Los Alamos Ants - foam fly pattern for Bluegill and Bass

https://joshs-flies.myshopify.com/

Great pattern for bluegill, sunfish, bass. Drift or use as a popping bug. I got this pattern form Fly Tying Forum. The instructions provided are from the tyer (letumgo) who submitted the pattern at Fly Tying Forum.

Material List: Size 10 Dry Fly Hook

Craft Foam (Cut into truangles 3/8" wide at base x 1" tall)

Peacock Herl

Black 6/0 thread

Rubber Legs

Fabric Paint for Eyes (I didn't use eyes)

Tying Instructions: Mix and and match colors to match the fish your are targeting. Bright colors (chartruese, yellow, white, lime green) work great on bass and panfish, while the dull earth tones (tans, browns, greens and black) work great on trout.

Detailed tying instructions are availible in a book called "Tying Flies with Foam Fur and Feathers" by Harrision R. Steeves III

1)Mount your thread on the hook and run a layer of thread to the bend of the hook and then back to the front just behind the eye of the hook.2) Tie in the first foam triangle (which will later be the bottom color). The triangles are roughly 3/8" wide by 1" high. The first triangle is tied in with the point facing back towards the bend of the hook. Roughly one third of the triangle (pointed end) is tied to the hook shank, while the remaining two-thirds points out over the front of the hook. Be sure to placing the foam on the side of the hook when you tie it in since the tension of the thread will tend to push the foam up onto the top of the hook.3) Tie in a pair of rubber leg material and run the thread back to the bend of the hook. Trim the rubber legs so they are roughly the same length as the hook. If you are using rubber legs that come in a single ribbon, it helps to keep two legs together when they are tied in. Do not splitting them apart until after they have been tied in and trimmed to length. This makes it much easier to tie in rubber legs.4) Tie in five or six strands of peacock herl by the tip and run your thread to the front of the hook. Wind the herl to the front of the hook to form the body and tie off and trim. Now run your thread to the back of the hook to reinforce the herl.5) Fold the foam triangle back towards the bend of the hook and tie off.6) Lay a second foam triangle over the top of the fly with the point facing back. The front of the foam should line up with the eye of the hook. Tie down the piece of foam and then whip finish with a long reach whip finish tool or hand whip finish.7) Cut off the thread and reattach roughly 1/8" behind the eye of the hook. Fold down the top piece of foam and tie down. The front edge should flare up a little forming almost a popper face.8) Tie in a pair of legs on each side of the hook and trim to length.9) Whip finish and cut off your thread.10) Add eyes on the front of the foam using fabric paint (75 cent from Wal-Mart) or permanent marker.

Presentation Tips: Fish as you would a grasshopper pattern or a popper. The fish love seem to love an active retrieve with this fly.

I like to use silver chenille as an attractor for this pattern.

I enjoy tying foam patterns. When I saw this fly, I had to tie it immediately. I use mostly hopper patterns but have moved to the Chernobyl Ant pattern too. I want something to drift all year - not just during "hopper time". I like to use foam fly patterns and poppers too.

Still waiting on the white bass run!! Hoping to fish the Big Sugar Creek soon!!

Ozark waters address or rant.

This is a rant I made in reply to a posting on Yahoo about a guy who mentioned he fished the Illinois River in Oklahoma - his friend mentioned that he was fishing in chicken poop. Farmers are spreading it (chicken litter) in their fields. The run off from raincauses and increase in nitrates and lower levels of oxygen. TheIllinois River watershed is very large. Arkansas is the world's orone of the world's largest chicken producers - obviously, it's Tyson's backyard. Not to mention George's, OK Foods, Cargill, Vess Cobb, Simmons, Peterson . . .

In my opinion a lot of pollution is also coming from the surrounding cities, Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville. The area has been a contruction boom for about 5 years. Developers haven't been following ordinances and have been fined. Main creeks that feed theIllinois River are Clear Creek, Mud Creek, Scull Creek, and a few others I cannot remember. These creeks flow through residential areas and cities. Some of these actually supported life or more life thanusual. The Ozark Cave fish is now in trouble - an almost extinctspecies. Some of the pollution comes from arsenic in construction andfrom the overall population boom here in Northwest Arkansas - apopulation boom that is causing local administrators to begin legislation on protecting the environment - waters and land.

The Fayetteville Shale Play is predicted to make the state have a boon economy - the largest such holdings of natural gas in North America.I have seen the decline of local waters that I fish - just over thepast 5 years. A local gated community was built on the White River. They sit on the edge of a cliff. There are several large pipes that allow run off from the neighborhood to pour into the river.The West Fork of the White River is under probation from Feds. A recent dump site was built 2 miles in the watershed. Many miles of the rver that once held healthy populations of smallmouth, bream and crappie are now void of almost all species. Thousands of acres that were unpopulated are now surrounding creeksand rivers that flow into the Illinois and White River Watersheds. The Ozarks are beautiful and the streams are amazing.

All I see now are thousands upon thousands of people moving in by the droves. People who go out to take advantage of the beauty and outdoors but donot truly respect it. More business and communities are popping up but for the worse of streams and the environment. Growing up in British Columbia, I grew to appreciate the environment -it would almost seem that people used to respect the environment a lot more. I have seen pure water streams and hundreds of acres untouched by man. I have also seen swaths of land clear cut for lumber. Moving back to the states made me see how progress affects the environment and how the dollar motivates man - myself included. Perhaps, I lived too far away from large cities and big economies but now it would seem that the whole world is growing fast - closing in on itself.

Yummy Foam Popping Bugs - Bluegill and Bass Fly Pattern

https://joshs-flies.myshopify.com/

Body - 1/4 inch cylinder foam (can be purchased through catalogs or some stores such as Bass Pro Shops.

Hackle - yellow

tail - yellow marabou

hook - size 6 aberdeen style

legs - rubber insect legs

I made these to sell on ebay because of this bluegill fly pattern is easy to make and is effective. Duh, it's a popping bug.

Step 1 - You may have to cut 1/4 to 1/3 inch sections. The foam comes in about 10 - 12 inches length.

Step 2 - Poke a hole through the middle of the foam body (long ways) with your bodkin or whatever other tool.

Step 3 - Poke a hole short ways through the middle of the body FOR THE LEGS.

Step 4 - Use your threader tool, poke it through the hole and place the legs into the eye and pull it back through.

*If you do not have a threading tool, you may be able to accomplish this with your bobbin. If you screw up the size of the hole and the legs are loose, dab some glue.

Step 5 - Put some glue or Zap - A- Gap on the shaft of the hook and push the foam onto it. Make sure legs are placed level.

Step 6 - Tie on marabou

Step 7 - Tie in hackle

Use whatever color foam. You can create these with other types of foam and pieces from old flip flops.

Let me know if you've got any questions.

I would suggest using OX, 1X or 2X tippet and leaders with these flies.

Place the fly around structure and pop it. You can even drift it past structure or under brush and branches while popping it.

This size fly will allow you to screen out the little sunfish and be attractive enough fly pattern with a decent hook for a bass.

Snow Beetle - Bluegill Fly Pattern

This was received in a fly swap. The there were a few left over and I had a fun with these. Now, they are all gone.

Size 10 hook

Body - 2 pieces of foam glued together and shaped with scissors.

Legs - rubber - tied in on second segment of body. Crystal flash was tied in with the legs too but you can barely see it.

Indicator - white foam

I copied this pattern and sold some on ebay - fairly simple. That's what this fly pattern is - simple. As with most foam fly patterns, bluegills will take them fairly well. I used to drift this on a few local creeks. I took a bunch of sunfish and bluegills off one fallen tree. I drifted this on the Middle Fork of the White River. There was a deep hole and the fish sat under some rocks that jutted out over the sandy creek bottom. I would drift and pop it. Lovely Pumpkin Seeds - big and juicy - great fighters. I used a 3 wgt. rod which is broken now.

I am waiting for the white bass to run. I may go out but there is a line of thunderstorms almost here. All my stuff is ready. I have probably jinxed myself now.

I will give more in-depth instructions and am hoping to put a few on You Tube.

Largemouth Bass Fly Pattern - popping bug

Alas, this poor fly has disappeared among the brambles and branches of Lake Bobb Kidd. I have a few of these cork bodies left to make this largemouth bass fly pattern - and perhaps, you could land a smallmouth with it too.

My father gave a bunch of these to me. A friend of his got them from some close out sale. The cork was already glued to the hook shank and wrapped with some thick thread. I just used Testor's Paint - used a Q-Tip dipped in black. For the eyes, I cut the Q-Tip in half and dipped it in yellow. Then I wittled the other end down to a sharp point, dipped it in red for the Iris. The front of the popper is red. The body was sprayed with lacquer finish - before tying!

The weed guard is 20 lbs. test line made by Shakespeare.

I landed several largemouth bass at Bob Kidd. Never failed, took my boat out (before I sold it!!!), headed out to the nasty end. You had to be careful, you never knew what your trolling motor would hit.

I would cast out around the edges of the lily pads and work my way to fallen trees, hog wire, old barrels and whatever else. Lovely spot for largemouth bass. I would always land at the very least one bass - it was pretty crowded - sometimes, expecially crowded with crappie fisherman.

I used my 5 wgt., not my 8 wgt. Shoulda taken it once though - had a really big one on and tried to set the hook, played him and he was gone. I couldn't muscle him with that 5 wgt. fly rod.

MORE BASS FLY PATTERNS TO COME!