The Panfish Devil Bug

April 2, 2021 Panfish On The Fly

The Devil Bug is an old school pattern that works as good today as it did back then.

I was first introduced to this pattern through a musty old pamphlet entitled How to Catch a Fish with O. C. Tuttle's Devil Bugs. I found the molding 22-page booklet in a box of donated fly tying materials that I was sorting for my local Trout Unlimited chapter. I took the yellowing pages home with me and read them cover to cover. Inside were drawings and descriptions of scores of devil bugs tied to catch everything from bluegills to tarpon.

A Simple Gurgler Variation For Panfish & Bass

September 27, 2019 Panfish On The Fly

This variation of Jack Gartside’s Gurgler is a simple to tie topwater favorite of mine.

Jack Gartside’s Gurgler may very well be one of the most famous topwater patterns ever developed. The Gurgler is a simple foam pattern that can be tied in a broad range of sizes to target a wide variety of fish. The fly has been successfully used for everything from bluegill to large saltwater species and everything in between!

Simple Cork Poppers for Bass and Panfish

September 7, 2018 Panfish On The Fly

A simple bass bug made from a couple feathers a piece of cork and some stick on eyes.

If you are a regular reader of this blog you know by now, that simple is not a common theme around here. As a fly fisherman that loves fly tying almost as much as the fishing, I tend to get a bit carried away at times. However, every once and a while I like to get back to the basics.

The Hornberg Streamer

December 9, 2017 Panfish On The Fly

Although it looks very similar to the traditional Hornberg Special, the Hornberg Streamer performs differently. The fly is weighted and uses materials that absorb water so it sinks quickly unlike the traditional Hornberg Special which can be fished as a dry fly.

The Crappie Bucktail: A James Wood Variation

November 28, 2017 Panfish On The Fly

**A variation of the James Wood Bucktail meant to imitate a baby crappie.**

I have spent the last season experimenting with several variations of one of my favorite warm water flies, the James Wood Buck Tail. By changing body and wing colors, I have created fly patterns that imitate other species of immature warm water fish.