Anyone Using Flies for Pans?

[aaron otto]

Forgive me if this is just a ridiculous thought. In the past when we've fished still water with flies there is a real desire to match what the fish are eating with respect to aquatic insects. Some time you will hear it referred to as "Match the Hatch.

I've been sitting at my tying vice with Hudson all morning playing with the notion of tying specifically for icefish- Panfish; Mayfly, dragon fly nypmhs and fresh water shrimp (mysis), and their different sub-species are most commonly tied imitations for trout etc.

The idea was to tie them with Tungsten Beads inside their thorax (body) or at the Head of the Fly. Anybody else out there tried this approach?

Freshwater Shrimp with a 3.2mm Tungsten at mid-shank of the hook.

Mayfly Nymph w/ Tungsten Head

My Son made this with a little help. He called it he "H-Bug" Double Tungsten Eyes, doesn't reflect anything other than his imagination- but I'm going to fish it none-the-less.

[Fishin4fun_MN]

I am ordering some from a guy that i get my open water flies/hair jigs from in the summer. just waiting for my order to get done. going with some that will hopefully look like blood worms.

[Fishin4fun_MN]

I like the one your son made. looks promising.

[OnAFly]

I've been using them a while now on the ice. Sometimes they are all that works, most of the time they aren't and it' easier to use jigs. They are definitely worth it for the times that the fish only want to eat them though.

[Charlie Mason]

Have been using dry flies in conjunction with a tungsten jig below for years, originally called the Michigan Rig because we couldnt, per DNR rules, have a hook tied directly to a weighted line. The fly would be on a two or three inch dropper line about 10 inches above the jig.

Barry Williams, and you might have seen his article in the In-Fisherman Ice Guide for this season, had been tying flies for several years specifically for ice fishing. http://spookyspiders.bravehost.com/

I know he left yesterday morning for the championship in MN on Monday, but should be back at it the following Tuesday or so.

[OnAFly]

Aaron - Did you tie those pheasant tails onto a circle hook?

I've only used scud flies so far, but late last year I tied up some flashy rubber legged hare's ears onto a #10 jig head. I never got to use those last year but I'll be giving them a shot this year.

[Slabasaurus]

Yep, I'm into this kinda thing.

Might have to give some of the shrimp patterns a go as well, they look like they'll fish alright.

Couple samples of ice flies (those that venture down to the fly forum might have seen these already):

Euro Larvae

Flex Floss x-nymph

[aaron otto]

Thanks all- Yep tied them myself (with my son).

Slab looks like from your tagline you may recognize a couple of these:

[aaron otto]

Tied them on Gami's Octopus 1/0 (02011) and a 5/32 Tungsten Head. Mayfly nymphs (especially in still water it will be available to feeding fish) often curl their bodies to swim (propel themselves along). The common imitation of a lengthy flat non-adult fly is misleading at best for most species but clinging nymphs. I don't know this to be true, still learning every time I go out, but my gut tells me what a lot of fish mistake the flies for dragon fly nymphs (over mud flats and are a common location for dragon fly nymphs) These particular creatures are larger and much more likely to be caught swimming compared to mayflies. Lot's of pro's here that I'm sure know way more about this then myself and could weigh in on specific species and locations - would give a lot of good direction for those looking to target fish through the ice with respect to bottom substrate and fly choice. I have questions around midge larva and are or is anyone out there using these to catch fish through the ice? Very common to fish for trout in still water with these. Does it apply to panfish too?

Hopefully that is helpful. ao

[OnAFly]

Don't know on midges. Midges are in our lakes, so fish would eat them given the chance I would suspect. It might be difficult to detect strikes with a size 20 on though

Try it out and let us know if it works well. Might be the new craze after the inline reels. Hey, within a few years we'll have everyone using fly reels and flies and before they know it they'll be fly fishing

[aaron otto]

OnAfly good point in rivers often the midge larva are small - size 20 and even smaller like you will see at Lee's Ferry or the San Juan River. In lakes however it's common for anglers to use much larger flies up to size #4 - no joke. Pyramid lake is a good example where giant cut-bows (Lohantons) will eat very large Midge Larva/Pupa Patterns.

By no means do I know panfish will eat them... but going to try this winter. See what happens. I think we should meet for a beer and talk strategy .

[Slabasaurus]

AO - Definitely recognize those pics. Also noticed you were credited for the photography in a recent article on Bob White (actually just read that article this morning).

As for the ice fishing - I haven't tried any of my flies out on ice, but up at the cabin usually spend the early mornings casting small midges/larvae patterns for panfish while I drink my coffee, work's pretty well there for the gills.

Interesting points about the way nymphs tend to swim in lakes. Something to definitely keep in mind when tying up flies specific for ice/pans.

I like the idea too of bigger midge patterns for lakes. Figure even if it doesn't look like a true midge, it'll be buggy/wormy enough to entice some gills, perch, or crappie to take a bite.

[OnAFly]

I'm outta town pretty much til mid next week. Might have to test out some patterns in the box on in the ice.

I know they use #16 midges out west pretty commonly. I've plenty of #16 tungsten flies to test out that could pass for a midge.

[Pete Maina]

WOW! That's some really cool stuff. Some great pics.

[jigginjim]

I have used flies for fishing. As I read the rules a jig and 2 flies would not be legal. The jig would not be consided a fly, Use a drop shot system. A colored split shot on the end then space out the flies. At 18" apart you cover a large water area

[aaron otto]

Right on Slab. Bob is a good guy when you talk about living legends he is one of them for sure. He inspires me to be a better man.

Sounds like I want to have my morning coffee with you!

I wrote an article for SWFF a few years back that touched on the concept of what food looked like when it was vulnerable to prey specifically in Pyramid Lake. In still waters the reactionary strike get's taken away with vertically suspended(and non-jigged) presentations. This opportunity or "window of time" gives fish the period to study and almost be curious.. nibble if have you. My tendency is to support the opinion that shape, size, and overall buggy/fishy-type behavior your imitation has way more to do then the color. Hence the choice to tie a pattern that appears more like what I believe to be what fish see often when they get the opportunity to feed from a shape perspective. If panfish behaved like other species and ate larva and nymphs directly from the bottom ( and in a flat traditionally presented pattern) ice fisherman would pull in fish with worn nose and chin plates from pushing substrate and mixed-gravel bottom around in search of food. Maybe others have seen this, I just haven't is all.

But, then again- I'm no pro and an ice fishing infant could mean all I've observed in other areas on another species means absolutely bull-squat here. I would be really interested to hear what some of the pros here have to say on this. I'm completely okay with being blown out of the water here if that is the case. Sincerely want to become a better ice-angler no better way then to learn from the best.

[aaron otto]

Thanks for the tip Jiggn. Do you know if it is legal to use two flies bottom being Tungsten as long as they are on one contiguous line?

[aaron otto]

Thanks Pete. I like your toothy avatar.

[drcarplove]

Check legal rigs with each state you may fish. Flies certainly will work so will tiny trout marabou and hair jigs, you can also add material to bare jigs and commercial ice jigs. I always felt that the Custom jigs and spins shrimpo was also a representation of a huge midge nymph as well as a shrimp imitation. Fly fisherman allover feel bluegills are suckers for rubber legged flys. have fun with it.

Frank