Chasing_Tails

Skip Shrimp: Hook: Mustad 3407, #1/0 Thread: Uni-Thread 6/0, tan Tail: Slinky Fiber, shrimp Antennae: Krystal Flash, copper Eyes: Burnt mono Body: Cactus chenille, medium, tan Legs: Saddle hackle, barred tan Rib: 0.3mm wire, copper Back: Craft foam, 2mm, tan Weedguard: Hard mono, 25lb The shrimp are on the move and the snook are taking advantage. A lot of fun stalking fish busting on bait on the shorelines...

Lil' Brown Dragonfly: Hook: Curved caddis, #12 Thread: Uni-Thread, 6/0, burnt orange Tail: Craft foam, 2mm, segmented with Uni-thread 6/0, dk. brown Body: Craft foam, 2mm with Ice Dub Tan Legs: Sili-legs, barred brown Wings: McFlylon Polypro, lt. copper Eyes: Mono, med., black Markings: Sharpie Marker, brown

Hammerhead Mullet: Hook: o'shaughnessy 1/0 Thread: Uni-Thread 6/0, white Body: EP Fiber, white/gray 3-D/black Head: Foam, 3/8", white Eyes; Prismatic stick on, 3/8", yellow Markings: Sharpie Marker, red

Sedge Pupa Nymph Hook: Curved caddis, #12 Thread: Uni-Thread 6/0, olive Bead: Nymph Head Evolution caddis, small, brown Body: Antron yarn, olive as a dubbing loop for Hareline dubbing, lt. cahill Back: Scud back, 1/8", olive Rib: Monofilament, 4lb Antennae: Golden Pheasant tail Legs: Hungarian partridge, natural and olive Throax: Hareline dubbing, olive hare's ear Markings, Sharpie marker, brown Head cement: Bone Dry UV resin

Here is my submission: The Kwan: Is it a shrimp, is it a crab, it is a baitfish? Don't know, don't care, it catches fish. The original pattern is credited to Patrick Dorsey and was designed for bonefish. But through the years the versatile pattern has been used to catch a wide variety of saltwater species. By changing the proportions you can tailor the fly to imitate one type of creature compared to another, but in the end it is still rather non-descript. Materials: Hook: Short shank saltwater Thread: Uni-Thread, 6/0 Tail: Select craft fur Flash: Krystal Flash Legs: Sili-legs Collar: Saddle hackle Body: Antron yarn Eyes: Bead chain Markings: Sharpie marker For the pattern here I am looking to imitate a small shrimp. the fly will be fished on shallow mud flats so I opted not to add a weedguard and used bead chain eyes to reduce weight. Step 1: Attach thread and add bead chain eyes at eye of hook. Step 2: Select craft fur attached for the tail. Allow butt ends to extend to bead chain eyes. Step 3: Add flash. Step 4: Add legs (optional). Step 5: Add collar and form to the rear. Step 6: Cut antron yarn into 1" segments and secure on top of the hook with "X" wraps. Step 7: Trip yarn body length and profile to match creature type. Step 8: Mark fly as preferred (optional) and apply head cement to head and along body attachment wraps. The finished product:

I moved down to a 1wt (a 6'6" for tight spots, and an 8' for general use) for local pond panfish. It has been an absolute blast and even makes the smallest panfish a real fighter.

Gurglers are a great topwater fly, and easy to tie. You can control the amount of foam you use to provide more or less flotation as needed. Here is a diving variant. The only difference that the "lip" that normally is left up to provide a more popping/skipping action is bent down below the hook eye to allow the fly to dive below the surface and then float back up. Both variations have their place.

Gurgler (film rider) Hook: Owner Octopus 2/0 Thread: Uni-Thread 6/0, white Tail: Select craft fur, white Flash: Flashabou, pearl Throat: Flashabou, red Back: Craft foam, 2mm white Body: Standard estaz, pearl white Eyes: 1/4" stick on, Silver/black Head cement: Zap-a-gap The juvenile tarpon (5-30lbs) have been thick lately. Top water has been the way to go, but the subtlety of the strike is more akin to a trout lightly sipping a mayfly off the surface. This gurgler is designed to ride very low in the water, but buoyant enough to still float.

I'm in. Let me look at some patterns that would have common materials for anyone that fishes fresh or salt. I'll post the recipe and a SBS of the pattern this week.

I was about an hour west of Waterville in the Cross Fork area. It is a pretty expansive watershed though.

Rubber legs perdigon: Hook: Mustad 3906, #16 Bead: Tungsten 3mm, nickel Thread: Uni-Thread 8/0, fire orange Tail: Mallard flank, natural Body: Krystal Flash, rootbeer with Bone Dry UV resin overcoat Legs: Centipede legs, micro, yellow barred

Went back to PA for a family visit and had to go back to the proper pronunciation of "creek" as "crick". I was going out with a guide I went out with last fall for steelhead and throw dry/droppers on light tackle for a fun day on the water. The flow was a bit low early in the week (45cfs) but came up nicely with some rain, just to above perfect (145cfs), and dropping. I got to the camp ground the night before since it was a 3 1/2 hour drive from where I was staying with family, and during the night several torrential downpours occurred. Met with Nick the next morning at 0530 and set out the game plan. It wasn't going to be an easy day. The flows were at 370cfs and rising and more storms were expected around noon. The water color, that is normally crystal clear, was chocolate milk. Dry/droppers were out and nymphing was in. Used my 4wt nymphing rod at 9'6" with an indicator and three fly rig (stonefly/perdigon/squirmy). Nick did a great job locating the holes where fish would be holding with the high flows and we managed to pick up several nice brown trout, and lost one rainbow at the net. Due to the tough conditions we went from a full day to a half day, and I will be making up the time in the fall for another steelhead trip.

CDC Pheasant Tail, olive Hook: Mustad 3906, #14 Bead: Brass, 7/64 Thread: Uni-Thread, fire orange Tail: Pheasant tail, olive Body: Pheasant tail, olive Rib: 0.3mm wire, gold Body: Peacock herl, orange Hackle: CDC, slate gray

Just wondering, how many did not get a return on this swap?

Kicking butt swimming shrimp Hook: Mustad 3407DT, #2/0 Thread: Uni-Thread 6/0, tan Spine: 278lb stainless leader wire Tail section- Tail: Ultra-hair, tan, colored with Sharpie marker, brown Body: Standard estaz, medium, tan Back: Ultra-hair, tan with Solarez thick UV resin Rib: 0.3mm wire, dk. copper Thorax: Body: Standard estaz, medium, tan Underbody: 0.035 lead wire Back: Ultra-hair, tan with Solarez thick UV resin Legs: Sili-legs, sand/gold barred Eyes: XL mono barbell, black Antennae: Krystal Flash, copper Rattle: 3mm glass rattleSnook in the river have been getting thick and are targeting larger river shrimp swimming around the lights. This should fit the bill.

Bass-ducer Hook: Mustad 92641, #1 Thread: Uni-Thread 6/0, fire orange Weight: 0.035 lead Tail: Saddle hackle, olive grizzly/ sili-legs yellow barred/Flashabou bullfrog and orange Body: Saddle hackle, olive grizzly/Fl. orange grizzly Rib: 0.3mm wire, gold Weedguard: 25lb mono Head: Clear Cure Goo, thick

No fault on your side I’m sure. I’ve had several items eaten by USPS recently. I had a tracking number for the return envelope but it ended up misplaced as it wasn’t stapled to the original receipt. Be nice to see where it is stuck at.

Another monday, another empty mailbox. Anyone else still waiting? On another note, my taxes are supposed to be deposited on Wednesday so USPS is going to be running a tight race...

Foxy Charlie Hook: Mustad 3407, #1 Thread: Uni-Thread 6/0 Tail: Krystal Flash Body: New Age Chenile Legs: Sili-legs Wing: Artic Fox Eyes: Bead chain

Nothing here either today...maybe tomorrow. Might be time to start the Christmas swaps up so the USPS has some time...

Mono minnow Hook: Mustad 34011, #1 Thread: Danville mono Body frame: 40lb flourocarbon Belly: Clear-cure goo, thick with silver glitter added in Wing: Ultra-hair, olive Eyes: 3D molded, 3/16", yellow Overcoat: Clear-cure goo and Hard as Hull finish

Not today here either. At this point it has become a race between what I will see first, delivery from the USPS, or my tax refund from the IRS (going on 75 days...).

Palmer Shrimp Hook: Mustad 3407, #1/0 Thread: Uni-Thread 6/0, Tan Tail/Legs: Sili-legs, brown barred Eyes: Bead chain, large, black Body: Palmer Chenille, medium, tan (trimmed towards rear) Wing: SF Slinky Fiber, shrimp Barring: Sharpie, brown

Rattlin' Bendback Hook: Bass worm hook, #1/0 Thread: Uni-thread 6/0, olive Body: Standard Estaz, pearl and red Rattle: 4mm glass Wing: SF Slinky Fiber, white/rainbow/olive Eyes: 1/4" 3D molded, silver Head: Clear Cure Goo, thick, with Hard as Hull overcoat

I'm still waiting as well. My guess, they are somewhere with USPS...