I started fly fishing when I was 12 and in the last 10 years I really hadn't bothered to do any fishing or making my own flies. One of my neighbors got me to go fishing this spring and I've started to get back into using a fly rod once more. I didn't realize that a bunch of my flies had been damaged by bugs and time so I'm having to re-learn how to make flies again. It's been at least 15 years since I tied any flies but it's coming back to me now. With the weather today I decided to make a few and forgot how much fun and aggravation tying small flies can be when you just cant see up close like you used to. Smallest thing I tied today was a mosquito on a #16 hook, but the majority of what I tied was variation of the wooly bugger and a couple of foam body bugs. Anyone else do this for fun?
Anyone else fly fish and make their own flies?
- Thread starter charlief1
- Start date
Thought I'd add a couple of pics to see if anyone's interest gets peaked in this fun way to fish. The flies are some that seem to kill the fish in the pond out here. Not the greatest pic but it's a modified woolyworm in black with a tail and wings. Lost my last 1 tonight so I had to make a couple new ones.
The 2 jigs are made out of foam and float, but I haven't decided what to do with them yet.
The 2 jigs are made out of foam and float, but I haven't decided what to do with them yet.
I've been tying flies for about 10-12 years, and serious fly fishing for around 8 years or so although I dabbled in it some 20 years back. I enjoy both aspects of the sport.
I did catch about a 20# tarpon on the fly (more luck than anything as that was in my very early stages), and also caught a small 4# roosterfish off the coast of Cabo. My most memorable catch was working a rising fish that was about 60 feet away, and there was no way for a back cast. I was using a 4 weight rod and a blue drake. All I could do was roll casts due to the trees behind me. I swear it took me 20 minutes to finally get that fly in the right seam, I was sweating my ass off, and he came right up and took it. Landed it: nice native brown trout about 17 inches. (Private stretch in Pennsylvania about 1.8 miles long that hasn't been stocked in over a decade). Even though I've caught 15-18# steelhead, that fish seemed like a great accomplishment.
I like that wooly worm you tied up, charlie. Looks "buggy".
Most of my fly fishing is geared towards upstate NY where I chase salmon, steelhead, and brown trout. Its not the most elitist of ways to fly fish, because getting any one of these species to take a dry fly is next to impossible. So, it requires that you put a little B or BB split shot about 6 inches up from your presentation in order to get them to cooperative. No different than nymph fishing in local rivers and streams here in NJ.
I guess the real fanatic fly tiers will say "here's how you do this fly", but the thing I really like about tying my own is that I can change it up, add or take things away (like wings or appendage), do a color that's out of the norm, etc. And it really is an awesome feeling when everything comes full circle: tie my own fly, put it on the line, and then catch a fish. Pretty awesome to be able to do that.
Sometimes people will wonder or question why a trout (say a 10#er) would ever "eat" a tiny little fly. The way I explain it to them is its like people eating M&M's. You walk by a bowl of them, why not grab one? Not exactly a fulfilling meal, but a great snack.
No pictures of my flies available (I'm no pro anyway), but thanks for sharing those Charlie.
I did catch about a 20# tarpon on the fly (more luck than anything as that was in my very early stages), and also caught a small 4# roosterfish off the coast of Cabo. My most memorable catch was working a rising fish that was about 60 feet away, and there was no way for a back cast. I was using a 4 weight rod and a blue drake. All I could do was roll casts due to the trees behind me. I swear it took me 20 minutes to finally get that fly in the right seam, I was sweating my ass off, and he came right up and took it. Landed it: nice native brown trout about 17 inches. (Private stretch in Pennsylvania about 1.8 miles long that hasn't been stocked in over a decade). Even though I've caught 15-18# steelhead, that fish seemed like a great accomplishment.
I like that wooly worm you tied up, charlie. Looks "buggy".
Most of my fly fishing is geared towards upstate NY where I chase salmon, steelhead, and brown trout. Its not the most elitist of ways to fly fish, because getting any one of these species to take a dry fly is next to impossible. So, it requires that you put a little B or BB split shot about 6 inches up from your presentation in order to get them to cooperative. No different than nymph fishing in local rivers and streams here in NJ.
I guess the real fanatic fly tiers will say "here's how you do this fly", but the thing I really like about tying my own is that I can change it up, add or take things away (like wings or appendage), do a color that's out of the norm, etc. And it really is an awesome feeling when everything comes full circle: tie my own fly, put it on the line, and then catch a fish. Pretty awesome to be able to do that.
Sometimes people will wonder or question why a trout (say a 10#er) would ever "eat" a tiny little fly. The way I explain it to them is its like people eating M&M's. You walk by a bowl of them, why not grab one? Not exactly a fulfilling meal, but a great snack.
No pictures of my flies available (I'm no pro anyway), but thanks for sharing those Charlie.
It's almost 20 years since I tied any but I started fly fishing at 12. My paternal grandfather fly fished but my father hated fishing, so I had to teach myself. Did a lot of reading over the years and learning how to do stonefly was a real adventure. I'm getting back into fishing again and forgot how enjoyable and relaxing it can be. Lake Whitney isn't to far away and we have hybrid stripers that run on the Brazos year round so I'm going to take some time to go down there and see if I can hook into any of them soon.
Bruce Urie
The Ventures,CCR forever!
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
Charlie, I've been attracting a lot of flies lately....do you want some?
Bruce '87 Grand National
Bruce '87 Grand National
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