MUDDLERS IN THE BLUE

[Piker20 0]

What colours do people think are best for muddler patterns? I'm specifically interested in Saltwater applications but all and any opinion welcome. My muddlers are fished on a sinktip so they bob under on the retrieve and so I have always aimed for something bright to draw aggression from the fish. Bright Pink and Blue being my current favourite.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

I use muddlers alot on Pike that are usually olive green head with blue flash yellow body and green and black grizzly wing and tail

[tidewaterfly 0]

Piker20, if you really think about it, Muddlers are very similar to Dahlberg Divers, and they're used for some saltwater species such as Snook. I use Dahlbergs in brackish water for bass, and have sometimes used them for Striped Bass but have never used them in waters with high salt content.

I prefer flies tied with more durable materials, such as foam or cork when targeting salt species. You can tie in whatever colors you like, and see no reason you shouldn't have some success with the pink & blue. I've seen some Deceivers tied with those colors in them and know they've worked well at times for Stripers.

 

I stick to basic colors, such as white, black, yellow & chartreuse or some combinations. In particular, I do well with white with a red head or chartreuse head, and I like some grizzly hackle in all of them.

 

Check this out, it may give you all kinds of ideas! Fly Tying

[Piker20 0]

Cheers for the link Tidewaterfly. I've tied up some flies similar to the surface shrimp a few years back as a popper for pike but I found that the fly never sits level on the surface and I could never seem to get the balance right so it creates a good wake. The tidal run I fish flows through hard on the going out and even in the margins the flow tests the balance of anything on the surface. I have a book of saltwater patterns from the States and keep dipping back in every few years but seem to struggle with the foam backed patterns.

[streamcaddis 0]

Muddlers should be a MUST HAVE in your box!. They will catch everything but a cold and they are fun to tie. I tie mine in a size 10 most of the time.

[Peterjay 0]

White and black are all you really need for salt water. Olive and bright green will also take a lot of fish, especially striped bass. Tabory's snake fly is very similar to a muddler, with considerably more action. Just be sure to use a mono tail support or you'll spend half your time de-fouling your fly.

[Piker20 0]

Yes black was my first thought for a primarily surface lure as I've always thought the size and silhouette most important. Prince Charles only uses black or mostly black flies for his salmon fishing!

But there is always that nag at the back of my mind when I've gone out with a box of only black like I might as well leave the rod at home. I'll look at the snake patterns as they sound similar to the welsh sewin flies and should work on my seatrout or big browns here.

 

Just watched a video of this fly under water on midcurrent.com and they look awesome. with the flow in the tide I have I could work it real slow if that movement is correct. Looks like an awesome pattern to try. Thanks for putting me onto this one. Nothing like the flies called snake fly over in UK.

[Peterjay 0]

Black is mostly used at night, white in the daylight. I didn't realize you're across the pond - yes, Tabory's snake fly bears no resemblance to what's called a snake fly in Britain. BTW - Tabory's snake is absolutely deadly on big brown trout, and just about anything else when tied in the appropriate sizes. It should work very well on your bass. Just be sure to remember the tail support, as the fly fouls very easily. IMHO, it's one of the most effective flies ever designed.

[Piker20 0]

Watching the under water shots on the web it looks awesome. I'm surprised I've never came across it when I tied a lot more Pike flies. I'll have a go with some from #12 up and hopefully post a pic if I work out how to upload on here. Then hopefully a pic of some trophy size brown when it falls to one!! I've found a local water with rumours of big fish especially late on in the season and if I can outfit myself with the float tube this year it may be a good shot

[P.G. Beckett 0]

Found that a red head, silver or gold body and the rest of the Muddler tied in white with a touch of red, makes a very deadly snook or seatrout fly. It resembles famous hard lures such as Mirrolures 52m and Red Tail Hawk Jigs which are very deadly snook baits here on the east coast of central Florida. These colors work equally in bays, inlets and surf.

[SCOwens 0]

Hey Piker if you are looking for Muddler Patterns you might also be interested in this guy

 

 

Not exactly a muddler, but a top water mullet, put some weight on him you could get him to sink, but very effective in Salt

 

Enjoy

 

[Piker20 0]

Yeah they look good. Like the mix of material in the tail.

[SCOwens 0]

Piker, that would be a mix of Ice Wing, Ep Fibers, and 2 Grizzly Hackle Feathers ... I know I had discussed the Congo Hair earlier, should have some in the mail arriving this weekend or early next week, can't wait to test that product