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Favorite bass/pike fly?

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So I'm sure everyone will have a different answer, but currently what is your favorite bass or pike fly?

 

I'm trying to narrow down the patterns I want to learn to three, MAYBE four, for throwing for bass and pike in MN on a 9wt.

 

Currently my favorite of the ones I've attempted to tie is a streamer thingy that is a mix of me reading up on clousers, deceivers, and others, and getting mixed up trying to duplicate some of what I saw. I have no idea how it fishes, but am exited to see what happens.

 

dscf2328h.jpg

 

Tail of krystal flash, and two white hackle feathers (one on each side)

 

Red hackle wings, and alternating colored collars of red, white, red deer hair. White thread built up for a head.

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Nice looking fly! Should work fine for Pike or bass. Red & white is an old, but productive combination.

 

One suggestion, use more hackle in the tail. At least 3 pairs. This gives you a better profile, pushes a bit more water, and should a feather be torn off, the fly is still usable. On large flies, I'll even go to 5 or 6 pairs of feathers in the tails to add bulk & extra action. I also often leave a lot of the fluffy, marabou looking stuff on such flies when tying with saddle hackle. (See some of Capt Bob LeMay's excellent flies! He ties some this way too!)

 

I don't have a single favorite fly for bass, and don't fish for Pike. I do fish for Pickerel, but use the same flies I use for other fish. I like to use many patterns, but do have some favorite types.

 

For Bass & Pickerel I like Deceivers, Clousers, and Seaducers in various colors, from baitfish colors, to attractors to dark. All have been around for a long time. My sizes range from flies tied on size 4 hooks, and up. I use some of the same flies for Striped Bass, often in the same waters, so will go up to about a 4/0 and sometimes 5/0. I choose colors to use primarily based on forage that may be present & water clarity.

 

I also like rabbit strip flies. Not any particular pattern, but again, a range of colors, and sizes. Basic flies with rabbit strip tails, some flash & wrapped rabbit strip bodies. I'll add weight to many, using barbell eyes, cones or beads, and wrapped lead wire under the body. I try to be as prepared as possible for any conditions encountered.

 

Another fly I've become very fond of is a Murdich Minnow. Excellent bass & Pickerel fly, should be a great Pike fly too. Joe Cornwall has an excellent article on tying his variation of this pattern on the Fly Fish Ohio website. http://www.flyfishohio.com/Murdich_Minnow.htm

 

I hope this helps & will be looking forward to seeing more of your flies! :)

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For bass my favorite is probably the stealth bomber. it will make the bass bite even when they aren't coming up to a popper.

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Great suggestions so far.......one thing you have to consider with pike in the mix is durability.....the bunny strip leeches are a very simple tie and pretty durable as compared to the featherwing streamers......my three top colors when in MN., were chartreuse, olive, and black......the drawback to them is they soak up water and become pretty heavy...with a 9wt, you won't have any problem though......I have never used murdichs for pike before, but have recently been tiring a bunch of them up for a trip I have coming up to the east coast....I have to agree with tidewater fly, I think they would do well for you....tied with synthetic materials, they will shed water, making them a little easier to cast and be a little more durable than the featherwings....I'm not knocking the featherwings, I took a box full of decievers upto MN. With me last summer....I love them....just pointing out the durability issues with them with pike...

 

Mike

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Hair bugs.....poppers, sliders, and divers. No pike here but they sure work for bass and I betcha they will work with pike.

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