Mudfish620

If not already full, I’m an elf.

I’m in, thanks! Can I get back to you with specific pattern?

SilverCreek and Poopdeck are right, correct proportions and reverse engineering are the way to go. Another trick you might fry for hackle is to soak the feathers in water before you wrap them. I’ve found that it keeps me from breaking the hackle stem when tying them on. Hope this helps! AG

The photos are working fine for me on the website, just not in the email notification.This wasn’t the only thread that had the same issue with in the email pics. Thanks for sharing this!

Great tips, thanks for taking the time to share! Will take your advice tomorrow at the tying bench!

I am!

Couldn’t agree more! Thanks, Nick!

Yeah, I started to cut everything off and start over with dubbing and marabou. I was also concerned about the weed guard. It’s 30# Maxima, but 15# & 20# just seemed too limp for bassing. I should’ve done the weed guard first instead of last, but I figured if anyone doesn’t want it, it’s easy enough to cut it off. I kept the two ugliest ones for myself, hope to catch a mudfish with them. This is only my second swap, so I appreciate those of you who act as swapmasters. Hope it’s worth your time and effort. This has been fun! Thanks!

In the mail today. Ended up with more of a weedless sparkle bugger, hope y’all like ‘em. After you receive them I’d appreciate your feedback for how to do it better next time.

Thanks, Nick. I have yet to catch a mudfish with a fly rod, but that’s the goal! Hope some from this swap will be just the ticket. This is only my second swap, Darrell’s panfish swap we just finished was my first. Really appreciate y’all putting these together!

I’m in. Unbalanced sparkle minnow or some other kind of streamer.

Count me in

Hi, Chris. I just finished my flies (epoxy minnow) and am mailing them tomorrow. Hope they meet expectations. Thanks for letting me participate, and thanks for being the swapmeister!

Appreciate the explanation. I’ll \give it a try. Never had much luck with the mono guard myself. Thanks!

First pass at a zonked variant. The next one will have a more uniform belly. Not sure what other specifics I should change. Please weight in.

Thanks. After checking that link, it seems like this would fit in that family. So now I have another question. I thought “zonker” was the name given to the rabbit strip material (zonker strips). But it’s also the name of a fly pattern? Or maybe the name zonker strips is because that’s mostly what they’re used for, like Klinkhamer hooks for that fly style, maybe? I guess that’s two questions…. Thanks! AG

Like a sheep’s minnow? I think the materials were different when I looked up the pattern. I’ll keep digging. Thanks for the info!

I’m interested in tying this pattern, but I don’t know what it’s called. Can anyone please tell me the name of this fly? It has a rabbit strip spine and a white marabou throat, if that helps. Picked up a few in the dollar bin at a fly shop out of state. I’ve had enough luck catching bass that I want to stock the box and tie some for a swap. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks in advance. AG

I’m in for April 15. Baitfish style tbd. Thanks for the invite!

Nicely done, sir!

Thanks for the SBS and photos!

Thanks for these videos!

I have one and was happy with it for five years or so, but it had a wobble I couldn’t fix. Tried replacing the washers, replaced the base with a heavier one, even used the clamp to secure the base to my desk. Finally figured out that the vise head had loosened from the aluminum post somehow. I never dropped it or anything, but chalked it up to something that I did wrong somehow. I saved up for a Peak rotary vise, and have been extremely pleased with it.

I have to agree with DarrellP (Hail State). Bead chain eyes are the best option for shallow water gills. After I attach the eyes and make sure the superglue is dry, I like to use 200 grit sandpaper to file down the center of the eye where the wire was. Or you can ream out that hole with a bodkin. The sharp edges can nick your leader. I also use 800 grit sandpaper across the entire surface if I’m going to paint the eyes. Sometime a little chartreuse or hot orange can provoke strikes, or you can paint ‘em black for stealth. Here’s an inverted Crazy Charlie style mini Clouser I tie with bead chain for bream and crappie (small bass like it, too).

Love this list. Well said and Hail State!