Popping For Backyard Bass

Went out with my FSA Custom Rods built 3 wt, and tossed a Boogle Bug with hopes of finding top water bass.  Needless to say, I found them.

Check out the video!!!!

Hopefully, the next one will have a better camera angle, and some better video quality.  Working out some kinks on my PC and iPad.

Change Up

Earlier this week, I swapped out the hooks on my tying desk from the big 8/0 hooks I use for musky and pike, for size a size 14. I love to tie a variety of flies. I would go crazy if I had to tie the same pattern 100 times in a row, so, the change was good.

I don't know what you would call these, but it's basically a Copper John with a pheasant tail, with no legs. I left out 2 steps. Much more enjoyable for me to tie than the traditional Copper John, and the people I have tied this for have had equal amount of success.

Pheasant Tail Copper John Clone?

Materials

Size 14 Hook

Pheasant Tail

Medium Copper Wire

Peacock Hearl

Gold Bead (Copper or Gold)

Fake food for the salt.

I've been pretty excited for my trip to Florida.  It's given me a fresh mindset at the tying desk.  Here I thought I was going to be tying up some big bait fish flies, boy was I wrong!  I've been asking around and have been told that small flies are the way to go when fishing the surf. Size 4, 6, and 8....I never would have thought that.  I'll still be bringing some big meaty flies with me, because, I just have to! :)

I would like to say thanks to the following people, for providing me with some knowledge about fishing the area I will be in, and saltwater in general:

Captain Austin Adduci of Grab Your Fly Charters

+BrookField Angler over at Brookfield Angler

A.J. Gottschalk over at Nickel & Dime Fly Fishing

and my buddy Dom. (Who introduced me to fly fishing.)

Here's what I've cooked up at the vise, thus far.

Red and black Gurgler

EP Fiber bait fish...mullet?

Some small white EP bait fish for the surf. Snook Candy

Fly inspired by +Luis Santiago whose fly was inspired by Waters Edge Fly Co.

Orange bucktail and craft fur shrimp pattern.

Size 6 Fox fur shrimp.

Size 6 Fox fur and zonker strip shrimp. 1 is weighted and the other is not.

Hopefully, these will end up in the face of a saltwater fish, and I'll be able to cross some new fish off my species list.

Thinking about Carp

Carp on the fly ...

A goal that did not receive a check mark in 2013. Although, I only fished for them when I seen them. This year will be different. I am going to make an effort to go out with blinders, and target these big bottom feeding fish. Dave at Urban Assault Fly Fishing hooked it up with some proven carp flies. I am looking forward to getting out on the water to fish for these behemoths of the lakes and rivers around the Chicagoland area with Dave, and Nick at Brookfield Angler.

Some proven Urban Assault Fly Fishing carp flies tied by Dave. (Photo: Dave)

Being the fly tier that I am, I had to try and tie some of my own carp flies. With some advice from Dave on hook size and stuff. Here is what I came up with. These are tied on a size 6 E601 hook, and large barbell eyes from Allen Fly Fishing.

I think these will do.

Very happy with these flies.