Big Eyed EP

[PWB 0]

Restocking my boxes, I started with these. They brought a lot of bass and crappie to hand last year.

[coinman66 0]

Well done! Its all in the trim job huh?

[onceahoosier 0]

Nice flies, you did a great job with these. I've tied and fished EP flies for largemouth, but I haven't had a lot of luck with them. To be fair, because I haven't had a lot of luck, I didn't really stick with them and no doubt thats part of the problem.

 

Tom

[LeakyWaders 0]

Great looking flies!

[vicrider 0]

Nice flies, you did a great job with these. I've tied and fished EP flies for largemouth, but I haven't had a lot of luck with them. To be fair, because I haven't had a lot of luck, I didn't really stick with them and no doubt thats part of the problem.

 

Tom

If your flies are anywhere near as nice as PWB's there is no reason they wouldn't catch fish, but what you bring up is something I've talked about a lot. Bill Dance was one who spelled it out on his show several times also. CONFIDENCE in what's on the end of your line. I've been in situations where I've made myself use a bait someone insists is the best for that setup. I soon find myself just getting casts over in a hurry so I can justify going to the bait I want to use because I have more confidence in it based on past experiences. One way I've forced myself to get onto a new bait is to ONLY use that bait for an entire trip. You'll soon find yourself developing a rhythm with the bait, catch a few fish, develop some confidence, and have a new bait you'll be willing to go to and fish properly.

[onceahoosier 0]

Nice flies, you did a great job with these. I've tied and fished EP flies for largemouth, but I haven't had a lot of luck with them. To be fair, because I haven't had a lot of luck, I didn't really stick with them and no doubt thats part of the problem.

 

Tom

If your flies are anywhere near as nice as PWB's there is no reason they wouldn't catch fish, but what you bring up is something I've talked about a lot. Bill Dance was one who spelled it out on his show several times also. CONFIDENCE in what's on the end of your line. I've been in situations where I've made myself use a bait someone insists is the best for that setup. I soon find myself just getting casts over in a hurry so I can justify going to the bait I want to use because I have more confidence in it based on past experiences. One way I've forced myself to get onto a new bait is to ONLY use that bait for an entire trip. You'll soon find yourself developing a rhythm with the bait, catch a few fish, develop some confidence, and have a new bait you'll be willing to go to and fish properly.

Yes, I think there is a lot of truth to what you say. I don't think lack of confidence alone can put the fish off, but as you say, lack of confidence may cause you to change how you fish the fly (too fast, too shallow, whatever), or in my case, cause you to not give it enough time to work. I love fishing topwater bugs for bass; its the pattern I've had the most success with, so I go back to it over and over. So I fish topwater 90% of the time even though I've tied lots of EP baitfish, clousers, big wooly buggers, baitfish patterns, worm flies, leadeye leeches, etc. I also concentrate my fishing effort on the time of day and time of year when topwater works. I think you're right, a good way to break this rut is to force myself to fish a small number of subsurface flies on sinking/sink tip lines until I have some success and get into a groove of fishing those flies. Thanks, this is a good discussion/ exchange of ideas.

 

Tom

[ditz2 0]

onceahoosier......a good thing to be. I spent 50 years there.

[Canuck 0]

Guys, I am a relative newbie to these forums, what is an EP fly?

Thanks from the Great White North

[shoebop 0]

EP refers to Enrico Puglosi (sp) who applied his name to some fibers commonly used in tying baitfish flies.