Simply The Best Panfish Fly

[mic]

So over the past year, year and half, I've been on a quest to find the best all around panfish, pond, small water fly. I come to the conclusion that all these "specialized" flies just can't beat the two old classics. A hare's ear and pheasant tail. I've been tying them on size eight hooks with and without beads.

1. They are easy and fun to tie. You can knock out a three or four pretty quick.

2. The materials are cheap.

3. Great practice (or starter fly) for the smaller trout flies.

4. They simply catch everything. I've caught blue gill, rock bass, smallmouth, largemouth, and catfish on them.

So... I'll still tie "specialized" flies for the fun of it. But when me and the three weight hit the ponds. I just need some big nymphs.

Tight Lines,

MIC

[Flysmallie]

Small foam spider or ant is my favorite. Just love watching them come up and eat it.

Soft hackles work pretty well too.

But they will pretty much eat anything. Tie what you enjoy.

[mic]

Your right, but I like they way these two just seam to catch everything else. I've been having fun lately fishing them as a dropper under a foam grasshopper.

Never tried a soft hackle. Do you up size them?

Small foam spider or ant is my favorite. Just love watching them come up and eat it.

Soft hackles work pretty well too.

But they will pretty much eat anything. Tie what you enjoy.

[Geoff]

bullies bluegill bug. chenille body, 2 rubber legs at the front. simple and works unbelievably well.

[Chris Barclay]

Sounds like a great fly! I'd love to see a pic if you have one available.

[mic]

I think I hear a STL challenge. 3 weights at high noon (insert old western movie music here)

bullies bluegill bug. chenille body, 2 rubber legs at the front. simple and works unbelievably well.

[ness]

Yeah -- foam spiders are great and very easy to tie.

I have tied a nymph under a big dry for bluegill before. How were you fishing them?

[mic]

I did both, and did well on both. I slow dropped some (without a bead) with no float. Just watched the end of the fly line. That one seems to works best...but...it sure is fun when a big bass hits that hopper. I'm dying to get a double, one on the float and one on the fly.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I like the spiders also. I think Wrench has a propietary fly he swears by.

[jdmidwest]

I tye a black soft hackle on a size 10 curved nymph hook that is pretty deadly. Simple fly, black antron body ribbed with a fine copper wire and a dark dyed partridge or starling feather hackle. The longer curved shank helps remove the hook better. Dead drift or strip, or just let it bob under an indicator.