Bigger Baits for Pike and Wels

After making the Morrish mice it brought back some ideas I had a few years back.  I wanted to make some imitations for "larger prey" such as ducklings and muskrats (bisam).  I have seen so many exact life-like imitations that 1) I am not that talented with deer hair, and 2) an exact imitation of the bird or animal to man does not mean it gives a good imitation of life to fish.  I for the most part especially with nymphs like impressionistic flies.  Notice that the tips of the deer hair are tied in to proper length allowing them to move naturally and are not trimmed.  A stiff lifeless imitation is much less effective in provoking a strike from a fish as one that breathes and behaves as the natural.

My first attempts (shown here) at a duckling were good at imitating but poor at casting due to a strong wind resistance.

 

I slimmed the foam in the new version down similar to the Morrish Mouse and this cut back the wind resistance.  The first is tied on an Ad Swier #8/0 Pike hook, my second version is tied on a 55mm articulated shank (self made) with a #2 double tube fly hook attached.  This rides nearly weedless behind the deer hair.  I eliminated the bucktail beak to cut down on spinning, also a few coats of Exterior Delta Ceramcoat were added to strengthen the foam.

 

 

With the Muskrats I simply coated the foam with Furry Foam and used beaver instead of deer hair for a nearly indestuctable body.  There is a little more weight here when it is wet that helps reduce the wind resistance.  It is tied on a #8/0 Ad Swier Pike hook, I want to make some more with the articulated shanks and tie the tail on the hook itself to keep from tangling.

 

 

If the weather is good in the next few days I'll make some videos of them swimming from above and below the water surface.

 

Morrish Mouse (Mice)

Hopefully cool weather will be coming soon as I have no interest in fishing with 32-36 degrees C!  I did go twice last week and got 3 small perch on the river with the Mickey Finn lipped Clouser I tied in rehab.  I also got a single larger perch on the pond using a big crayfish imitation.

The river is looking real good now and if it cools down a little I want to swing some mouse flies not only for pike, but wels and big brown trout!

I made a few variations, the deer hair version has 3mm foam covered on top with matching "Furry Foam".  The fur versions using rabbit and muskrat zonkers wrapped over a chenille base, the foam is 6mm and treated with Exterior Delta Ceramcoat.

  

Easter Asp

Went to "the Pond" again and although a strong SW wind in my face I did manage to catch 7 (out of 10) Asp, again 30-40cm.  My general midge emerger (shown in an earlier Asp post) has been my go to fly for the past two years when the Buzzers are hatching.  The one in the picture was the first caught and you see my ferret Diablo making a mad dash for it as I slid it on the shore.  I don't need a net when he's around.  What's funny is that the fish sees him coming!

Asp, Bats, and Owls

Went to "the Pond" a few days ago with my daughter and Diablo for the evening rise of Buzzers.

I ended up catching three small Asp between 30 and 40 cm.  As usual missed or lost twice as many some bigger. 

At dusk the bats began diving at my fly more than the naturals so it was time to quit.  In the video there is one of the bats taking a dive right at us.  If you listen close you can hear an owl hooting in the background.

Again, more Asp!

I went again tonight for an hour and a half and stopped counting after 20 or so! All were as yesterday 45-50 cm, with the exception of one 15 cm monster.

Asp on the 4 weight!

Large midges have been hatching every night for the last week and the water has "cooked" with fish. I finally got an hour free last night and gave it a try. I made a few neutral emergers and got 5 Asp between 45-50 cm. They were extremely fast and aggressive so needless to say I missed more than I caught. Not bad for an hour!