And yet more stuff for sunfish. I realize I have a sickness.

[Mark Knapp 0]

First, I did some Damsel Fly nymphs.

Then I did a couple of different sculpins with skulls.

Then I did some Mylar minnows.

and this is one of the Havasu boxes.

More to come. Next some more damsel flies, dragon flies and dragon fly larva. The sunfish I'm going for have mouths big enough I can put two thumbs in their mouths, over under style.  My thumbs are big, so I have to remember to tie big for those sunfish.

[DFoster 0]

Fine looking box of bugs Mark- 

[partsman 0]

Nice, the sculpins are especially cool. Bluegills are such a blast on fly tackle!

Mike.

[flytire 0]

these last me all season

[RickZieger 0]

If you are sick then I am diseased.  Nice flies.

Rick 

[chugbug27 0]

I like em a lot, and yeah especially the sculpins.... Is that angle you put in the shank before the eye the angle you expect your line to be at the bottom, so the fly is level? Or to set the hook horizontally on a fish who is eating your fly with its body vertical and it's mouth down? What's the theory there, curious? Can't figure it out.

[Mark Knapp 0]

3 hours ago, chugbug27 said:

I like em a lot, and yeah especially the sculpins.... Is that angle you put in the shank before the eye the angle you expect your line to be at the bottom, so the fly is level? Or to set the hook horizontally on a fish who is eating your fly with its body vertical and it's mouth down? What's the theory there, curious? Can't figure it out.

The biggest sunfish in Havasu are fished in 25 to 30 feet of water. I'm fishing them with sinking line. The angle is for a couple of reasons. To make sure the fly lands right-side-up on the bottom of the lake, to keep the point of the hook out of bottom debris and to make sure my line and the knot isn't abrading on the sand and rock on the bottom. Ideally, you'd like the line to come straight off of the hook to the rod tip at a similar angle but of course that's impossible to do.

[chugbug27 0]

Ah, to protect the knot & line!! Makes sense. What hook size you using on these giant discus-fish?

[Mark Knapp 0]

5 hours ago, flytire said:

these last me all season

I have a couple of problems (just to name a few) I'm going down to Lake Havasu for two to three months this spring (I'm working that out with the treasurer right now) and I will fish every day if my boat doesn't break down and if I don't get heat stroke, I'll fish for up to ten hours a day (like I said, I have a disorder). I'll be fishing up to 35 feet down in line classes of 2, 4, 6, and 8 pound test. I'm sure to cast some flies right off of the end of the line cuz that's what I do some times 😊 and the bottom of the lake is all rocks. I'll be fishing rock piles and points mostly. I'll lose lots of flies. Red ear sunfish are bottom dwellers in Lake Havasu and as a species are not known to rise for a fly so I'll be right on the bottom with them.

There's always the syndrome of finding the hot fly and then finding out you only have one. I don't want to do that so I tie plenty of them in many sizes.

I like your flies and will tie some like them. I'll fish for some bluegills on the surface (the record in the lake is 4 pounds) but they won't be near as big as the red ears I want to catch.

Thanks for your examples I've been looking for a sampling of top water flies to tie.

[Mark Knapp 0]

14 minutes ago, chugbug27 said:

Ah, to protect the knot & line!! Makes sense. What hook size you using on these giant discus-fish?

6s, 8s, 10s, and 12s mostly. They use 6's and 4s for them with bait in Havasu. There are stripers in the lake so I've tied some bigger streamers for them. They are not my goal though.

[Mark Knapp 0]

Thank you everybody.

[Sandan 0]

Great flies and ties Mark. As is said the first step is admitting you have a problem.  Not that too much fishing is a problem.

[Poopdeck 0]

If you’re not careful you’re gonna have enough flies for four months. Keep it up, they look great. 

[DarrellP 0]

How long are you planning on being there?

[Mark Knapp 0]

6 hours ago, DarrellP said:

How long are you planning on being there?

So far I have clearance from the boss to stay two months, but I'm trying for three. It depends on what the finance minister says, she the same person as the boss. 😁 For some reason she likes me, so chances might be good. It could be that she just likes it when I'm away.