Hi everyone. I just got into fly tying a few months ago and can’t wait to try some of my flies out, but we have some hard water up here, and I don’t think I can make it until spring!
Anyway, I hear some ice anglers fish flies through the ice. I’d love to try it and tie some of my own. Are there any pattens anyone recommends tying for ice fishing?
Thanks,
Sam
Welcome to the board Nuchal, I don’t see why some gold ribbed hares ears, black ap’s and some small black leech patterns wouldn’t work under the ice. How deep do you fish through the ice?
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
Come on you guys that tie up jig type flies …wouldn’t they be perfect???
Gotta warn you though Nuchal Man…casting that fly into that small hole may require a really good rod…not to mention reel…are you going to be fishing dry or wet???:rolleyes:
Hey…a big welcome:cool:.
duckster, we use a tower cast…heh, heh…
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
M&M…I suddenly got this picture of fishing from a ladder:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:.
I see lots of jig type flies on my other forums where they got a ice fishing section. they use jig and maggots tho. I don’t see why a leech or even nymphs wouldn’t work. I never tried it tho so don’t mind me.
Thanks everyone for the response. I’ll try some nymphs and maybe some leech patterns. I’ll just weight them a little more so they sink quicker.
I’m mostly going for panfish, so I’ll probably tie them pretty small and tip them with spikes. Maybe some really small woolly buggers will work.
Nuchal
That gave me a good laugh. I’ve seen some post’s on a local fly shop board of guys fishing from a ladder out here in cali… :lol:
Now duckster…that’s crazy…why would anyone flyfish from a ladder?
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
Montana, I think it’s like wading, you get closer to the high flying flies.
I’ve tied a beadhead maggots with red thread (for color - a bit of red sometimes does wonders). Use a size 12=14 hook. Secure bead. Tie in some manila/whitish colored latex. Cut a strip from a glove. Tie it down then palmer to the beadhead and tie off. Years ago we had an ice fly swap here and this was my entry. Although this isn’t “kosher” with most around this site, it doesn’t hurt to “tip” this with a few wigglers. One of the flies, which I still have from the swap, was a creative offering of several wigglers on the hook. I have no clue how this was done. It was a beautiful effort. JGW
I’ve had great luck with this bead pattern. Very simple and cheap to tie.
Donat…ah so it’s the true meaning of ‘fly’ fishing…got it ! Heh…
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
Here’s a webcam shot of a page out of “Fishing Flies and Fly Tying” by William F. Blades, plate V. Ice Fishing Flies. This pic should give you the general shape and idea. The flies have marabou tails and wings, split shot weighted painted heads, and various colored floss bodies that are ballast with copper wire to provide a neutral descent to the bottom (instead of head first).
Bill Blades is a significant part of fly fishing history, and you should take a look at his contributions. You’ll find his book available on the internet (used) for reasonable prices or check it out of your local public library.
Good luck
Here is one of the best ice-fishing lures I have ever used. I dont think it has a name. It represents a common type of plankton. I read about it in an issue of Field and Stream magazine, about 30 years ago. I made some up, and they worked.
Get an empty Coors can (no problem…hic). Slice the beer can length wise, spread it open and rinse the inside out well. Then take a paper hole-puncher, and punch out several ‘chads’
Take a small midge hook (#18-22), and run some super glue over the shank. Then quickly fold a chad in half, shiny-side-out, over the shank, and let the glue set.
That’s it. Just fish it straight down, through the ice. Bluegills and Yellow Perch love these in winter. Every once in a while, jig it lightly up and down. Add a small split-shot about 15" above the hook if needed.
I have used these alot when I travel to Wisconsin and Minnesota. I fish in ‘Dark Houses’, on the ice.
Check out this on ice fishing flies: http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showtopic=6977&hl=
Check out this thread http://www.crappie.com/crappie/jig-tying-jig-making-forum/80135-bream-jig-swap.html on crappie.com. It may give you some ideas. These folks are taking fly patterns and tying them on small jigs for bream! May sound like heresy to some but it sure ought to catch fish! I’m thinking about doing it for those days when it is to windy to fly fish to use on my UL or tying some on 1/100 oz jigs to fly fish with. Hope this helps!
Thanks guys. I’ve tied a few patterns, mostly scuds and smaller patterns with marabou tails. Sadly, won’t be able to try them for a while with the heat wave we’ve had in Illinois. No safe ice :(.
