Bass/Crappie Flies?

[reidsisk]

Hey guys, this is my first thread here so im sorry if im doin anything wrong!

I picked up fly fishing about a month or two ago in Colorado while on a backpacking trip. It is so addicting... I never really liked regular baitcasting. it was just too boring and not productive for me. But fly fishing is super fun, it makes even those tiny fish fun to catch! Well i live in Northern Alabama, so ive had to make the switch from trout fishing to bass and crappie fishing. And i was wondering what flies work best for you guys for Bass or crappie? Most of my fishing is in this pond by my house, and you can see the fish jumping all day, but they rarely bite... ive got a few bream on wooly buggers and some small poppers, but thats not working so well anymore for some reason... i know that i should just try different flies to see what works, but i wanted to know some flies that i would have the best luck in.

Thanks!
Reid

 

[biggie_robs]

Some flies to try:

Briminator (extra long hackle has worked better for me with LMB)
Chernobyl Ant
Gartside Gurgler
Bigger Poppers/Sliders with lots of marabou
various streamers

I've found that LMB can be real hard to entice sometimes, contrary to their reputation--especially in hot water on a hot summer afternoon--go figure. KEEP TRYING! I've had some decent success with both Briminators and Chernobyl Ants on LMB even after multiple refusals. I'm still not sure what I did differently on the successful cast, but I'm not looking a gift horse...

 

[chuck s]

For crappie and bass it's hard to beat a bead head maribou streamer, in smaller sizes for the crappie and larger for bass. My favorite is one I call the BS fly tied on a 2x long hook, with a dark olive maribou tail, a dark peacock Estaz body, a dark olive wing, a tuft of bright orange maribou as a throat and a large copper beadhead. BS = bluegill sunfish. In sizes 4-6 for Crappie and 1-4 for Bass.

 

[reidsisk]

Thank you so much guys! I will definitely try these out! There arent any fly shops around here, so i either have to wait until i go to Atlanta to check out a fly shop there, or order online. Its easier to order online but i dont know fly sizes well enough yet.. are there any sizes to stick to for bass and crappie? or does that matter on what fly im using?

 

[bigjim5589]

The rod you're using, as far as it's line weight rating & water depth will have some bearing on fly selection, as the lighter the line weight, the more limited you'll be for casting larger size or heavily weighted flies. I've found that simple patterns have been the most successful for me when fishing for Crappies, and often for Bass.

However, check out the "Black Ghost" streamer, which is an old, yet fairly simple feather wing pattern. It's been around a long time & although considered a trout or in some places a Salmon streamer, (New England folks use it for Landlocked Salmon) it works very well for both bass & Crappies. You should do well with it in a size 6 or 4 for either species regardless of the rod you have.

Basically, cast it out, allow it to sink to whatever level you feel you need, then strip it in with various cadences & strip lengths until you find something that interests the fish.

I fish in fairly shallow water most of the time, and have done well with simple feather wing streamers that I tie, and one with a white wing, such as the Black Ghost, has always been productive for me.

I mention that particular pattern, since most any fly supplier should have it.

Another old fly pattern I would recommend is called a "Seaducer". It's primarily used for saltwater or as a LM bass fly. There are several popular color combinations, including red & white, red & yellow, and red & chartreuse. I've tied them in many colors. If you can find it in smaller sizes, like a size 2 or 4, or even 6 it would be another simple pattern you can try. I tie & use them a lot, but usually in larger sizes such as a 1/0 or larger, but I have tied & used them down to size 6 for Crappies. It's one of my favorite all around flies, and I use them frequently for LM bass & Striped Bass.

Hope this helps!

 

[swhite1989]

I know you said you tried wooly bugger, but have you tried the wooly bugger with the spinning blade? I use those and I have absolutely been destroying fish, I literally havent used any other fly all summer long. On a productive river, its every other cast. I have only seen these flies at sportsman's warehouse. I checked the website and couldnt find it on there though. I might try and snap a pic later and post it if you need it. Good luck!

 

[reidsisk]

Thanks! Im definitely going to have to check these flies out.

Today i caught a few bass on a large Boogle Bug Popper, one of which was 12" long! About 4 pounds maybe... he didnt put up a fight for some reason... the other bass did though... they were both largemouths. I had been trying every fly i had in that hole, and they wouldnt go for any, i guess the big poppers attract them more than the small poppers..

I just bought a cheap fly tying kit from cabelas, so im gonna start to learn to tie my own flies. this will be good, because i can try out my own stuff.

I noticed some grass carp in the local pond the other day... and ive heard of people fly fishing for them, i sorta wanna try this someday!

I have a 7 weight 9 foot rod

 

[piscatorial_phd]

i guess the big poppers attract them more than the small poppers..

It depends. In clear water, I like small yellow poppers, and it nicely stained water I like large dark poppers. I just posted a video of an 8 lb. LMB that I took on a dry fly at night during a big hex mayfly hatch. Some folks on here will disagree, but in my fishing, which is usually in overfished public water, I find that the order of importance is 1. presentation, 2. size, 3. color.

 

[bigjim5589]

Some folks on here will disagree, but in my fishing, which is usually in overfished public water, I find that the order of importance is 1. presentation, 2. size, 3. color.

I believe big flies= big fish the majority of the time, but cannot disagree with this logic! Presentation IMO, is the most important aspect when looking to catch any larger fish. Smaller fish tend to be more aggressive & prone to take flies more readily than the larger fish, particularly bass. They get large by being wary. However, I certainly agree with PP here, there will be a time & place for all sizes, but no matter what size or color the bass are interested in, screw up the presentation & your chances diminish.

Presentation also includes doing your best to keep the bass from detecting your presence as well. This can apply to many other species as well.

I approach bass fishing as I would hunting. I try to keep well back from where the fish may be, and make every cast count. I'll often spend some time just watching the water before I even make my first cast. Often, I've seen things that may indicate what's going on out there, such as baitfish scattering at the edge of some vegetation, or simply some vegetation moving in a manner that doesn't coincide with wind or waves. Sometimes, it's other fish, such as Carp, but it doesn't hurt to take a little time & observe before making that first cast.

I do a lot of blind casting, but again I attempt to do it with a purpose.
Visually selecting targets where I think a bass might be positioned and trying to make my first cast to any spot count. I've caught bass by just going out & flailing away, but have caught far more larger fish, by being methodical.

Presentation, make it count no matter what's tied on the end of your tippet!

 

[reidsisk]

Thanks! im learning a whole lot from this thread, guys, so thank you! I did think it was sorta odd that i fished the same spot where i caught those bass with a dark green popper, then i fished it with a yellow popper and i caught the fish. the water was VERY murky... i guess ill learn these kinda things as i go on!

 

[bigjim5589]

Here's s few flies I tied up yesterday. I use these primarily for perch or Crappies, but they'll work on other species too. Very simple patterns, and for me they work best in shallow water.

The fly in the upper right is an all white Seaducer. All 4 are tied on size 6 Gamakatsu B10S stinger hooks and I'm tying with Danville Depth Ray Nylon thread in Fire Orange.

The other 3 are simple feather wing streamers, 2 pairs of saddle hackle tips to each side of the wing. I usually use 3 pairs, but on smaller sizes 2 work fine.

The body is saltwater size silver holographic Flashabou wrapped along the hook shank & the flash is fine size silver holographic Flashabou. One has the flash tied in with the wing (upper left), the other 2 have it tied as a tail. Both ways will work, but you'll get less fouling with it tied in the tail.

Although I didn't do it on these, most times when I tie patterns such as this, I tie all the bodies first, and give them a coat or 2 of Sally Hansen's Hard As Nails, then after that's dried completely, tie the fly. The body coating really adds a lot of durability to them and it also magnifies the body flash. I've over wrapped with vinyl body materials too at times, which fattens up the body a bit & adds a little weight, plus aids the durability.

The collar is wrapped saddle, same as the wing material, and some of the marabou like "fluff" at the base of the hackle is left on. I like the extra movement that fluff gives to the fly as it will breath with every strip.

Hope you like them!

 

[reidsisk]

Here's s few flies I tied up yesterday. I use these primarily for perch or Crappies, but they'll work on other species too. Very simple patterns, and for me they work best in shallow water.

The fly in the upper right is an all white Seaducer. All 4 are tied on size 6 Gamakatsu B10S stinger hooks and I'm tying with Danville Depth Ray Nylon thread in Fire Orange.

The other 3 are simple feather wing streamers, 2 pairs of saddle hackle tips to each side of the wing. I usually use 3 pairs, but on smaller sizes 2 work fine.

The body is saltwater size silver holographic Flashabou wrapped along the hook shank & the flash is fine size silver holographic Flashabou. One has the flash tied in with the wing (upper left), the other 2 have it tied as a tail. Both ways will work, but you'll get less fouling with it tied in the tail.

Although I didn't do it on these, most times when I tie patterns such as this, I tie all the bodies first, and give them a coat or 2 of Sally Hansen's Hard As Nails, then after that's dried completely, tie the fly. The body coating really adds a lot of durability to them and it also magnifies the body flash. I've over wrapped with vinyl body materials too at times, which fattens up the body a bit & adds a little weight, plus aids the durability.

The collar is wrapped saddle, same as the wing material, and some of the marabou like "fluff" at the base of the hackle is left on. I like the extra movement that fluff gives to the fly as it will breath with every strip.

Hope you like them!

Those are nice! and i think i have enough material layin around to try to make a few of those.. Let me know how they work for you!

 

[shotgunfly]

I've been pretty successful lately on ponds (largemouth) using clouser style minnows, tied in 6 and 4 size stinger hooks. I tie in a grizzly hackle feather on each side to mimic the lateral line, or a ginger or black feather, dark olive bucktail on top with white bucktail and krystal flash on the bottom. I use both chain bead and dumbell eyes depending on how fast I want to go deep. Bigger flies have produced the large bass. These minnows were killer when the poppers weren't working on anything but the smaller bass. I just started tying so they aren't the best to look at. I'll try and post a picture.

Thanks for posting those flies reidsisk...I'll tie some up. Heading out tomorrow afternoon.

 

[reidsisk]

I've been pretty successful lately on ponds (largemouth) using clouser style minnows, tied in 6 and 4 size stinger hooks. I tie in a grizzly hackle feather on each side to mimic the lateral line, or a ginger or black feather, dark olive bucktail on top with white bucktail and krystal flash on the bottom. I use both chain bead and dumbell eyes depending on how fast I want to go deep. Bigger flies have produced the large bass. These minnows were killer when the poppers weren't working on anything but the smaller bass. I just started tying so they aren't the best to look at. I'll try and post a picture.

Thanks for posting those flies reidsisk...I'll tie some up. Heading out tomorrow afternoon.

Those were bigjim's flies. i couldnt make flies that nice no matter how hard i tried.... I just got into fly tying, so im still learning stuff.

I havent had any luck with the clouser minnows around here... the only sub surface fly ive had success with is a white wooly bugger. I made a bunch of briminators the other day that im looking forward to trying.

 

[biggie_robs]

You'll have good results with the Briminator. It's a great fly.

 

[shotgunfly]

Ok. Thanks reidsisk and thanks bigjim. Here are my ugly minnows. Gotta get better at figuring out how much buck tail to use. The heads/noses on these are getting a little fat. Anyway the green/whites are working well. Gonna try out the more colorful one's out tomorrow. And if there is time, gonna tie up some of bigjims.

 

[ditz]

Shotgunfly....I believe that you have tied some of your clousers upside down. These flys with the eyes tied in on top of the hook will actually fish with the hook in the up position so the dark portion of the wing should be on the hook side/bottom of the hook. Most bait fish have dark backs. Just a thought.

 

[shotgunfly]

Well I'll be a monkey's uncle. I'll start tying them the other way. For now these have been working for me. Maybe they'll work even better the other way. Probably should have googled that. D'OH!

 

[reidsisk]

Nice flies, shotgun! i also made some Gartside Gurglers. two white and one orange with white tail. id post pictures, but my fly tying skills are horrible...

 

[bigjim5589]

Shotgun fly, I've been looking your flies over, and they only need some tweaking I think. Besides reversing the colors, which is not a set in stone rule, as sometimes what you have can be productive. On a size 4 or 6 hook, you want to be selective with the hair. IMO, they could be better with a finer textured hair. If you have any buck tails that are extremely fine in texture, then that's what you should be using.

Also, select more from the upper third of the tail, towards the tip end. I appears that some of the hair you're using is flaring a little. The finer hair, and from closer to the tip of the tail will help slim down your flies.

Otherwise, I like the way you've included some grizzly hackle & other things that are not used on Clouser's normally. I believe sometimes changing things a bit, and tying flies the fish may not have seen before helps make them more productive.

Another possibility for tying small size Clouser's is using a finer hair, such as fox tail. I tie a lot with fox & with coyote tail both of which are usually much finer hair, and I particularly like them for small size Clouser's.

Just some suggestions.