Flies for a non-fly fisherman

[LisaLou 0]

Hi, I have a friend who no longer fly fishes due to health, but does go out on Lake Michigan in a charter boat a couple times a year.  I was wondering if there is a bigger type of fly I can make for him.  He’s giving me his old fly tying supplies next time we visit.  He mostly hunts now from a blind and is going to save fur and feathers for me too.  I do have a small wire bender and some wire for making tackle that I kind of know how to use, so I have tools to make something decent for him.  I’ve never charter fished on Lake Michigan and don’t want to be obvious and ask him what kind of tackle he uses.  I know they catch a lot of walleye using baitcaster and also big trolling rods.  I was thinking some really big tube flies that he can stack together??

I don’t have many good feathers yet, but I do have animal fur and tinsel and flash, and lots of synthetic yarn and fibers.  I just don’t know if there is something appropriate that I can make for charter style fishing on Lake Michigan and want it to be a good surprise.  
I was experimenting with laminating feathers this fall and making regular casting lures, so I could always make that kind, if he can’t use a fly type of lure.

thanks, LL

 

[vicrider 0]

If he goes out on charter boats one of the things I used on my boat a lot was "flashers" with a fly trailing behind. At that time I bought mine but if you go online and look for salmon flies to troll behind flashers and dodgers and "cowbells" you may find something to tie up the charter captain can run behind one of his rigs. I know with this story I'd definitely have given favored  position to a rig with the fly you tie for him.

[WWKimba 0]

Another option could be a casting bubble.

Kim

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

One other option is to set up some jig and fly rigs for him..... Essentially you take a double length of leader material, joining it to the rod's line with either a loop to loop connection or a direct splice with the two "legs" uneven - one longer than the other... On the short leg you're using a bucktail jig or a leadhead with plastic tail (acts as your casting weight) - on the longer leg you secure a minnow type fly.  In use the two legs compliment each other the bucktail jig sinking first to near bottom then the entire rig worked slowly, just off the bottom with the fly riding well above the bottom.  In use one or the other hook will draw strikes at different times and occasionally you'll end up with double headers...

I've used similar rigs in both fresh and saltwaters with light spinning gear and good results... 

[Poopdeck 0]

BUCKTAIL jigs.

[niveker 0]

I know squat about walleye fishing, but I would imagine that putting enough weight on any hook (or line), you'd be able to turn a fly into a lure for a good number of fly patterns.  

[flytire 0]

 

Walleye Bucktail (White, Red, Green)

 

Hook - Streamer style

Thread - Black

Tail - Hackle fibers

Body - Chenille

Throat - Hackle fibers

Wing - Bucktail

Eyes - White/black

 

Reference - Forgotten Flies

 

 

The Cymoniac

Bernard Parisien designed this artificial for trolling walleye 

Rear

Hook - Rear: Mustad 3399, 3906 or equivalent, size 6-8

Thread - Red

Connecting wire - .018 or .024 diameter Beadolon beading wire, 2 ½ inches long

Body – Flat silver tinsel and red thread coated with uv resin or epoxy at each end of the body

Front

Hook - Front: Mustad 9672 or equivalent, size 2-4

Thread – Red

Tail - Red marabout fibers and krystal flash #19 (Olive) or #21 (Gray ghost)

Body - Silver diamond braid

Back and belly - Pearl Mylar tube

Throat - Red hen hackle fibers

Head - Red thread coated with uv resin or epoxy

Eyes – Painted black over white

 

 

Walleye Wrecker

Kevin Kirkelie

Hook - Long shank streamer hook, #4

Thread - Iron gray 6/0

Tail - Pearl mylar tubing (frayed from body)

Body - Pearl mylar tubing over shaped muffler tape or substitute

Wing - White bucktail then peacock herl

Collar - Chartreuse saddle hackle

 

Notes: While walleye isn’t a common target for fly anglers, they will indeed come to the fly. These piscivores can be picked up on streamers and the combination of chartreuse and white can be quite a productive color

[jcozzz 0]

Big bucktail type flies may work,The main forage in Lake Michigan is shad and gobies.The salmon did their job and ate all the alewives and most of the smelt.I fish the SW corner of the lake on my son's boat.We cast large ripple tail plastics on rattle eye jigs.There are walleyes in the south end of the lake but mostly at the mouths of rivers .The lake is deep and crystal clear due to the zebra mussels.Weed beds in 40 feet of water.I would go with flies that can be trolled on down riggers.I have a friend who's father tied a locally famous fly for trolling but he could find none in his father's stuff.My son is working on his captain's license so he can charter.Also look into snelled perch flies as lake perch are very sought after.They are snells with flashy flies and fished on crappie rigs.They are usually tipped with bait and fished deep.Big jigs are used for lake trout and burbot.The lake has changed greatly since i was kid.The native fish have returned in great numbers.Pike whitefish walleyeyes crappie bluegills huge smallmouth bass some largemouth in the harbors,giant drum now burbot i showing up even on the south end.But all have different tactics.Maybe you could contact some of the charter captains in the area

[Poopdeck 0]

On 1/7/2024 at 3:57 PM, LisaLou said:

 I know they catch a lot of walleye using baitcaster and also big trolling rods. 

This line alone says your friend does not need flies and does not fish flies so fly fishing flies are not the answer. Flies are simply not used on the end of baitcasters and trolling rods. I’m sorry but I think you’re barking up the wrong tree with flies for this fella. Might be best to ask what he uses or would like to use.