FTD material with rubber legs, MS bugger, or Kraken, and a 1/2 in marabou tail. Tie very full, imitates a sculpin, or chop the tail for a great dragon fly nymph. Other flies; bead head bugger, Clouser, scud, triangle fly.
1 Like
thanks, mcfish. Good to see you posting again.
Great thread!
Looks like we ma have man interchangeable stuff.
If we are looking to pull some quick BG’s for dinner we generally tie on a prince, a dark wooly bugger or a dark chironomid in #10. The LM’s in these ponds we generally pester with only top-water, preferring deer hair bugs…though James does some fantastic “other” top-water bugs! The fine smallmouth that we had in the Russian R. is going the way of the demised steelhead polluted into a very occasional meeting at best. However, we used to enjoy pestering them with a dark wooly bugger paired with a surf candy type bug we tied. A friend used a crawdad immi with leather claws quite successfully too.
…lee s.
1 Like
Y key messed up.
“may have many”
For bluegills, I think I’ve caught more on a fox squirrel nymph than any other fly. Could be because I fish it the most. Some days in late May some kind of damsel fly nymph (olive wooly bugger, maybe with eyes) will work better than anything else.
1 Like
Love the mention of Bluegills. I could talk about and cast a 3wt to Bluegills all day long. Great to eat and a pleasure to catch. Had an old bull bend a 6wt in half last summer in Indianapolis.
1 Like
A simple yet effective smallmouth bass fly is the Freaner Flasher.
Pearl Estaz body, white marabou tail, gold tinsel tied in at the head on a streamer hook with small bead chain or lead dumbbell eyes. Look it up on Global Fly Fisher.
1 Like
The Stealth Bomber is a productive topwater smallmouth fly. Fish it slow or make it dance. It rocks. Favorite colors are tan, brown, white and black. For larger bombers, I use craft fur. Small SB’s (size 10), I use marabou. Save the fluff from cleaning out the craft fur. Mix some Angelina/Crystalina fibers (search eBay) in with the fluff and put it in a dubbing loop for making the body.
1 Like
I really like that stealth bomber.
Thank you Mr. RainbowChaser, I tie them in sizes 1/0 to 10. I keep things on the simple end of the spectrum. PM me if you would like a SB tying tutorial.
Thanks, but I already googled the fly and traced the template for the foam.