With spring approaching — it is approaching, I tell myself, despite what the weather does — I’ve stated tying regularly again. I’m trying to prepare for the season, sure. And I’m enjoying it. But I’m also enjoying remembering last season, and dreaming of plans for this coming one. My good friend Anton has described fishing as “pleasure deferred.” I agree, though instances like this the pleasure is somehow both: deferred and immediate, present and future tense. Part of that pleasure lies in experimenting. And experimenting I have been.
I’ve been tying some saltwater patterns that I don’t often tie. Joe Blados’s Crease fly, for instance, is new to my repertoire, but I’m having a great time learning how to tie it properly. I’ve also been experimenting with an articulated, rattling eel pattern inspired by some Rich Murphy patterns.
When not experimenting with striped bass fly patterns , I’ve been tying some Atlantic salmon patterns. See below for photos and details about all of these.
Comments, suggestions, and stories of your own patterns are welcome in the comments — as always!
Striped Bass Flies:
The killer — a Blados Crease fly.
The Crease fly getting cured under a UV light.
Joe Blados Crease Fly:
Body: White Foam covered in Chewee Skin UV Clear, secured with Clear Cure UV Glue
Eye: Flat Prism Decal 1/4″
Tail: Bucktail w/ some Krystal flash
Note: I always seem to tie these with too little tail material, and I always get the edges of them too rough. I also do like to dress them up a bit with permanent marker! That’s unnecessary, but I find it fun.
A prototype of a striped bass fly meant to imitate an eel.
Experimental Striped Bass Eel Pattern:
Fore-body:
Fish Skull Senyo Articulated Shank 25mm
Thread: Black GSP
Belly: Pale Olive Bucktail
Throat: Red Krystal flash
Wing: Black bucktail
Head: Black Jumbo Mylar Tubing
Eye: Flat Prism Decal 1/4″
Rattle: Glass torpedo rattle
Rear-body:
Hook: Gamakatsu SC17 1/0 Saltwater Series
Wing: Black Cock Neck Bass/Saltwater
Note: This is an early prototype — perhaps too early for me to be sharing it. But I like where this idea is going. It’s not new territory, but tying articulated flies meant to make a lot of noise under water is always a fun challenge.
A slight variation on Rich Murphy’s Pamet Special.
Variation on Rich Murphy’s Pamet Special
Hook: Gamakatsu SC17 1/0 Saltwater Series &
Eye: Flat Prism Decal 1/4″
Belly & Body: Mylar braid over darkening layers of UV Krystal, topped with a few strands of peacock herl
Throat: Red Krystal Flash
Note: This is a variation because Rich Murphy recommends using some natural feathers in his Pamets. I tried this one with all synthetics. I think it came out pretty well, but can see the advantage of having more body mass.
Atlantic Salmon Flies:
A Blue Charm — one of my favorite flies for Atlantic salmon.
Classic Blue Charm
Hook: Alec Jackson #4
Tip: UNI-frensh small oval tinsel
Tag: Yellow floss
Tail: Golden pheasant crest
Butt: Peacock Herl
Body: Black floss
Throat: Blue hackle
Wing: Squirrel
A Ghost Stone Atlantic salmon fly. A well-used fly on the Grand Cascapedia.
Ghost Stone Fly:
Hook: Partridge Salar (by Mikael Frodin) Double #5
Wing:Angel Hair (Blue/Pearl), Schlappen, and Micro Mirage Lateral Scale
Thread: UTC Ultra 140 Fluorescent Green
Floss: Chartreuse floss
Parachute Post: 30 lbs. Maxima tippet, w/h the end burned by a lighter to form a small ball
Hackle: Grizzly, wound parachute style on the Maxima, under the yellow bead