mikechell 0 Report post Posted April 27, 2018 The second fly is Pat Cohen's "Merganser Duck" ... I believe. Bass and other large predators often take baby ducks, coots, etc. Any baby of a water bird that swims, not wades. They also see chicks that occasionally fall from nest overhanging the water. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjm 0 Report post Posted April 27, 2018 I watched a LMB try to eat a mallard once, duck was about half grown, appeared fully feathered and yet couldn't/didn't fly, the bass wasn't quite big enough to swallow the duck but pulled it under several times. That bass was big enough to eat a Rapala. Haven't seen a nestling in the water nor really any nest that over hung the water. Bass are opportunists though and might attack anything that gets attention. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bruce Derington 0 Report post Posted April 27, 2018 Deleted Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flytire 0 Report post Posted April 27, 2018 okay theyre for sale on pat cohens website http://rusuperfly.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=20 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjm 0 Report post Posted April 27, 2018 I tied that baby bird a coupl yrs ago I found that thread just a bit ago, after Mike gave the name of the fly. Question for you, did you ever get to fish it and how does it cast? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Burly Jed 0 Report post Posted April 29, 2018 "Tap's Bug" is as good a bird as it is a mouse. And casts nicely. Water birds don't have wings when in the water, flying birds aren't in the water, In the size and bulk you want balsa might do better than foam. Thinking inertia. I think when bass take bird or mouse or frog patterns that the bass mistakes the fly for a locust. Or maybe a slider? I would like to know who tied that wonderful novelty in Flytire's second photo. That is probably Pat Cohen's bird. There is one other guy that does them but his name eludes me right now. They are works of art and $20 each. Something tells me that I'll be climbing that tree to recover that fly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike West 0 Report post Posted April 29, 2018 At least three times in my life that I can remember Ive seen Bass eat baby ducks and Ive seen a snapping turtle pull down and kill a full grown Swan. This Swan was in a rich part of town in Dallas at city park. They ended up draining the pond to catch the turtle. They didnt like all the ducks and geese being eaten. That thing was huge. Never bothered trying to tie any bird flies though. If I want something big and natural I throw frogs and mice. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjm 0 Report post Posted April 30, 2018 That is probably Pat Cohen's bird. There is one other guy that does them but his name eludes me right now. They are works of art and $20 each. Something tells me that I'll be climbing that tree to recover that fly. Not me, no tree climbing for no $20 fly, no way. If I bought one of those it would be like some other super fancy flies and some simply elegant flies that I've acquired over the years as examples of what can be done and used only as pattern stock/inspiration at my table or occasionally show to the trout fishers at the park. I wouldn't plan on casting it more than a time or two. . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Burly Jed 0 Report post Posted May 3, 2018 That is probably Pat Cohen's bird. There is one other guy that does them but his name eludes me right now. They are works of art and $20 each. Something tells me that I'll be climbing that tree to recover that fly. Not me, no tree climbing for no $20 fly, no way. If I bought one of those it would be like some other super fancy flies and some simply elegant flies that I've acquired over the years as examples of what can be done and used only as pattern stock/inspiration at my table or occasionally show to the trout fishers at the park. I wouldn't plan on casting it more than a time or two. . I have an appreciation for beautifully tied flies, but only in their ability to catch fish. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites