The Buford

[kjackson]

Saw a friend's FB post on his epic pike fishing, and watched the way the fly he was using would do the walk-the-dog below the surface on the retrieve.  Since one of my delayed fishing goals is to get back into fly fishing and fly tying with an eye to whites/hybrids/stripers/anything that swims, I asked him about the fly as it was a new pattern to me. He sent me a couple of links and then a pair of flies he tied .  

There are quite a few videos on Youtube on the Buford, and that will be my next tying project-- which suits considering the type of year we're having.  

Here's a link:     Having said that, my friend ties these flies mainly for pike, but he's also caught just about everything else.  He's tying them in pike sizes--six inches long at least--but I'm shooting for four inches.  

 

 

[fishinwrench]

Look into the "Bulkhead Deceiver".  Same general concept, quick and easy to tie, the messier the better.   Sub-walks like a dream.  Be sure to use a heavy saltwater hook.  I use a Mustad 34007 

I literally never get skunked slinging this sucker.   Gray&white, and Chart.&white..... it's all I ever need.   Smallies, White bass, Green bass, Brown trout, Everything eats it. 

The pic I shared is an articulated version, but there's really no need to 2-piece it.   It does just fine all tied on a single shank.

[kjackson]

I saw the Bulkhead in some videos, and I am going to tie it as well.  So 34007-- what sizes are you running?

The only problem I have with my flies is that I have a bunch of saltwater flies from the PNW, and I hate to ignore them entirely.  If I blend those in, I'd need a couple of mega-boxes...but I guess that can make it fun.  

[snagged in outlet 3]

44 minutes ago, kjackson said:

The only problem I have with my flies is that I have a bunch of saltwater flies from the PNW

Ya never know they might work...

[fishinwrench]

1 hour ago, kjackson said:

I saw the Bulkhead in some videos, and I am going to tie it as well.  So 34007-- what sizes are you running?

#2's for Whites, Trout & Smallmouth.

1/0 for Green bass. 

Don't forget to use a no-slip loop knot.    Also they take a minute to get good and soggy. 

[kjackson]

Thanks.  Now all I have to do is get things together.  I figure white and chartreuse are naturals for the major colors.

 

[fishinwrench]

Gray/white, or Chart./white.   Those are the only color combos I bother with anymore.   

Green bass kinda like  lt.blue/white, or lt.blue/gray. 

Olive/yellow was good ONE DAY for Smallies....but honestly I think they would have hit anything that moved on that particular day.   Usually chart/white gets the job done on river Smallies. 

I try not to get trapped into tying and carrying 15 different colors. 😏 Presentation and retrieve speed matters day to day.   Some days they want it slow and lazy, other days you can't strip it fast enough.