Monkey Faced Louise

[ness]

2 hours ago, eknapp said:

Is this considered a wet fly?

Short answer is yes, it's a wet fly. Based on the swept back, softer hackles it's made with, I'd put it in the 'soft hackle' sub category. 

[Flysmallie]

50 minutes ago, ness said:

I'd put it in the 'soft hackle' sub category. 

And that is why it made the list. I love soft hackles and this reminded me of one. 

[fishinwrench]

Suit yourself, but for some odd reason I can't figure out.....a soft hackle fly with a TAIL does not get bit, but the same one without a tail DOES.  

UNLESS all you are targeting is bluegill in Stillwater.    🤷‍♂️

 

May just be the way I fish them. 

[tjm]

30 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

May just be the way I fish them. 

How do you fish them? I've not really noticed that tails caused rejections, although some patterns don't lend them selves to tails. 

[ness]

6 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

Suit yourself, but for some odd reason I can't figure out.....a soft hackle fly with a TAIL does not get bit, but the same one without a tail DOES.  

UNLESS all you are targeting is bluegill in Stillwater.    🤷‍♂️

 

May just be the way I fish them. 

Interesting. 

Me, I just never fish them. Nothing against them, I know they'll catch fish. I just never get around to them even though there are a few in the box. 

[ColdWaterFshr]

14 minutes ago, ness said:

Interesting. 

Me, I just never fish them. Nothing against them, I know they'll catch fish. I just never get around to them even though there are a few in the box. 

Same here.  Never once have I fished soft hackles.  That looks like a giant one.  

[fishinwrench]

6 hours ago, tjm said:

How do you fish them? I've not really noticed that tails caused rejections, although some patterns don't lend them selves to tails. 

 

Usually in tailouts, runs, and in the soft-slick water just above riffles.    I fish them on a controlled swing......I don't just let them whip around with the current, instead I kinda let them swing in 4-6' spurts.   And often feed a little line to slow the swing even more. 

I have a little lt.olive & peacock Ice Dub pattern that is the best swinging soft hackle I've ever used.   The thing just has mojo!    On the Niangua, Current, NFOW, Chattahoochee, and at Taney.

Try it, I think you'll agree....

The whole "no tail" thing made no sense to me, but after years of doing this $#!t I just happened to finally notice that it just didn't work for me if there was a tail on my soft hackle.   Switch to one with no tail.....and bingo, near instant bite.      Finally I just gave into it and stopped tying tails onto any soft hackle style fly.      

[Flysmallie]

I fish them mostly with a traditional down and across swing. But I have caught a bunch of fish dead drifting them. Especially at Roaring River. Those fish seem to love them like that. 
 

Not sure on the tails. Guess I never really paid attention. I seem to catch them on both but I will admit that most of my soft hackles do not have tails. 
 

I don’t consider the Monkey Faced Louise a soft hackle. Yes it’s basically just a large version but I will fish it more like a wooly bugger. 

[Flysmallie]

This is another version that I posted in the Photos section last week. Same size but tied with pheasant instead of partridge. 

[fishinwrench]

Fishing a soft hackle on the swing is my favorite way to cover wide, dull, featureless looking stretches.   I can't tell ya how many times I've been surprised, and thought... "What the hell was that nice fish doing hanging out THERE?"