"Too Simple" Panfish fly

All about flies Fly Tying
1

I’ve been playing with this pattern all spring and summer and have caught a lot of fish! It’s an easy tie that I think fits with Al Campbell’s “too simple” series. What do you think?

I’ve had good luck with chartreuse and black eyes, and also all purple with silver eyes. The color options are limitless, but I know for a fact the crappie and bluegills around here love this fly!

Figured I’d share a fly I’ve “come up with”, although I’m sure it’s been done before.

Hook: Mustad 3366, size 8
Eyes: bead chain, just a touch in front of halfway point on the hook shank
Tail: rabbit
Body: chenille

I put the eyes back far enough to figure-8 them with chenille and not crowd the hook eye. Go tie up a few and catch a mess of fish!

2

Great Looking Simple fly!

3

There is no chance that fly will catch any fish, send all you have tied to me for disposal.

4

Try making some with some orange color. A beautifully neat fly.

5

Looks simople enough that even I could tie it.

6

I’ve been sitting around trying to think of some new simple effective warm water pattern’s. Thank’s for the idea , great looking little fly.

7

Zach, throw a pair of rubber legs on there and you’d have the heretic fly i sent you in the bluegill swap. I use marabou for my tail but whatever works. now try tying them with crystal chenille for those pesky crappies. I sent in a FOTW attempt a while back but may have been too long, I’ll see if I still have any pictures around…

8

That looks like a good, simple pattern alright. I like it.

9

Hi Zac,

Looks good, appears simple to tie, and catches fish…that’s as good as it gets in my view. Thanks for posting the pattern and picture of the fly.

Thanks and regards,

Gandolf

10

Super good! I,m going to make some of those. I’m thinking white bass or wipers.

11

I really like that fly! Also makes me think of some chenille I have that should be perfect for something like that. I have had the stuff for a couple years and every time I start to do something with it another material pulls me away. Got to try the Ice Dub Chenille I have on this.

It makes my mind run with ideas too and that I like.

Thanks for the idea,
Skip

12

Thanks for sharing, Zac.
I tied up 4 last night…3 of them with rubber legs.
One in white, one in chartreuse, one in purple, one in orange/brown. The orange/black has legs, and should be a good crayfish-imitator in a pinch.

13

Thanks for all the comments! I tied a few with orange tail and orange/black variegated chenille, but haven’t fished them much yet.

Skip, I’m gonna have to try the ice dub chenille as well now that you mention it! I have a couple tied with some Crazy Angler chenille colors that have yet to be tested much… “Heather’s Best” and “Baby Crappie”. The first is yellow/pink variegated with blue flash, the second is light and dark olive variegated with green flash.

It’s open to variation, but the plain chartreuse and plain purple have kept me on fish when they’re looking for minnows!

14

I have some of the pink/yellow with blue crystal and just too many colors to show all I have I guess as I never tie it much. Have wanted to, but something pulls me away.

I bought this Ice Dub Chenille at least a year or more ago and when I saw the bug you tied it was the first thing to hit my mind.

Skip