Northwest Fishing Reports

What do you think Marc? Pike worthy?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v420/ ... leFace.jpg

Indeed sir that is fine looking.

Looks great, but how big is it? I swear, if it is not 8" or more, the larger Tigers don't wast their time to chase.

That is a great combo. I like the guinea on the side. I've got some pheasant church windows I might use. I am going to try that but I think that I will do it in olive green. It does look a bit small. I am tying mine up on a 2/0 Gamakatsu hook with the overall fly length about 4-6" long.

One of the guys on the Muskie Thread suggested a Blue Gill imitation. Some peacock breast feathers may work for that.

This is a variation of Lefty's Deceiver. It has been a very long time since I tied a fly anything larger than a #8 and I discovered that I need to work on the right proportions. This one is 4.5" long.

Marc,
That looks like a great perch pattern. I especially like the peacock cheeks.

In talking with some of the guys on the forum and the fishing shops, the most productive colors are (blue/white,silver) and (green). I am going to try patterns about 4-6" long.

It is kind of hard judging how much body to build up. I guess it will be trial and error until I can see what it looks like in the water. I'm working on a couple of Clouser's Minnows also. I'll post a couple when I get them tied.

Deceiver Variation (blue)

Marc Martyn wrote:Deceiver Variation (blue)

Lookin' good Marc,
I've never tied one before so I'm thinking of a Mickie Finn in a 6"-8" configuration.

I'll send you a link to a site about fly fishing for warm water species. Great info on muskies and also some great photos of pan fish to get the color variations into the flies.

You might think about bumping up the hook size to a 2/0 or 3/0. A steelhead hook is too small.

They look good, but as others have echoed, the size is key. 4-6" seems a bit small. The bucktail spinners you see in stores are usually 10 inches or so in length...

I'm am going by what the guys in the shops have showed me of the plugs and other bait that guys are catching northerns and muskies on. Besides, many of the materials for tying flies are only 5" long. I suppose that I guy could tie on a couple of turkey or pheasant tail feathers on to a hook. That would give you the 10" you are referring to.

Besides, I would like the fly to blend into the school of bait fish, not scare them away:rambo:

Sam Kafelafish wrote:They look good, but as others have echoed, the size is key. 4-6" seems a bit small. The bucktail spinners you see in stores are usually 10 inches or so in length...

What size flies have you used Sam when you fly fished for Muskies or Northerns?

Hi Marc, I'm not Sam, but I often use what use to be called "Hairabou", and I think it goes by "Big Fly Fur" or something like that now. It is a synthetic, and ties a great fly.

I usually use 8" to 12" flies for pike and Tigers, and often use the Dalberg Diver series. As for colors, yes, I like colors, but I have not found a preference that they like consistently.

Anglinarcher wrote:Hi Marc, I'm not Sam, but I often use what use to be called "Hairabou", and I think it goes by "Big Fly Fur" or something like that now. It is a synthetic, and ties a great fly.

I usually use 8" to 12" flies for pike and Tigers, and often use the Dalberg Diver series. As for colors, yes, I like colors, but I have not found a preference that they like consistently.

Thanks for the suggestion. Any information is very helpful. The Dalberg Diver is a good pattern. I'll give it a shot. I am going to experiment with some Super Hair, sold by Spirit River. It is synthetic and 11" long. As you know, fly fishing is a trial and error sport. It is just a matter of figuring out what works in what waters. Just like matching the hatch, a person has to match what the predatory fish are going after.

I once tied up a fly about 1:30 in the morning and thought that it was the dumbest most ridiculous looking fly I ever tied. One time I was desperate on the water for a pattern that produced and finally tried my "After Midnight" creation. After landing several fish, a buddy of mine asked me what I was using. I showed it to him and he laughed and remarked, "Now, that thing is butt ugly! The name Butt Ugly stuck and I still use it.

Mark,
Those are sweet! I believe, and could be wrong, that most muskie and pike flies are tied to very large proportions because they have little ability to stimulate the long lateral line of those fish. So that large, easy to see profile gives the toothy esox something to lock those peepers on when they can't feel it coming. I have had huge muskie up at Curlew follow and then destroy 3.5" crankbaits. A little 4" swimbait caught 3 different 40" tiger's in Silver this year. So it's my opinion that muskie will eat any size presentation, but the large hooks of a larger bait are more likely to get the fish in the net. I know that's not news to you, but it's my 2 cents.
I look forward to fishing on Silver, and anywhere else, with you this year.

Scott,

Believe me I too am looking forward to getting together this spring. Winter is wearing very thin with me. We will get together.

About six of us are tying up flies that are varying in patterns,colors and sizes. One of our flies should get their attention. I got the idea of the Blue Deceiver from one of the guys at the General Store. He showed me a picture of a very large Muskie caught at Silver this last summer. He knew the guy that got the fish and I asked what he caught it on. It was a blue and silver Rappala about 5" long.

Sooner or later we will have the flies dialed in. Fly fishing for trout is based on insects in the water and what is hatching on the surface. We just have to figure out which imitations of bait fish will work for Muskie and Northern. Then the party begins:cheers:

Fish don't buy or tie flies fisherman do! The Blue fly looks awedome Marc. The proportions are nice. It is crazy how many little fish have hit big flies or lures for me and how many bruisers have hit tiny flies. The pictures from the Pike site were crazy with a monster grabbing on to another hooked one. This is going to be a game of many casts. I think that at the far end of Silver your flies are going to be catching large bass too. woo hoo that sounds fun. Good looking flies guys, I am worried that my head cement will still be wet at my present state of procrastination!!:cheers:

A few of us gathered at Silver Bow to discuss Muskie flies and ideas. While we were there i came up with a perch pattern, then got home and looked at picture of a perch and tweaked this idea a bit more. I showed it to Marc, he likes it but suggested that the dumbbell eyes be tied on the bottom, so the fly will not flip.

Nice fly Dave! I'll share with you, if you'll share with me.
Let's go fishin'
Joe