Greenie Weenie in the Ozarks?

[mic]

I have a fly tying book by Morgan Lyle called Simple Flies.  First, I really am enjoying the book by reading, tying, and trying out these easy to tie flies.  If you saw my post in the fly tying forum on the Naked Pheasant Tail, it is indirectly related to this book. 

To get back on subject, the Greenie Weenie is in the book, and I'm curious if anyone has used it with success in the Ozarks.  If yes, what size and where (in a general sense).  Here is a good pic: https://rangeleyflyshop.com/blogs/fly-of-the-month-maine-fly-shop/green-weenie

The book description calls out: "Lefty Kreh is on record saying the Weenie doesn't have to be green.  He and his friends have caught fish on Red, Pink, and Purple Weenies, too."  Anyone one tried them out in different colors?  

Thanks In Advance, Mike

[fishinwrench]

I don't believe that a fly has been created yet, that won't catch a fish.

Certain materials are magic, and no matter how you configure it onto a hook......they are pretty well guaranteed to illicit bites no matter where you're fishing.

Peacock herl,

Ice Dub,

Marabou,

Ect....

Just slap it on a hook, any old way, and something will try to eat it.

Size is the key.

 

[kjackson]

One of my faves when I was fishing in the Cowlitz River and elsewhere in Washington was about as simple as it gets--  #10 or 12 3399A hook, wrap the shank in lead wire, then take three or four peacock herls. Tie them in at the bend, leaving a long tag of black thread hanging. Twist the herls together and wrap forward. Tie off and then wrap the tag end of thread forward to reinforce the body.  Form a small head and tie it off.  That was deadly...

[mic]

1 hour ago, kjackson said:

One of my faves when I was fishing in the Cowlitz River and elsewhere in Washington was about as simple as it gets--  #10 or 12 3399A hook, wrap the shank in lead wire, then take three or four peacock herls. Tie them in at the bend, leaving a long tag of black thread hanging. Twist the herls together and wrap forward. Tie off and then wrap the tag end of thread forward to reinforce the body.  Form a small head and tie it off.  That was deadly...

Have you tried them in Mo?

[jdmidwest]

I have used one like it, looks like caddis worm out of its shell.

The floating ones I use when the fish seem to like the strike indicators I use.  Something about the chart. green turns them on sometimes.  Water cress seems to look like a floating green thing.  Maybe they need a salad sometimes.

[Hawg]

No pics. 😕

[tjm]

Back when I was in the east, so 30+ years ago, I read about these things and tied some and fished them without great success, they are easy ties and the lack of success was likely my fault, I never caught a single fish with egg patterns nor San Juan worms either.  Supposed to be a drowned inch worm according to some and a caddis according to others.  Brooke Trout Magnet they said. 

Try #12 4XL- 6XLong 2XHeavy hooks, and you can vary the weights by using more or fewer wraps of lead or leave the bead off, use a different thread color to designate whether the thing has 5 wraps of lead or 10 or 15 or no lead or whatever; but write down what the thread colors stand for, I forgot that part a couple times over the years.

On the name-

Quote

The fly is named after the jinx/good luck charm invented by Bob Prince for helping the Pittsburgh Pirates win baseball game in the 60s. It was a type of rattle in the shape of a giant green hot dog that was shaken at the opposing team to mess them up. When Meck was writing his book, he was fishing the Loyalhanna creek in SW PA where he was introduced to this fly and also when it got its name.

The fly origin and story- http://www.fishingwithflies.com/Fred'sWeenies.html

 

 

[kjackson]

14 hours ago, mic said:

Have you tried them in Mo?

No, but then I've not trout fished in Missouri. I'm fairly confident they'd work on bluegills, but then just about everything works on bluegills.

 

[tjm]

Just about everything works on trout too, sometimes. They have small brains, poor eyesight, a large appetite and no hands to examine things, so they must mouth everything that resembles food. Stones, sticks, globs of moss all pass through trout guts. It's been said  "I don't believe that a fly has been created yet that won't catch a trout"

[Johnsfolly]

On 9/30/2022 at 10:39 AM, mic said:

I have a fly tying book by Morgan Lyle called Simple Flies.  First, I really am enjoying the book by reading, tying, and trying out these easy to tie flies.  If you saw my post in the fly tying forum on the Naked Pheasant Tail, it is indirectly related to this book. 

To get back on subject, the Greenie Weenie is in the book, and I'm curious if anyone has used it with success in the Ozarks.  If yes, what size and where (in a general sense).  Here is a good pic: https://rangeleyflyshop.com/blogs/fly-of-the-month-maine-fly-shop/green-weenie

The book description calls out: "Lefty Kreh is on record saying the Weenie doesn't have to be green.  He and his friends have caught fish on Red, Pink, and Purple Weenies, too."  Anyone one tried them out in different colors?  

Thanks In Advance, Mike

I read lots of reports from guys trout fishing in upper Delaware that have had success with the greenie weenie. I have never seen one before your post and have not fished one yet. Trout seasons begin again with fall stockings around here in the next few weeks. may have to give one a try.