If you had only one fly to use for catching Bass topwater or subsurface what would it be? If you can post a picture of it for all to enjoy.
forgot to post mine Gray/White Snake!!
Don’t have a picture, but I’d have to pick a red/black semi seal leech.
Actually, I’d have to pick that for EVERY freshwater species…
Buddy
What size fly Buddy?
Nice flies Dave, what size are they?
Looks like I tied these on #2 streamer hooks.
Nice ties, Dave. Is the mouth slipped over the hook, then glued to the head?
Flyster,
I tie these on everything from a size 10 4xl up to a 3/0 6xl depending on species targeted.
So far caught everything that swims I’ve been close to on this fly (including one little sailfish…)
Buddy
No glue. It’s an easy tie. After tying in the marabou tail, one takes a single strip of foam. Fold the strip in half and poke a hole in the center of the crease with a bodkin. Slip that hole over the eye of the hook and slide the foam back over the butts of the marabou. Secure one half of the foam strip to the bend side of the hook shank. Near the eye of the hook, the foam should naturally curve up on the sides. This will form the lower lip. Wind the thread back to the hook bend, tie in a strip of boa yarn. Wrap the thread back to just behind the hook eye, and then wrap the boa yarn up as well. Secure the boa yarn with thread wraps and cut off any extra boa yarn. Bring the top strip of foam over the body of the fly and secure it to the hook with thread wraps behind the hook eye. Whip finish and sever the thread. Add eyes and/or markings to the fly as you prefer. The top lip curves down over the edges of the lower lip. I trim the corners off both lips.
James Smith turned me on to this pattern, and it has taken bass up to 19" for me, which is a pretty good bass for Iowa.
Thanks, Dave.
Bob9
Nice one Bob. Is that squirrel for the under body? Nice and fully dresses.
As I understand, it is Bob.
This photo may be found here. http://theflybrary.com/ It’s Ted Patlen’s interpretation of Mr. Gapen’s original design.
The ones I fish are a little different from this one but not by much. I am not a fly tier and have always liked the tried and true patterns.
I tie a bass/panfish fly that is a Krystal bugger with a hackle collar as opposed to palmered hackle on the body, and it has barbell eyes like a Clouser so it rides hook point up. Sz 12-6; 3 or 4x long streamer hooks
Yellow Gurgle Pop! Size 10 with a crystal flash tail.
I will agree, but I prefer mine to be a size 2.
My favorite for large and smallmouth
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/fotw/2012/fotw20121203.php
The only change I have been doing lately is to go with a lighter jig hook, 1/64 ounce to make it easier to cast. This fall I caught a nice bow on the fly in stained water on a local spring creek.
If I was down to one fly I think it would be a black and grizzly woolly bugger in size 8. I’ve caught a lot of bass up to 20 inches long as well as many nice bluegills with it.
What’s that???
For surface work, I love my Crease Minnows:
For subsurface work, my Puglisi-style Bluegill works every time.
Don’t have a picture but my favorite is a Clouser Deep Minnow tied on a #2 hook using any number of sunfish colors like green, orange, yellow and chartreuse.