# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > Fishing >  Fly fishing

## flandersander

After a quick search around the site, I found there was little to no info about fly fishing. So I've got my setup, and I want to start tieing flies. Is there any specific patterns or setups anybody likes for certain species? I've found the "wooly bugger" pattern in lime green rather good for rainbow trout in early to mid summer. On my little lake anyways. What do you like?

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## Rick

I fly fish for pan fish mostly, Red Ear and Blue Gill. I have to tell you it really depends for the fly. I guess my favs are a white ant, an assortment of dry flies or a small popper in that order. Anything cheap from Wally World. I don't tie my own. I have enough trouble seeing to tie the darn things on the end of the line.

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## tipacanoe

Muddler Minnow works well both wet and dry, and hornbergs in any colour work well.  If you carry fishing line in your BOB, a couple of each of these would be worth their weight in gold should you need them. They sure won't weigh you down or take up much space.

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## DOGMAN

One of my favorite rigs is a "Hopper and Dropper"  use a nice big dry grasshopper to sit on top of the water (your hopper)- then tie a tippet section 12" to 24" long off the hook of the hopper- with a nymph on it (your dropper) to go sub-surface....then cast that outfit above a hole and let it drift into where you think the fish are...and wham!  Maybe even catch two fish at once! HA....

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## your_comforting_company

FS, I'd be glad to send you a deer tail to tie some flies from. PM me your addy if you're interested!
Here on the creek and up in the sloughs of the rivers, I like to use the willow-fly or black ant. I fly fish with a bream buster though.

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## Stargazer

I like the Royal Coachman. Just about any ant pattern and a few grass hoppers thrown in too.Wooly buggers are great and easy to tie.

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## ClayPick

I like fishing Speckled Trout with dry flies, a olive coloured Dun with a #4 or #5 rod is a riot with these babies!
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## DOGMAN

> I like the Royal Coachman. Just about any ant pattern and a few grass hoppers thrown in too.Wooly buggers are great and easy to tie.


If you could only have one fly pattern to fish all around the world- all times of year...supposedly the Royal Coachman is the one. I've read that its most productive pattern of all time

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## Mischief

> If you could only have one fly pattern to fish all around the world- all times of year...supposedly the Royal Coachman is the one. I've read that its most productive pattern of all time




The Wooly Worm/Wooly Bugger patern  have caught fish all over the world,both in fresh water and salt water.From tiny brokk trout to giant tarpon.
Forward by Lefty Kreh in the book Wooly Wisdom. Tying Recipes for 400 paterns of Woolly's

The only fly you need in your kit,Learn to cast with just the fly line using your arm,no rod & reel just the fly,leader and line.

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## DOGMAN

> The Wooly Worm/Wooly Bugger patern  have caught fish all over the world,both in fresh water and salt water.From tiny brokk trout to giant tarpon.
> Forward by Lefty Kreh in the book Wooly Wisdom. Tying Recipes for 400 paterns of Woolly's
> 
> The only fly you need in your kit,Learn to cast with just the fly line using your arm,no rod & reel just the fly,leader and line.


Yeah, the wooly bugger is a great streamer/wet fly- that can't be debated.  But, the RC is tough to beat for an all-around performing Dry fly.  And to me, thats what fly fishing is all about- casting to rising fish, and watching them sip a fly off the surface of the water.  Sub-surface fishing is productive...but it cant compare to seeing a fish rise to take your fly...thats what fly-fishing is all about.

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## flandersander

> Yeah, the wooly bugger is a great streamer/wet fly- that can't be debated.  But, the RC is tough to beat for an all-around performing Dry fly.  And to me, thats what fly fishing is all about- casting to rising fish, and watching them sip a fly off the surface of the water.  Sub-surface fishing is productive...but it cant compare to seeing a fish rise to take your fly...thats what fly-fishing is all about.


That's my favorite part of fishing too. I like catching pike on a large wooden plug. That way, you can watch them come flying out of the water at your lure. Hmm... Maybe I'll try to tie up a fly that'll catch pikes. Never seen a royal coachman before, maybe I'll have to look into it. Does anybody tie their own flies? Oh, YCC, YGPM.

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## your_comforting_company

Deer tails are shipping out as soon as I can swing by the post office.

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## Swamprat1958

> The Wooly Worm/Wooly Bugger patern  have caught fish all over the world,both in fresh water and salt water.From tiny brokk trout to giant tarpon.
> Forward by Lefty Kreh in the book Wooly Wisdom. Tying Recipes for 400 paterns of Woolly's
> 
> The only fly you need in your kit,Learn to cast with just the fly line using your arm,no rod & reel just the fly,leader and line.


I am 100% in agreement with Mischief.  The wooly bugger is the best all around catch everything fly made.  I am also very fond of the sponge ant or spider for panfish.

Does anyone know were I can purchase the sponge ovals or circles to tie my own sponge spiders?

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## flandersander

Do you mean a material for the legs, or the body material? I think both can be had at cabela's. 
Body material- http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...233&hasJS=true

leg material- http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...546&id=0024666

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## Swamprat1958

> Do you mean a material for the legs, or the body material? I think both can be had at cabela's. 
> Body material- http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...233&hasJS=true
> 
> leg material- http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...546&id=0024666


Thanks flandersander.  The body was my main concern, but those links should help a bunch.

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## flandersander

And, to be honest with you, I don't buy much "fly tying material", although I do make plenty of stops down at the craft store, if you know what I mean. Pretty much the same thing, and cheaper. I also end up with a lot of one-of-a-kind flies. haha.

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## Swamprat1958

> And, to be honest with you, I don't buy much "fly tying material", although I do make plenty of stops down at the craft store, if you know what I mean. Pretty much the same thing, and cheaper. I also end up with a lot of one-of-a-kind flies. haha.


I know what you mean about "one of a kind flies"; I tried to tie some with dog hair one time it looked OK until it got wet - oh well you win some you lose some.............

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## BAKWOODS

hey mate im in south australia and i usally tie crazy charlies on a 1/0 hook for black bream in our local estuary at the glenelg river in a chartruse and pearl .they fight like a bass but i reckon better eating lots of fun 
also our aussi salmon are great fighting fish but not much of a chew,

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## your_comforting_company

I used to get this catalog. I just wanted some of the worm-making rigs and beetlespin body molds, etc. but they have lots of stuff. wood blanks for lures, bills for divers, poppers. They were reliable for what little stuff I ordered from them and they carry all sorts of boating supplies and fishing poles. This link is to the fly-tying section.
http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/fly-tying/

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## flandersander

That's one helluva link. Thanks!

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## timberghost

you can't beat buggers, there is no one color sceme.  they catch fish anywhere and just about any fish.  I prefer to put tungsten beadheads and rubber legs on mine.

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## flandersander

I have a question about fly floatant. Does it repel the water from the fly, or does it just keep the hackle and everything from "bunching up". Know what I mean?

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## Swamprat1958

> I have a question about fly floatant. Does it repel the water from the fly, or does it just keep the hackle and everything from "bunching up". Know what I mean?


The kind I use does a little of both.  It makes the feathers repel water (for a little while) which keeps them from bunching together.  I honestly don't dry fly fish much, since most of my fishing is for panfish and is done just below the surface.  I used to fish for trout when I lived in Arkansas and tried dry flies for trout.  But even then I used a OD woolly booger more than anything else.

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## flandersander

Oh okay. So if It keeps it from munching up, do you put it on a wet fly too? Even as I type it, I realize it's a stupid question, but...

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## Swamprat1958

I don't think it would help any since the water pressure would collapse the feathers, and I don't see the need on a streamer.

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## crashdive123

> you can't beat buggers, there is no one color sceme.  they catch fish anywhere and just about any fish.  I prefer to put tungsten beadheads and rubber legs on mine.


I didn't know that boog........oh wait - you said buggers.  Never mind.

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## flandersander

Okay, so YCC has convinced my to do a little fly tying tutorial. I'll show how to tie the wooly bugger. Here we go:

What you need:
A hook- I used a #8.
3/0 Thread- I used red for demonstration purposes
Wooly Maribou
Meduim chenille
#8 or 10 Grizzly hackle
Head cement

After my #8 hook was in the vise, I wrapped red 3/0 thread from the head to the begining of the bend. 

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Then I took my black wooly maribou feather and did a little trick to make it easier to work with. I licked it. HAHA. This makes it easier to hold onto, and tie to the hook, as you can see it would be.

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After the maribou was wettet, I tied it onto the hook, leaving about a hook's length for the tail. Just a rule of thumb, because when the fish strikes the fly, it'll just grab the tail instead of the hook, which obviously isn't what you're after.

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At this point, I take my thread and bobbin, and wind it back up to the head. Leave your bobbin hang, and go back to the maribou. At this point, you twist it a bit, once or twice, and wrap it in the same direction you wrap your thread. Up to the head of the hook. I like to leave about 4 mm of bare hook to form the head at the end.

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Now wind your thread back to the begining of the bend. This is where you will attatch your medium chenille. After it is secured to the hook, wrap your thread back up to the head.

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Now wrap the chenille in the same fashon you did with the maribou. In the same direction as your thread, to about 4mm from the eye, and tie it off.

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At this point, all there is left to do is attatch the hackle. Take your thread, and wrap it back down to the begining of the bend, as you have been doing with every step. Tie on the hackle, and wrap your thread up to the eye again. 

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Now you have to do something called palmering the hackle. All that means is wrapping it around tightly, so each tiny part of the feather "sticks out" from the fly. It's difficult to explain, but you will know if you do this step correctly. This is the step where your fly actually looks like a fly.

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And that's the fly. All there is left to do is build up a bit of a head, and tie it off. After that is all done, add a little head cement to secure all your work, and let it dry for a few minutes, and you're done!

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Please feel free to ask questions and add your comments.

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## Rick

Had to add some rep for that. Very good job. I've never tied and I've never seen a fly tied before. You make it look almost easy. Thanks! +1

Blue, look, a wooly bugger.
Don't do it, Red. It's already been licked. 
Well, Eeeeuuuuh. What is this stream coming to?

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## flandersander

Believe me rick, this pattern can be gotten the hang of quickly. This is my favorite fly. Not only does it work, but it's the first pattern that I tied. Please feel free to make suggestions and criticizms. Maybe suggestions on camera angles to help you get a better feel for it? There is a variation of this fly that I also like. It's called the Wooly Worm. You replace the maribou with about 3 inches of yarn. You do the same thing, except you don't have to lick the yarn. Tie it on, leaving a hook's length for the tail, wrap it around and tie it off 4mm from the head. A slick little fly I turn to if the fish become used to the sight of the wooly bugger.

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## flandersander

I have a few questions about trout fishing. I've always just kinda tossed out a few of my favorite flies, and always caught a few trout, but I've been wondering. I'm going to a saltwater lake, where there is a trout pond... My question is, does "matching the hatch" make a big difference?

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## beetlejuicex3

Nymphs and wooly buggers are pretty universal for wet fly fishing.  If it's allowed, power bait seems to piss off most trout.

Dry fly?  Yes, matching the hatch is a very good idea.  If you don't know the area well enough, find a local fly shop and ask the guy behind the counter what's hatching.  Or scout the stream the first day and see for yourself what's on the water.

Dry flying is tricky.  The flies have to match the hatch, time of day has to be right, size of the fly has to be right, sunlight has to be right, presentation HAS to be right.

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## klickitat

I am just learning how to fly fish. Been doing it for the better part of 10 years and feel like a beginner. I really like any colored wooly bugger, brown moth patterns and mosquito patterns. Here lately I have also been using felt eggs in the small creeks for cutthroat.

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## crashdive123

Not sure how I missed this tutorial before, but well done FS.

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## Brianster

I haven't been fishing in quite a while.  I used to be a fanatic about it, including tying my own flies.  I did on occasion experiment with new creations, and found one that the river trout went beserk over.  It's a nymph, short little thing, about 3/4" long or less, black hackle along the top, layed back, pale yellow body.  I haven't seen any bugs that looked like that in the area, but the trout don't know that, lol.

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## OhioGrizzLapp

I use mostly "March Brown's," in sizes from 16 - 24 for most of my catches, they seem to work very well everywhere and most times of the year. I use an Orvis 1 ounce, 1 wgt - 2 piece 2 tip 6'6" Superfine with a vintage Hardy Silent Check reel for most of my general light fly fishing. I have been fly fishing for about 20 years now. Used to work at Pine Lake Trout Club in Geauga County Ohio. Molly Perkins (of the Orvis Perkins family fame) used to own it along with a shop in Chagrin Falls Ohio. I was the club pro shop Mgr as well as the fly casting instructor. Then she sold Pine Lake to a Japanese hotel firm, they now use it to send their employees on resort vacation fly fishing trips. 

My actual fav rod to use now is a vintage Eagle Claw/Granger - Special 4wgt 5 piece 2 tip 7'6" back pack rod with a vintage Heddon reel. I usually use Wulff Tri Taper line and I make my own tippets and leaders from AbuGarcia older Royal Bonnel lines (light brown). I used to tie flies, but with my sight the way it is now, I rarely get the chance. 

My most prized rod is a 1969 Orvis - Split Bamboo - Superfine - 6'6" 2 piece - 2 tip with all the orig paper work, hang tags, plaid cloth bag and the tube. 

Here are a few pics of last years catches with various equipment. 

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## tj922

I'm in agreement with Rick. Tying flies when the eyesite fades is a little rough. I have an assortment of wooly boogers, and some scad flies. It kind of depends on the time of day, and what the fish are hitting on at the time. Being in southern California, it takes a few hoiurs to get to a good creek, (not like growing up in Northern Michigan). The Kern River has some golden trout, and they put up a scrap almost as good as a brookie.

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## Rick

You can take a piece of paracord inner strands, attach attach to a hook with a piece of inner strand that has been stripped to it's smallest diameter and you'll have a fly. Use a piece of paracord and fray the inner strands and you'll have a lure.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make...-Fishing-Lure/

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## Sparky93

Quick tip for anybody wanting to learn to tie flies, if you are close to a Bass Pro they guys in the fly shop will probably be happy to give you a tying lesson. When I was wanting to learn I was looking at fly tying stuff in the Bass Pro fly shop and the guy that ties the handmade flies showed me how to tie a wooly bugger. Only cost me 37 cents for the materials and the guy felt bad having to charge me that lol

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## uscgme2

Thanks for that post.  There is no fly I would rather have than a #8 Olive Wolly Bugger with a gold bead head in my box.  Have caught just about everything with it that swims in fesh water.

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## Sarge47

> Thanks for that post.  There is no fly I would rather have than a #8 Olive Wolly Bugger with a gold bead head in my box.  Have caught just about everything with it that swims in fesh water.


Let's not forget the "Chernobyl Ant!"  My son came up last March and bought me a nice Peak Rotary Vise at our local Bass Pro Shop so I'm getting back into tying!  Both the "ant" & the "WB" are my favorites as they're really easy to tie.     :Cool2:

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## wholsomback

A really good place for a begginer to learn some fly fishing basics and formulas to tie flies is.
http://hipwader.com/
They have some good info.I've been tying flies for 25 years and I always look for new patterns.

I mostly do panfish and stripers but next week I plan to go Redfish and seatrout on the fly so hopefull
some pics to follow.

My favorite fly is my shrimp pattern I used when I used to guide for Tarpon and Snook.

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## Sarge47

> A really good place for a begginer to learn some fly fishing basics and formulas to tie flies is.
> http://hipwader.com/
> They have some good info.I've been tying flies for 25 years and I always look for new patterns.
> 
> I mostly do panfish and stripers but next week I plan to go Redfish and seatrout on the fly so hopefull
> some pics to follow.
> 
> My favorite fly is my shrimp pattern I used when I used to guide for Tarpon and Snook.


Invite to "Flyboys"(Fly fishing/tying subgroup) sent.     :Chinese:

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