Flicking feathers

  Long time supporter Joe Andrezik is the winner of November's flies. The Christmas prizes are currently a box of flies, 2 materials packs and 2 signed copies of "At The End Of The Line" by George Barron. I might add some more over the next week if I can. To enter the giveaways, get access to the monthly zoom tying classes and support the channel, head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers or https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/flickingfeathers an sign up. #flyfishing #giveaway #flytying

Another old one from www.sexyloops.com   With the spawning over I'm back on the water again and because of the current restrictions, I'm staying local so had my first float tube session of the year on Monday. The local lake has a decent population of largemouth bass although it's fairly featureless which can make them hard to find. More interestingly, it has a thriving snakehead population which keeps the bass fishermen away most of the summer. Fishing was slow after an overnight temperature drop from the mid twenties down to single digits. In fact, under normal circumstances I'd have changed my plans and went looking for a quarry more tolerant of cooler temperatures than largemouth. There was certainly no chance of any topwater action and all I managed was a half hearted pick up on a bottom dragged worm fly. So I basically used the day to explore and refamiliarise myself with parts of the local lake. I've certainly identified a few places to hit when it's warme

  The Joe-to-go works best as a skinny water fly for tailing fish, but can be weighted for deeper work. It land soft and does a good job of imitating mantis shrimp or other crustaceans. Traditionally tied as a hook-down pattern, I've adjusted it a little to fish hook-up for better snag resistance. To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying classes and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up. Material list Hook: Gamakatsu SL11-3H 2-8 Thread: Chartreuse Danville's Claws: Grizzle or cree hackle tips Feelers: Crystal flash Eyes: Burnt heavy nylon mono Body: Rootbeer estaz or similar Legs: Palmered grizzle or cree cock hackle Weedguard: 16-20lb hard nylon Book of the Month 9: A Perfect Fish This beautifully illustrated book is quite hard to come by but you'll probably be able to find a copy by following my amazon links. Amazon .com https://amzn.to/3DKxadM Amazon UK https://amzn.to/31BKYul Using the link will help suppor

 An old one I wrote for www.sexyloops.com I'm terrible at naming flies. Or at least, terrible at it most of the time, when I actually come up with a fly that's reasonably original I can come up with something. It's probably because, I don't really think most patterns warrant a new name. We're probably stuck with the old style naming where there essentially only a few different flies, but loads of names for what are essentially just colour different colour combinations. I mean, look at the Kate Mclaren for example, is it really anything other than a black & brown bumble? No it isn't. And that's by no means unusual. Almost everyone calls hedgehogs sedgehogs now,  because Stan Headley renamed it after putting a hackle on it.  I think the hackled version didn't need a new name, even if sedgehog is probably better branding.  The thing about names though, they have some kind of power. I've noticed this several times recently. Folk raving about the blac

  This nice Clouser variation appears in Dick Brown's book; Bonefish Fly Patterns. It's a simple tie but very effective tied in a range of sizes and weights to suit conditions, also it's a good each way bet for locations where other more predatory species might turn up on the flats instead of bonefish. Material list Hook: Gamakatsu SL11-3H size 8-2 Thread: Fl. pink Danville's Weight: Bead chain, brass or lead dumbbells Tail:White Craft Fur Body: Tying thread Flash: Crystal flash Wing: Sand/tan craft fur Weedguard: 16-20lb hard nylon Book of the Month 8: Strip-Set is available here Amazon.com https://amzn.to/3kizn9F Amazon.co.uk https://amzn.to/3wvglSo Using the link will help support my channel at no extra cost to you. To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying classes and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up.

  Pop's Bonefish Bitters is an absolute classic bonefish fly imitating small crabs. It was developed by Craig Mathews for Belize, but works universally and also catches permit. It's fairly snag resistant because of the deer hair wing and I find it works best over rock, coral flats and broken ground. It's well worth tying up in colours to suit your fishing location for fish that are refusing the less imitative, attractor type flies like the gotcha. Materials list Hook: Your preferred saltwater hook size 10-4 Weight: bead chain Body: Epoxy coloured with nail polish or acrylic paint Legs: Silli legs or flexifloss Underwing: Zelon or antron yarn Wing: Deer hair Book of the Month 8: Strip-Set is available here Amazon.com https://amzn.to/3kizn9F Amazon.co.uk https://amzn.to/3wvglSo Using the link will help support my channel at no extra cost to you. To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying classes and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flicki

  Aaron Adams's Big Ugly is an effective ghost shrimp mantis shrimp imitation. It's on the big side for a bonefish fly, but it's simple, durable and deadly in the right situations. Look for mantis holes or the little humps made by ghost shrimps to indicate where bones and other species may be receptive to this pattern. Materials list Hook: Gamakatsu SL11-3H Thread: Fluorescent "Gotcha" pink Danville's Weight: Bead chain or dumbbells Tail: Tan craft fur (barred with marker) Body: Root beer cactus chenille Wing: Tan craft fur Weed guard: 16-20lb hard mono Book of the Month 8: Strip-Set is available here Amazon.com https://amzn.to/3kizn9F Amazon.co.uk https://amzn.to/3wvglSo Using the link will help support my channel at no extra cost to you. To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying classes and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up.