A coworker and I flyfished a local pond during lunch today.
I had a new (to me) style ("bendback") of fly I had tied up and wanted to try out. I've seen these for years, I just had not ever tied one up. And I didn't like the way some were bent, because they looked like they wouldn't do a good job of hooking the fish. So...maybe what I've tied really aren't "bendbacks"? But they work along the same principles
The first ones I tied on #8 "Special Use" hooks I use for my bass poppers:
I wanted something bigger as well, so I went to Sportsmans Warehouse yesterday during lunch and bought some 2/0 bass worm hooks in two styles....and manufactured by Owner and Gamakatsu. I tied up a couple of these larger ones last night.
The theory behind these is they will ride hook-point-up, and the materials also somewhat (marginally) help protect the hook point from fouling on weeds. Tinsel or other material wrapped around the hookshank gives the illusion of a deeper-bodied baitfish.
Yesterday's 3" deluge of rain had the water level up and stained. Anyway, I already had a Blockhead Popper tied on my line, so I used it as I covered 1/2 the pond. I caught one fish. With just 5 minutes left, I switched to one of the #8 Bendbacks (the white one with purple flash), and re-worked just one short piece of shoreline on my way out. I caught 3 bass, and missed bluegills and a decent Hybrid Sunfish. That is pretty great for this particular pond! The bass were all small.... less than 12".
I'm calling the trial a big success! I'm gonna have to tie up some more...
Congrats, Dave. Like you, I have seen them around. Just never bothered with them. Always fun to get some time to explore fly tying patterns.
ReplyDeleteI guess we just keep trying stuff that interests us. I've tried some patterns that look great and I think the fish will love 'em...and then I never catch anything on those. These bendbacks...well, I finally found myself in a situation where that style seemed like a good idea to try. I'm glad I tried it. More field research is warranted. ;o)
DeleteWhen I first started using poppers for bass, they were THE BOMB! I was suddenly catching more and bigger bass than I had been when I was just catching bass as "by-catch" to flyfishing for bluegills and crappies. Then I switched to blockhead poppers....a bit bigger in size, and much bigger splash & pop...which again resulted in even bigger bass. But I fish the same waters often, and those bass seem to have learned to avoid my poppers. I'm in constant search mode for (new-to-me) bass fly patterns that my local fish haven't seen and will go after. Its isn't that my "old" patterns won't catch fish anymore...they actually catch fish very well when I visit new waters.
ReplyDeleteExcellent points, Dave. That is why the fun of fly fishing is never ending!
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