Tag Archives: perch

ice fly-jig hybrid

“Good” ice is just about widespread in Minnesota now, which just gets me excited to get out after some early-ice fish. With the new season, I have a few new patterns that are fast becoming staples in my box. These couple patterns give me more options and fill some of the gaps. So here they are!   #1. The Tungsten Hybrid What happens when you cross a heavy tungsten jig and an ice fly? Can the best parts of each be combined to complement the other’s fish catching ability? These were the questions that led to the creation of this pattern. And before I knew it, this fly-jig hybrid was born. This pattern utilizes both the fast-sinking, heavy nature of tungsten and the subtle, trigger-rich nature of ice flies. The ultra-heavy tungsten allows it to sink fast and “bounce bottom” to stir up the mud, while the subtlety entices even the wariest…

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Big panfish eat few flies consistently, while smaller fish swallow everything that moves. In order to catch big panfish you’ll need a box that can adapt to water conditions and fish location. Here are the flies that help me catch more big fish in a variety of conditions:   Pink Punch The scruffy collar pushes water and the cone head gets it down, making this fly a good option for murky water or aggressive fish. The pink color makes it irresistible to crappies, and the ice dub gives it a translucent minnow effect. Thread: Pink or Black 8/o UNI Hook: # 12-8 Bead: x-sm Silver Conehead  Tail: Pink Marabou or pseudo marabou Body: Pink Ice Dub in a dubbing loop        Noah’s Minnow The Noah’s Minnow is a great fly for picky panfish. The marabou tail twitches in the water driving the most skittish fish to bite. The…

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Part one of Noah’s three-part series on panfish flies. Small panfish will take almost every thing that moves and is colorful, but if you want to catch slabs consistently you have to fish flies that are designed for panfish. Big panfish eat meat, and streamers are a great way to catch slabs consistently. These five patterns are all fantastic streamers for panfish, producing in every environment. They are also pretty quick and easy to tie. They are overall great flies. Enjoy! Pink Punch If I had to pick one fly for my panfish box this would definitely be the one. I created this great warmwater fly in August of 2012 and have fished it in small streams,  lakes, and quarries.  Fishing for greenies, sunnies, ‘gills, crappie, and perch, I’ve never found a spot where it would not produce. Here’s the recipe: Thread: Pink or Black 6/o Hook: # 12 Bead: Silver…

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