chrismartin

When your wife says "Hey, lets get crazy tonight" and you think she wants to tie up some 8" muskie flies

I tie up a lot of these, and catch a lot of fish on them... you can find the material list and instructions in the database. It's called the Full Motion Crayfish

Great flies! I'll be tying some of those up for sure. Here's one for you. You can find it in more detail in the pattern DB (The Fly Formerly Known as "Len Thompson)... let me know if it will work on Scottish pike I do need to say, however, not all North American pike are small or sick looking... COME TO ONTARIO! WE HAVE MONSTERS! I've attached a picture of a typical fish from one of my favorite pike lakes. This is just one fish in a 20+ fish day.

Chronomids! Red, dark red, bright red, maroon, black, black and white, black with a silver rib, glass bead head, silver bead head, white bead head, peacock herl head, with gills, without gills. Oh yeah, I also tied about 30 caddis larva, from #12 to #18 in about 4 different colors... but those are for the river, not stillwater.

I usually have a lot more poppers and sliders, but they took a real hit last summer. I'll be replenishing those through the winter. Almost all of my bass fishing is for smallmouth in rivers, I I almost only chuck clousers, crayfish and poppers

When you're 28 and you want a pair of trifocals to help you tie stuff from #20 - #32 When the word "Flashaboo" turns you on When you have more tinsel on your desk than on your Christmas Tree

When you cut fibers out of you living room carpet, because you suspect it might make a better post than calf tail. When you have more fabric, beads, ribbon and thread than you wife and all of her friends When Michaels, Fabric Land and all other craft stores are filled with endless possibilities When you've clipped so many eyes from the bead chain on your sinks and bathtubs that the plugs don't reach to the drains anymore

The color pattern of the fly is intended to mimic the color patter of an old pike spoon called the Len Thompson Red and white. Anybody in Canada who chucked spoons for pike would have this in their tackle box

I use a 9'6" 7 wt. with a super stiff fluorocarbon leader and a wire tippet... between the hulling and the casting it's almost a full body workout. It's better than a bowflex. I may not have a toned sexy core, but I do smell like fish and have hands covered in bloody pike bites. Who wouldn't want that!

I should amend the materials list, to include safety glasses. WARNING: USE AT YOUR OWN RISK No pike or muskie shall be found liable if fisherman sustains injury while using this fly

The lip works well. It gets the fly down quick, but it is limited by the wire stabilizing it from behind. The stiffer the better... I would like to use something as stiff as a clothes hanger, but it's much too thick to tie in. I'm still looking for just the right material. This version has worked well so far.

A new addition to the fly pattern database has been submitted by christhemartin: I would love some feedback on this pattern, and would love to see some other BIG Muskie and Pike flies The Fly Formerly Known As "Len Thompson" http://www.flytyingforum.com/uploads/thumb...3ddecfb8dd2.jpg

I love the look of this fly. I'll be tying some for sure. How has it fished for you?

I'll be tying some of those form smallies... Looks great! I'll probably add some rubber legs to it.

Grizzlyking, I grew up in BC not too far from you. For BC bass I would by tying clouser minnows in all kinds of colours especially chartruce and white. I would also have an assortment of buggy crayfish patterns, with lots of movement. Take a look at some of the jigs, tubes and soft plastic chunks that spin fishermen are using, and try to imitate them with feathers and fur.

This pattern was originally developed by Ken Collins, Stephen May and the good folks at Grand River Troutfitters in Fergus, ON. Canada. I've made some changes to the original. Would love to get some feedback, or ideas regarding improvements

A new addition to the fly pattern database has been submitted by christhemartin: Full Motion Crayfish

Been tying a ton of caddis larva #12 #14 #16 and #18 in browns, greens, tans and olives. Has anybody seen the pre-spun dubbing brushes coming out of the Czech Republic? The make tying caddis larva, isopods, scuds and Czech nymphs so easy. I've also been playing around with some crayfish patterns.

I started tying this year simply because, in the long run, it's much more cost effective than buying flies... I started off fishing way more, and tying only to replenish my box, but in the past few months I've been tying pretty much every day. I would have to say, I enjoying tying as much as fishing.

I love tying really big pike and muskie flies using all types of rabbit strips... I especially love putting a red collar on a big fly using a cross cut rabbit strip. When it comes to small stuff I love using midge flex. I put it on must of my stone and mayfly nymphs, and on all my caddis larva and scuds. I also love ice dub and ice wing.

I've read most of the posts and it all sounds like good advice... all I would add is that you should set some kind of goal. My 1 year goal was to master some key, staple patterns. I worked on the Woolly Bugger, Clouser Minnow, Lefty's Deciever, Pheasant Tail Nymph, Prince Nymph, Hares Ear Nymph, Elk Hair Caddis, Comparadun and the Adams. One could almost fish an entire season with just these flies. I started with the larger easier ones and gradually challenged myself with the harder ones. I never got bored of tying the same thing over again, and I was always working toward something. Because I was motivated to make my goal, I practiced a lot... tied a lot of ugly flies, but eventually started to tie some really good flies. I actually took less than a year (about 9 months) to become proficient at those patterns. Your goal may be bigger or smaller depending on how much time you have to invest. My current goal is to fish an entire season only using flies I've tied... we'll see how that goes. Good Luck

I've been using latex condoms to tie grubs for smallmouth bass... thinking of using them for shrimp bodies on bonefish flies