Boltface 0 Report post Posted March 17, 2013 I live just a few miles north of you in southern TN. For Bream look up some soft hackles ties on google. They are simple and they work well when you need a fly that will sink slowly. Any type of soft feather will work for the hackle and some only require a hook, thread, and hackle...... When it warms up get some yellow 2mm craft foam at your local craft store and tie up a dozen spiders. I use black legs but I doubt it makes any difference about the color. A #10 aberdeen hook will work great and if you get it hung in a tree you can pull it loose by straightening the hook and then just straighten it with your plier and keep on fishin. This will work on creeks and ponds. It is much harder to write the instructions than to tie. 1 Yellow 2mm craft foam 2 cut a 1/8" wide strip 8" long 3 on a #10 ring eye hook start red or black thread behind hook eye and wrap to hook barb 4 tie in foam strip as indicated on above 'bug' 5 wind thread back to just behind hook eye 6 put light coat of super glue on full length of windings 7 pull foam strip down to lay on top of hook shank 8 tightly wind thread around foam( 3 wraps are enough ) 9 pull rubber legs under hanging thread on both sides of body 10 2 more light wraps to secure legs 11 super glue on hanging thread starting at body and then down 1" 12 lightly wrap glue covered thread over the other leg wraps. Wait 30 seconds and cut thread and cut off the rest of the yellow foam strip. spider is done and will catch dozens of fish unless you loose it to a big bass or a tree. My 7 year old grand daughter ties these for bluegill. simple and effective 13 tie several more for your first fishing trip. One can also make small poppers with the same foam that Is another story. If interested let me know. Very good description but for those of us that must have a picture, is there somewhere on the web that shows what this looks like? Thanks for helping us beginners! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ditz2 0 Report post Posted March 19, 2013 Look here http://bigbluegill.com/photo/flies-bluegill/next?context=user Bottom right is the spider of interest. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boltface 0 Report post Posted March 19, 2013 Look here http://bigbluegill.com/photo/flies-bluegill/next?context=user Bottom right is the spider of interest. Thank you! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bryan_w 0 Report post Posted March 21, 2013 I have finally finished my first fly. Here is a picture. My fly tying kit came with a few materials so my color choices was very limited but I was not going to let that stop me from tying the first fly. I plan on putting it up so it will never be used anyway. Let me know what you think and what I need to work on. I was not very happy with the head but I broke the thread right before I finished and could not whip finish. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bryan_w 0 Report post Posted March 21, 2013 I have finally finished my first fly. Here is a picture. My fly tying kit came with a few materials so my color choices was very limited but I was not going to let that stop me from tying the first fly. I plan on putting it up so it will never be used anyway. Let me know what you think and what I need to work on. I was not very happy with the head but I broke the thread right before I finished and could not whip finish. Well the picture did not work. I will add it whenever I figure out how. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yankeeimport 0 Report post Posted March 22, 2013 White poppers are a blast with the pan fish!!!! I'm not a huge fan of tying them... I'd much rather buy them and wear them out! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bryan_w 0 Report post Posted April 9, 2013 I am trying to attach a picture of my first fly again. I have tied several since this one, some look a lot better and one looked really bad. Constructive criticism is a good thing to help me learn. Thanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Woodinfliezz 0 Report post Posted April 9, 2013 wooley booger man best fly you can learn with or maybe some clouser minnows but i know my first clousers didnt come out no where near what my first wooley did Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Casper 0 Report post Posted April 23, 2013 that wooly bugger looks pretty good, it looks better then some of my first an what i turn out now. an i am sure you can some bass to eat it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Homer35805 0 Report post Posted July 13, 2013 I hear anything in 'Bama will eat something that looks like a tiger... That's true...plus, Eagle patterns also work great.....which is something I could never understand...they call themselves the "*&%$^ Tigers" but their battle cry is "War Eagle"...go figure....no wonder Alabama has won three of last 3 Nat'l Championships....going for the "3-peat" this year...doubt if it will happen though.... Bryan....if you want a good place to test your flies, at least any for pan-fish, crappie or bass....hit Madison County Lake....it is a State sponsored, natural spring lake, stocked every few years, has loads of pan-fish, crappie, catfish, and the ubiquitous large-mouth bass..... In addition, starting the day after Thanksgiving, they actually stock a small pond with rainbow trout....limit is 5 trout, costs $5 to fish for trout (where else can you buy fresh caught rainbow trout in Northern Alabama for only $1 each?), and they stock that little pond usually 3 times during the winter months....and you can land some nice rainbows, up to 5-6lbs....you just have to find a place to cast since on the first day the little pond is surrounded, shoulder to shoulder, with fisher type people...but if you get there early, know how to do a roll cast, you can get in and get your 5 fish in less than 30 minutes...and be back home in time for lunch. That is how it works for me, but I always go real early on the day after thanksgiving so I can be assured of being first in line, first to the fish, and get the best spot to catch trout from. Works for me and there is nothing better than fresh caught rainbow trout the day after Thanksgiving....no turkey burn out.... But, this is just a suggestion, and me trying to give you some information I wish someone would have given me when I first got here...and yes, I too live in Northern AL... I am one of the lucky 850,000 federal workers who had his first day furloughed from work yesterday.....one day's pay gone....and 10 more to come...but what the heck, it is only 20% of my income from now until the end of September...which is why I am posting...might have to turn off my home internet service for a while...cut back to basic cable...not eat...much....and hope I can make it through...anyone need some flies tied?? ...lol... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GdubyaSmith 0 Report post Posted July 13, 2013 Well Peter than I'll invite you to join my "Chased out at Shotgun Point " club....Murray Murray, I'm already a lifetime member - probably in the Hall of Fame if they have one. As a matter of fact, I've set several world records in the 200-meter dash, not to mention the barbed wire fence jump. A 12 gauge shotgun shell loaded with rock salt is a great motivator. ROTFLMAO...YUP...and people wonder why I wear Camo when I go fishing I do pay attention to posted signs though...Then I start roll casting Easy Fly to tie that works well anywhere...Foam Spider. Any Color-Rubber Legs Go to YouTube...you can find easy to follow instructions...then make it your own and try whatever you want. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cpotvin 0 Report post Posted October 17, 2013 In the south, try the Stealth Bomber. Instructions are down on the right hand side of the webpage. http://flyfishga.com/ It was pretty easy to tie as my first fly and I caught 2 Shoal Bass and sunfish with my crude rendering of the bomber, my own virtual foam/thread "pigpen" of Charlie Brown fame. Alas, my trusty Stealth Bomber "pigpen" was eaten and never seen again!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites