Flies for the Missouri river around KC/St Joseph

[delopez]

From the reports that I've been reading, most of the catfish have been biting on
Asian carp. So, I'm looking to see if anyone has ever tied a bait-fish pattern that looks like an Asian carp? Any takers?

 

[theboz]

I dont know about Asian Carp imitations but I do believe catfish will hit a variety of patterns . Many people on this forum have caught catfish on a variety of patterns. My go to pattern is a bead head leech which has worked for me in many waters for cattys! Check out the Muddy Waters threads in this section ! Those guys hammer catfish. Also look at Didgeridoos posts , the cats he catches are monsters!
Personally I wouldn't worry to much about matching the hatch in your situation moreover id be more concerned about finding fish to put a fly in front of!
I'm sure your cats are like all others and they are coming a long way to find Asian carp baits through scent and vibration. You as a fly fisherman do not have this option and must present your fly where the catfish can get a visual and respond!
If you know where they are I'll bet you can throw a bead head feather duster and hook up!

 

[delopez]

The river is very wide. I've been trying to spey cast and drift for them, to cover a lot of water and, hopefully, get the fly in front of them. I have been casting rabbit hair leech patterns to them with no luck. However, it might be late in the year for that. Also, I have been casting clousers, but I've had no such luck on them, either. I thought about throwing some articulated patterns out there. Maybe those will get their attention...

 

[lancer09]

Look into a lot of big musky patterns, then tie them in all white and silver. My recommendation would be a spey rod and the heaviest line you can through.

 

[delopez]

I have thrown some larger clouser patterns. I haven't thrown any of my muskie flies, though. maybe some enrico flies will work?

 

[stl_geoff]

Big heavy crayfish patterns are what we usually use for cats. Size 2 and up. Use fox squirrel tail as pinchers, then make a dubbing loop with some rust browns, oranges and some squirrel tail trimmings. use BIG beadchain eyes, and tie in a weedgaurd if you want. Simple, easy and quick.

 

[delopez]

Are you focusing on any other species? Are there walleye in the Missouri around your area?

Is there a tying example of this fly on the web?

 

[okuma]

Here's a thought, though I never tried it...yet. I've seen tiny rattled bead bodies you can tie into your streamers.

 

[stl_geoff]

Are you focusing on any other species? Are there walleye in the Missouri around your area?

Is there a tying example of this fly on the web?

We target fish in the river. Doesnt really matter what they are haha. mainly its carp, drum and catfish.

The fly im talking about looks like this,

tie it with many sets of eyes to get it down deep fast, and the second set of eyes is actually 4 beacs wide, so they flop about and rattle. The picture is pretty deceptive, those crayfish are close to 3" when were done on size 2 hooks

 

[delopez]

Those look nice. Does the body slim up a bit when it gets wet?

 

[stl_geoff]

not really. they stay pretty fat.

 

[ditz]

I also use a lot of squirrel tail. You can also use squirrel zonkers for the claws. They seem to move around a little more than the squirrel tail claws and the fish seem to like them too. Rabbit zonkers also work but they can soak up a lot of water and get heavy. The squirrel zonkers are easier to cast IMO. I have had better success with flies that resemble dads than the more realistic patterns and are faster to tie so losing a couple is far less stressful:lol2

When I use the zonkers I usually start the fly by making a small ball with orange micro chenile about a third of the way up the bend of the hook to spread the zonkers and the position up the hook makes the claws stand up a little when the fly is sitting flat on the bottom.

I also have tied up a couple of saltie crabs with the zonker claws to try out in FL if I get the chance to go this winter. Yee Haa

 

[delopez]

The main objective here: catch fish in the river that is 3 minutes from my house. I'm using a 13'6 8/9 deer creek spey rod with a skagit flight versi-tip at 600 grains. I'm using the heaviest head that I can find and I'm casting it straight out to ensure that it will sink. It's about a 30' drop or better. I have yet to land anything with a spey rod in the Missouri by my area. These fly tips and patterns are definitely helpful. And, I appreciate it.

 

[stevep]

I hope I'm not too late to the party here. I live in St Joe and do a lot of fly fishing on the MO and its feeders. I tie flies similar to what geoff posted and add rattles to most as the water is super murky most of the time. I would love to hit the water with someone some time I find it almost laughable that most guys wouldn't even consider putting a fly line in that river around here. There are some monsters to be had and more fun than a sack of monkeys with hammers. Lopez you have a PM.

Steve

 

[delopez]

I hadn't looked at this post. I checked my PM before and if I would have checked this, I would have known that you were from my town . I will be calling you, soon. I need a fishing partner, in crime. I know that most of the time, the river is deep. So, it will be nice to know where the 'spots' are.