Y2K Bug

[Fox Statler]

Brian,

I wrote the book,"Fishin' What They See" Its about all the different species of fish in the White and Black rivers above their confluence and the species in the Little Red River. You can buy the two books I mentioned, "What Fish See" and "How Fish Work" from Amazon for about $30. Both of these books take a very scientific approach to everything from the fish's anatomy (eyes, shape, ability to smell and hear), preferred water temperature, to the best colors of patterns to catch them with. "What Fish See" is mainly about how the particles in the water changes the colors of your flies and lures. "How Fish Work" is about the anatomy and preferences of fish and why they do what they do. Together, these two books are a learned adventure of "fishdom".

Where my book fits in is when fishing for the members of the sunfish family, this includes the basses, and other species that see well like trout, and pike. Both authors suggest fishing an imitation as close as possible to what the fish are actually eating. Like in the Black River system (this would be the Spring River, Eleven Points, Current River, Jack's Fork and so on) the most dominant minnow species is the Bleeding Shiner. Today at the Whitten Access on the Eleven Points, I pointed out to my wife a group of about 200 Bleeding Shiner minnows at the boat ramp. Every so often I would see a smallmouth run at them and get one. I recognized the shiners because they are in my river and in my aquarium at home. Bleeding shiners have a brown olive back, then a brilliant gold stripe beneath that and then a promenient black stripe below the gold and then a pearl white belly.

I'm like you, I don't have a Y2K bug, but I would carry a yellow scud. Oh incidently, when the scuds molt in the White and North Fork they are a Greenish Yellow to a Yellow Copper in color.

[Randall]

I cannot help but laughing a little, as this is a fly.

And as beadhead eluded to, this "corn fly" is tough to tie.

Sorry guys.. like the zebra midge.. I ruled this one out a while ago.

Out of my box - never / ever.

Sure I'll fish my SJ worm pattern and an egg (my low water egg)

But never a zebra midge and never a y2k bug.

call me crazy - Brian

whats wrong with a zebra midge? i can understand why you wouldn't be caught with the beadhead thing, but why not the midge?

[Danoinark]

I have to ask also what is wrong with a Zebra Midge. I think they mimic our tailwater migdges very effectively and I have photo proof if anyone is interested.

But one of our members asked me to repost the Y2K instructions. As to this fly if you fish glo balls or eggs this can't be any different. Maybe it represents a cluster of eggs etc.

Dano

[LostMyWife]

Ok guys, is there a reason why you have to wear a bag on your head if you use this fly? :ph34r: :ph34r:

[jdmidwest]

No reason to wear a bag just because you use the Y2K, it is a stimulator fly like alot of others. Alot of flies are tied to stimulate the strike and do not resemble any of the natural trout foods. Many use the Glo-ball with sucess, most variations do not resemble any natural food. How long has it been since you have seen a chartreuse trout egg? There are those out there that walk on water and have no need for waders that think that flies have to imitate an insect in some form or another. I suggest that you stray away from those types of individuals, they have lost the fun of fishing...

[Kicknbass]

I don't care how ugly it is, if it catches fish I would us it. However, doesn't look like a bait that I would have enough confidence it to fish long enough to find out.

[jdmidwest]

Dano, the only thing I could see to be critical of the zebra midge is that it is a "minimalistic fly". Not enough material to constitute a fly in the true sense of the word. Basically a hook with a bead, thread and a wire. But under most regs regarding a fly it meets the specs. But it imitates a form of aquatic insect, so it works.

[Terry Beeson]

"Traditionalist" fly fishermen would shy away from many of the flies out there today. I've had several guys tell me they wear a bag over their faces when they fish a Wooly Bugger. Many will not fish a fly if it has anything other than thread, feathers, and fur. It's just a personal choice for most of us one way or the other.

But, Fox... I'm curious. You tie several flies that are very "outside the norm" of most fly fishermen. I know you use some spinner blades, tinsel/flash, and your crawfish pattern with surveyor's tape is very kewl. So why is the Y2K pattern "banned" from your fly box? Simply because it does not imitate anything? Again... just curious.

And I totally agree with you on the low water with algae making attractors work "better." I've had that happen to me on the Spring time and time again.

[RiverRunner]

Just my opinion, but the Y2K is a great fly for someone like me who is just starting out. It is a real fish catcher and gives me practice with hooksets, detecting strikes and so on. I really don't care right now how silly it looks. I doubt that this fly will work on freestone streams with brookies in the Smoky mtns, but it is effective on our tailwater streams. I have caught browns in the Little Red on this fly, so it will fool wild fish. It may not be as sporting as catching a trout on a size 28 dry fly, but I guess it is a step up from Power Bait.

[Danoinark]

John W.

I have to agree with you. The Zebra in various colors certainly represent the small midges I have seen in all of the tailwaters and research shows its a primary food source in our waters also.

Dano