What Fly for heavy Lilly pads

Re: What Fly for heavy Lilly pads

feeds@kickapps.com (pearow) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 04:23:06 PST

For heavy lilly pads and grass/moss i tie my deerhair divers weedless on a inverted kink shank popper hook, #2 mustad #33903; they are virtually weedless and you get pretty good hookups if the point of the hook is bent out mite. I'll try to put a pic up here-p-

I just trim with scissors; I dont try to make it pretty; but for weedless; its very effective.

Re: What Fly for heavy Lilly pads

feeds@kickapps.com (B52 bugger) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:58:18 PST

The months of July and August is a time to be serious for big bass. Whenever the water temprature is 70 degrees and over, bass being warm blooded have to eat three times a day. Through trial and error I am constanly tying bugs. I'm grounded tonight strong winds but still I have to create. Welcome to Armand's Midnight Bass. Here is the tie. Hook: Gamakatsu worm hook St#01113 size 3/0, Thread UTC 280 denier yellow, Tail: two Whiting Farms, silver American rooster, black laced white dyed yellow - tied mid shank, Body: Natural deer body hair, bright green chartruese deer body hair - hair is Wapsi. Eye 3/8 Mirage Dome silver eye - attach with drop of GOOP. Do not trim hair in front of hook point. You can put head cement on face of bug to get popping effect. Also you can put drop of cement on hair in front of hook to make weedless.

In fishing on moonless nights I don't want to worry about the bug landing in trees, lily pads or shoreline. By the way retrieve very fast...

Re: What Fly for heavy Lilly pads

feeds@kickapps.com (B52 bugger) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:37:10 PST

I fished Delaney yesterday in the morning before heavy winds. This what the pads look like and photo of the fish., on Ratr/dragon.

Re: What Fly for heavy Lilly pads

feeds@kickapps.com (B52 bugger) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:45:30 PST

Today I fished with my new fly fishing friend David Porier from Sudbury, MA (he has been fly fishing since April - not too shaby). We fished a new place for us. Delany Wildlife Management area located in Stow, MA. Place is loaded with weeds, pads, stumps. My snake fly had too any misses. So I put this fly on. I think I even posted photos of this fly. I tie so many creations I forget what I call them. In any event I down size from 8 in. snake fly to (my new name) Armand's Rat/dragon (imitates rat or dragon fly - well not exactly but does the trick. I leave the deer body hair long - this is my weedguard. Photo of David, Rat/dragon and bass.

Re: What Fly for heavy Lilly pads

feeds@kickapps.com (B52 bugger) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:49:57 PST

This bug is tied on 2/0 hook with deer body hair. The legs are deer body hair, sticking out. I tie a square knot and cement near the tip of the legs. I use to put a 50 pound mono weed guard. I just fish the bug with no guard. I throw the bug in the pads, my leader is four feet of 25 pound test. I try to keep a straight line and just inch the bug through the pads. The bug will actually move the pads, at the same time I am watching near by pads. If they move I know a bass, pickeral or pike is near by. I am ready. This bug has seen alot of action. AJ

Re: What Fly for heavy Lilly pads

feeds@kickapps.com (spinzo) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 06:42:43 PST

Last year's (or was it 2006?) Sept. STS gathering on the Cape I was chucking that very pattern into the pads along the bank of one of the ponds we fished and pulled a few bass out. I think hair bugs (any spun deer hair fly for that matter) have an appeal because they make a good commotion without being too clunky on top. It's a more natural action, it seems. On that particular pond the pad fields were not very wide -- 5' - 10' along the shore -- so you could put the bug tight against the shore cover and not line the fish.

Speaking of pads, Hoppy, it's June and Rohunta should be coming into it's prime. Let me know when you can come out and I'll give you the front seat on my canoe.

Mike

Re: What Fly for heavy Lilly pads

feeds@kickapps.com (Letort) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 04:58:29 PST

This is my go to topwater fly when fishing in the pads.
It's a killer ....

Michael

Re: What Fly for heavy Lilly pads

feeds@kickapps.com (flyfishing4goldentrout) — Thu, 29 May 2008 09:18:01 PST

The attached mono weed loop works well on bigger flys, but the smallish frogs that Gillbuster made are or seem to be pretty weed free. Another thought would be an equally small lizard of foam. Ive fished quite a few of the Plastic (soft ) small lizards, frogs and turtles on my fly rod with the barb on top hooks, they seem to be the best for really heavy cover and the fish seem to hook up just as quickly. One note here, I really like to bend the barb down or break it off completely (barbless) its makes things alot easier in the weeds, you do loose quite a few fish when they loop you around the weed roots, but then they dont drown either from the same problem. It makes getting things unstuck alot easier and a joy when you screw up and get hooked yourself.
Richard

Re: What Fly for heavy Lilly pads

feeds@kickapps.com (waynebh) — Thu, 29 May 2008 04:44:02 PST

Hi All;

Mike: That's my biggest problem too! It seems a lot of times I end up casting over a series of pads to get my fly into a pocket and then the line and leader get hung up on retreive. If you happen to catch a fish whilst the line is on the pads, then it gets real interesting! When I'm in a kayak it's a hassle but easily resolved by paddling to the fish but, when casting from shore it's much more difficult to get the line free let alone land a fish!

Gillbuster: I too am interested in your frog pattern.

This is kinda why I started this thread to see if others have some solutions that minimize hangups.

waynebh

Re: What Fly for heavy Lilly pads

feeds@kickapps.com (spinzo) — Thu, 29 May 2008 03:13:21 PST

I prefer hair frogs, bugs, and poppers in the weeds (w/mono weed loops) and I fish them with a shortened leader, usually 6' of stiff mono 12 lbs. My biggest frustration with lily pads is that line tends to snake around every pad and stem, so the shorter, stiff leader helps me keep better control of the line. And shorter casts help, too.

Mike

Re: What Fly for heavy Lilly pads

feeds@kickapps.com (flyfishing4goldentrout) — Wed, 28 May 2008 20:09:40 PST

You need to post some pics of your foam frogs again John, I can attest to their value in the weeds for bass for sure, also the foggie that was in our last fly swap, its another along the same lines. Im gonna have to get busy this winter, using your concept and make up some yellow or tan bellied green turtles of about the same size we have some around some of the hot springs on the far side of the lake and the bass go nuts over them in winter. Ive used a few of those small plastic turtles along the same lines both on my bass fly rod and on a spinning rod with fantastic success. Think turtle the next time you make some froggies John, same small size too.
Richard

Re: What Fly for heavy Lilly pads

feeds@kickapps.com (gillbuster) — Wed, 28 May 2008 12:24:04 PST

I like using 1-2" foam frogs in the lilly pads and next to milfoil weeds. I use small hooks #6 or so and found that this hooks more fish than the larger hooks. I do lose several fish in the salad, but what a thrill to see a blow up...The smaller the foam frogs the more the hits, a lot of time it is just a slurp and it is gone!!!! and the fight is on!!!!

Re: What Fly for heavy Lilly pads

feeds@kickapps.com (fluidFLY) — Wed, 28 May 2008 06:51:11 PST

I often get hung up...I usually am close enuff to pull fly out or paddle over to get it out...the way I fish pad fields is to jsut work my way in them..I do not want to cast over the openings/ pads..i work my way in..the fish are line shy...the spray from castin can spookem...

I use a 10 pound tippet...often I loose fish in the pads..i often have to direct the fish in the openigs as i fight them..

takes practice..and time on the water...i have done about 100 trips / yr the last 4 yrs I would say..100's of hours of practice..

I used to try to cast way into pads and then retrieve...it is not as functional as the creepin in method I use...

Re: What Fly for heavy Lilly pads

feeds@kickapps.com (waynebh) — Wed, 28 May 2008 03:41:44 PST

Hi fluidFLY;

How do you deal with hangups? Are you using a weedguard? Also, I was thinking a short,stiff leader to deter hangups of the leader on the pads, why a long leader? Is their an advnatage in this situation to using a long leader or are fish leader shy?
What I want to do is cast back in to the pads and be able to drag the fly and line through the pad field. That way and can cast back into the open pockets and retreive the fly back out for the next cast.

I too fish from a kayak most of the time but on occasions from the shore.

Thanks in advance;

Waynebh

Re: What Fly for heavy Lilly pads

feeds@kickapps.com (fluidFLY) — Wed, 28 May 2008 03:10:12 PST

fluidFLY wrote:
POPPERS ..small to big..long leaders...I kayak fish and I prefer stealth so I paddle in slooooooooowly and work my way in and around em thoroughly...just make sure the popper floats..my preference is wooden poppers...fish every nook n cranny....and i mean everyone....do not leave any water unfished...I can spend an houR and not move more than like 20' somtimes when I work some pad fields...of course when the fishing is good...I will often see people moving to QUICKLY...let the fly sit for extended periods..be patient..it is a zenlike situtation for me....peaceful....deep focus....I often see fish wakes or water movement from like 15' away and just wait in anticipation for the fly to get pummeled!..I fish solo and I think this helps too....no distractions..no chit chat..etc...

Re: What Fly for heavy Lilly pads

feeds@kickapps.com (fluidFLY) — Wed, 28 May 2008 03:01:05 PST

POPPERS ..small to big..long leaders...I kayak fish and I prefer stealth so I paddle in slooooooooowly and work my way in and around em thoroughly...just make sure the popper floats..my preference is wooden poppers...fish every nook n cranny....and i mean everyone....do not leave any water unfished...I can spend an hout and not move more than like 20' somtimes when I work some pad fields...of course when the fishing is good...I will often see people moving to slow...let the fly sit for extended periods..be patient..it is a zenlike situtation for me....peaceful....deep focus....I often see fish wakes or water movement from like 15' away and just wait in anticipation for the fly to get pummeled!

What Fly for heavy Lilly pads

feeds@kickapps.com (waynebh) — Tue, 27 May 2008 17:20:34 PST

Hi All;

Anyone one have any pattern suggestions for a floating fly to use in pond covered with lilly pads?

Thanks in advance;

Waynebh