Foam Bluegill Popper

Bluegill can be a ton of fun to catch on a fly rod, but they absolutely destroy flies, which is why I personally like to throw durable flies that are really quick to tie. This is one of them. This pattern is similar to a gurgler with its movement and sound in the water.

Materials: Fox tail, foam
Tools: Vise, bobbin, scissors, whip finish tool.

Step 1: Start a thread base.

Step 2: Tie in a pinch of fox tail.

Step 3: Trim tag end of fox tail, whip finish and clip the thread.

Step 4: Cut a strip of foam to desired width and poke a hole through the center.
              Slide the hook eye through the hole in the foam, and secure above the
              hook point.

Step 5: Wrap thread around hook shank, until the thread is 1/4"

              from where the foam was secured and secure 

              bottom sheet of foam .

Step 6: Wrap the thread until it is behind the hook eye. Secure both the 

              top and bottom pieces of foam behind the hook eye.

Step 7: Whip finish and cut the thread.

Step 8: Poke a hole in the bottom piece of foam and push the hook eye 

              through the hole so that both ends of the foam are on the top of 

              the hook shank.

Sexy Legs In Full Force

Sometime last year I came up with a pattern, and with the help of some fishing buddies, it was given the name "Sexy Legs." At first glance, this pattern looks like a fly that someone tied by picking some materials and tying it blindfolded, because of is lack of representation of anything particular, but after it's thrown at some fish, and they eat it, it starts to look a little better. I originally tied this pattern as a carp fly, but after being low on streamers in the backcountry of Wyoming tried it out on some trout and they loved it! I have now used this pattern all across the country and it has worked on a lot of different fish. It is because of all the weird looks and its success while fishing that I believe "Sexy Legs" deserves another post with a couple snapshots of some fish taken on the original "Sexy Legs" fly. From Wyoming cutties to local Ohio smallmouth bass, "Sexy Legs" has been killin' it. "Sexy Legs" is back and here to stay!

The Original "Sexy Legs" 

Synthetic Baitfish

This pattern is one of my favorites and I use it a lot. It's a great pattern because it looks great in the water, its easy to tie, and it's very easy and quick to tie. Dozens of fish can be caught on a single fly before it gets a little beat up.

Materials: Steve Farrah's flash blend, Flashabou angle hair, hot melt glue, holographic eyes.

Tools: Vise, bobbin, scissors, glue gun, whip finish tool.

Step 1: Tie in flashabou

Step 2: Fold tag end of flashabou over and tie down.

Step 3: Tie in flash blend in the middle of the material.

Step 4: Repeat Step 3 but on the underside of the hook shank.

Step 5: Fold tag ends of flash blend over and tie down.

Step 6: Apply hot melt glue to either side of the flash blend.

Step 7: Trim excess hot melt glue.

Step 8: Tie in angle hair or darker color synthetic.

Step 8: Tie in dubbing to the underside of the hook shank.

Step 9: Whip finish, clip thread, and repeat Steps 6 & 7.

Step 10: Glue on eyes and apply hot melt glue to form a head.

Close up of the head.

Finished flies.

Finished fly

The Big Dawg

The name of this fly, "The Big Dawg," just seems fitting for this fly. I've tied this pattern mostly on a big 7/0 saltwater hook for the front hook, but living over 700 miles away from the closest ocean, 7/0 hooks aren't easy to come buy, so for this demo I have used a 5/0 musky hook. The great thing about this pattern is that although it has a huge profile, it doesn't have a lot of weight to it, which makes casting a little easier. Jimmy from Dude Water ( http://dudewater.blogspot.com/ ) has one of these that he is going to throw at some musky in Minnesota in a few weeks so hopefully we will get a picture of it in the mouth of a musky!

Materials: Schapplen, flash, flat braid, hot melt glue, tube fly tube, 30 lb. bite wire, Steve Farrar's flash blend, mirage flash, yak hair, spinner bait spoons, eyes, tube fly head, holographic eyes, super glue.

Tools: Vise, scissors, bobbin, wire cutters, hot glue gun, whip finish tool.

Step 1: Tie in flash off the back of the rear hook.

Step 2: Tie in a piece of flat braid.

Step 3: Wrap the flat braid up to 1/4" behind the eye of the hook.

Step 4: Tie in 4-6 schapplen feathers 1/4" behind the hook eye. Whip

              finish and apply head cement.

Step 5: Attach bite wire as you would a stinger hook. Slide a tube

              fly tube onto the wire.

Step 6: Tie down the bite wire on the hook shank of the front hook.

Step 7: Fold the wire over and make sure the thread wraps are secure.

Step 8: Tie in Steve Farrah's flash bend down at the midpoint of

              the material.

Step 9: Repeat step 8 but on the bottom of the hook shank.

Step 10: Fold front half over on the top and bottom and tie in

                a piece of flat braid.

Step 11: Repeat step 3, but stop 1/2" behind the eye of the hook.

Step 12: Apply hot melt glue to the fibers so that they keep a good
                profile in the water better.

Step 13: Trim the edges of the hot glue.

Step 14: Repeat steps 8-11.

Step 15: Repeat step 12

Step 16: Repeat steps 8-10 with the darker colors on top. and apply
                hot melt.

Step 17: Tie in three strands of mirage flash to either side. Whip finish and clip

                the thread.

Step 18: Using hot melt glue, glue spinner bait spoons to either side of the fly.

Step 19: Using super glue, glue the rubber tube fly head overtop the spoons.

Step 20: Using super glue, glue holographic eyes to either side of the head.

Finished Fly

Finished Flies (same pattern different colors)

Chasing Musky

I decided that this summer, I am going to dedicate as much time possible to chasing, and hopefully boating, a musky. I have all the gear needed to chase one of these monsters, but no one can ever have enough flies. In the past year or so I slowly tied up a big box of flies, but recently, I have enjoyed tying these big bugs more so than other types of flies so here are some more big musky bugs.