Black Boudreaux

Originator: Ray Boudreaux

Species: bream, crappie

Remarks by Catch Cormier:

One fly that has produced for me consistently under tough conditions, when fish are reluctant to eat surface bugs or larger food items, has been the Black Boudreaux and it's spinoffs, the Purple Boudreaux and Blue Boudreaux.

This pattern was created by Ray Boudreaux of New Iberia, a longtime member of Acadiana Fly Rodders. As Ray tells it, he had just joined AFR and participated in a fishing outing at a local pond. One of the members was having great success catching bream on a small fly.  Ray tried to recreate the fly and in the process, came up with something different. Fellow member Bob Boese was so impressed with the fly, he named it after Ray.

Bob's variation of this fly uses brown or black hackle for the tail, and tinsel instead of peacock for the body. I tie on Czech nymph hook in a slightly larger size, with the original body, but have adapted from Bob the use of hackle for the tail.

Materials:

• hook: size 12 Czech nymph, Hanak H333BL or similar thread: size 6/0 black
• tail: hackle feathers from near base of feather
• body: peacock herl (black, purple, blue)
• hackle: dry fly hackle (black, purple, blue)
• eyes: small bead chain black

Instructions:

• Tie in the bead chain eyes one eye length behind the hook eye
• Pull off 8-10 barbs off the pennaceous section of a hackle feather and tie in as a tail.
• Tie in a size 10-14 hackle feather... size not too important as you'll trim the feather down.
• Tie in a strand of peacock herl. For strength and bulk, I tie it in a dubbing loop then twist the loop.
• Wrap the peacock herl forward and tie off just behind the bead eyes. Then palmer the feather forward and tie off just behind the bead eyes.
• Bring the thread ahead of the bead eyes and make the final wraps. Add UV epoxy or similiar to the final wraps.

Notes:

This fly can be fished "straight" but also under a tiny football-style strike indicator.

Video:

Y2K Bugger

Originator: Kevin Cormier

Species: bass, brown trout, bream (size 8)

Remarks by Catch Cormier:

On a trip to Cody, Wyoming, my older son Kevin and I found ourselves chasing big browns on the Shoshone River below Buffalo Bill Dam. We were using a pattern called a Yukbugger, beefy variation of a woolybugger, recommended by the local shop.
 
The fish were 18 inches on up, and in the strong current, we had a couple of breakoffs. As well as a few lost to overhanging trees. I had my tying bag, and so Kevin decided to try his skill at tying this fly. It looked quite different from what we were fishing, but turned out to be just as effective.

Since it was 1999, and everyone was preoccupied with Y2K and possible end of the world, we named Kevin's fly the Y2K Bugger. For various species, it's been the end of their world (at least the ones we kept to eat).

Materials:

• Mustad 3366-BR size 4, or equivalent
• Brass eyes, medium, black
• Marabou
• Krystal Flash Chenille, medium
• Schlapplen
• Silli Legs - barred

Best color combos:

• olive marabou/ olive chenille / yellow-gold-black legging
• tan marabout / bonefish tan chenille / orange-orange-black legging

Preparation:

Fold a silicon skirt lengthwise in half, then cut the skirt in half. This is the exact length of legging that will be needed for this fly.

Instructions:

• tie thread from eye to just past the hook bend
• tie in eyes
• tie in marabou tail just where the hook starts to bend. When done right, the top of the marabou should be even with the hook shank.
• tie in two legs on top of marabou that extend to end of marabou. Wrap the thread over legs halfway to the eyes.
• tie in the chenille and begin wrapping to the front. When you get to the legging tag ends, pull the tag ends backward and wrap the chenille tight over the tags. This should set them about 45 degrees out from the body.
• Continue wrapping the chenille to just behind the eyes and lock down with thread.  Now tie in a another silicon strip just behind the eyes.  The strip will be tied in the middle – so you have a leg extending out on each side.  Use a cross wrap to get the legs angled back about 45 degrees.
• Now turn the fly over to tie in the wing.
• Two options for the wing, both tied in front of the eyes: (1) make a dubbing loop with the schlapplen fibers. Wrap the fibers once around the hook, then trim any fibers on the underside of the body. (2) strip off two short sections of schlapplen fibers and tie each section in at an angle, much like you would tail biots on a Prince Nymph.
• Finish the head wraps and apply UV epoxy or nail polish.

Other Notes:

This fly can be tied in a size 8, and with a shorter tail to body ratio, where it then becomes a terrific attractor for redear and large bluegill during the early Spring and Fall months.

Coma Crawfish

Originator: Catch Cormier

 

Species: warmwater

Remarks by Catch Cormier:

Having grown up on the outskirts of Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin, I knew everything that lived in the swamp ate crawfish - especially us Cajuns! So one of the first flies I set out to create was some sort of mudbug imitation.

Gary Borger believes the most effective submergent flies have subtle movements in water. I wholeheartedly agree! So I used a combination of natural materials to achieve this.  Consisting of feathers, marabou, rabbit fur, this fly has very good movement even if it isn't as realistic as some modern day patterns.

One thing I learned from my dad, and later affirmed as a successful tournament bass angler, is that bass much prefer small crawfish.  I’ve seen them munch on small mudbugs the way some kids eat chicken nuggets!  That's the reason this fly measures only 2-1/2 inches in length. Don't let the small size fool you... in 1995, it took a seven pound bass out of our neighborhood pond. The biggest largemouth I'd caught on any tackle up to that time!

It's best fished on a sinking tip line with a short leader. Originally I had to bend the front of the hook 60 degrees. When 90 degree jig hooks were available, I tied on those. Fortunately today we have a few options of 60 degree jig hooks available for tiers.

Materials:

• Hook: Daiichi 4660 jig hook, or 60 degree jig, size 2
• Eyes: Brass, large, black
• Carapace: Rabbit Zonker, Orange or Light Olive
• Claws: Indian hen hackle orange or olive
• Body: Medium chenille, brown or olive
• Legs: Strung marabou, Rusty Brown or Dark Olive
• Tailing: Rabbit zonker, Crawfish Orange (dark orange)

Best color combos: orange or olive

Instructions:

• tie thread from eye to just above hook point
• tie in eyes in front where the hook bends (60 or 90 degree)
• pull hen feather from each side of cape and tie on top of hook
• tie in the carapace. It should extend no further than halfway to end of feathers
• tie in chenille and make 2-3 wraps. Tie off the chenille.
• tie in a clump of marabou tips loosely, then allow to spin 180 degrees, then cinch tie the marabou.
• tie in another small piece of chenille and wrap to just behind the eyes and lock down.
• make a dubbing loop using the dark orange or dark olive rabbit, and wrap just behind the eyes.
• bring the thread to the just behind the hook eye and whip finish.

 

 

GBEP Spawning Shrimp

Originator: Enrico Puglisi

Variation: Justin Hanson

Species: inshore saltwater

Remarks by Catch Cormier

This fly is a hybrid of the wildly-popular EP Spawning Shrimp and the GB (Got Butter) Spawning Shrimp by Justin Hanson. The materials and techniques are identical to the GB version, except instead of artic fox (GB) I use EP fibers - but NOT the brush!  Ideally, the GB version would be ideal...artic fox is amazing material. But to do the GB fly proper requires 3" fur - difficult to find!

From May through October, when shrimp are prevalent throughout the marsh and nearshore waters, this fly rules!  You can fish it "straight", i.e., cast it out, let it sink, then retrieve along the bottom in short strips.  But the most effective method is suspended about 3 feet under a VOSI (the flyrodders popping cork).  The VOSI makes a popping sound that attracts specks, the strip/pause technique causes a vertical motion of the fly underneath.  

Materials:

• hook: Mustad 34007 or Tiemco 811s, size #2 or #1
• thread: Danville 210 denier flat waxed nylon
• weight: 1/50 ounce dumbbell eyes
• egg sack: McFly foam or craft fur (orange or pink)
• eyes:  EZ Shrimp eyes, or EP Shrimp eyes, or monofilament DIY
• antennae 1: Sili-Legs, or Loco Legs
• antennae 2: Krystal Flash
• carapace: EP fibers
• body: cactus chenille
• wing:  EP fibers

Best colors: olive, tan, light pink

NOTE:  The mono/EP Shrimp Eyes make a better looking fly, but aren't necessary as far as fish catching ability goes.  The fish seem to concentrate more on the action of the materials.

Instruction:

1. Tie in the dumbbell weight near the hook eye.
2. Tie in 6-8 strands of Krystal Flash at the bend of hook
3. Tie in 4 strands of Sili-Legs at the bend of hook
4. Tie in carapace of EP Fibers, trim to V-shape
5. Tie in shrimp eyes on bottom of hook extending out but not beyond the hook itself.
6. Tie in small, very short clump of pink craft fur (or McFly) on bottom side of bend.
7. Tie in Cactus Chenille and wrap forward, tie off behind dumbbell eyes.
8. Tie in strand of EP Fiber on bottom side of hook
9. Optionally, tie strand of EP Fiber on top side of hook, but not past carapace.
10. Whip finish head and apply sealant.
11. Trim antennae (Sili-Legs and Krystal Flash) such that fly length is twice that of hook length.

Notes: 

Here's a link to Justin's video on the GB Spawning Shrimp

 

Rio Bandito

Originator: Chris Johnson

Species: Rio Grande Perch, sunfish

Remarks by Jim Johnson

The Rio Bandito is sometimes referred to as the Mardi Kraw, although there's another fly of that same name. It was created by Chris Johnson of Living Waters Fly Fishing, for the Rio Grande Perch in the Hill Country waters of Texas.

I bought a couple while in the shop a couple of years ago and when I returned to Louisiana I found it to be my go to fly. I’ve caught nearly every species of sunfish we have here to include crappie, warmouth, and both spotted and largemouth bass. It’s murder on small creeks!

Materials:

• hook: Jig hook - size 12
• bead: tungsten beads - metallic red - size 1/8”
• tail: guard hairs of fur
• body/collar: fur dubbing in a loop (rabbit or squirrel strips)
• legs: silicone legs, matching color

Best colors:  crawfish orange, natural, olive

Instruction:

Video by Chris Johnson

Johnson's Rio Bandito from Living Waters Fly Fishing on Vimeo.

Other:

At the 2020 annual "Rio Grande Fly Fishing Rodeo" hosted by the New Orleans Fly Fishers, Glen 'Catch' Cormier won "Biggest Rio" category using a crawfish-colored Rio Bandito. 

Flip Flop Popper

Originator: ubiquitous

Version by: Roger del Rio

Species: reds, specks, bass, sunfish

Remarks by Roger del Rio:

Game fish love surface poppers. The noise attracts fish especially when the water is murky or the light level is low.  In fact, some of the biggest reds I've caught were on this fly in dirty water. It floats high and is very durable.

Materials:

• Hook (saltwater): - Mustad 34007 sizes 1 to 2/0, or Mustad 34011 long shank 2 to 2/0
• Hook (freshwater) - Mustad wide gap 37187 sizes 2 to 6
• Body: any color Shower Sandal or Flip Flop. Can be found at Wal-Mart, Walgreens or other general store.
• Tail: bucktail color to complement body. Also use a few strands of Flashabou in tail.
• Eyes: doll eyes sizes 5mm to 8mm depending on body size.

Instructions:

1.  Use a sharp knife or single edge razor blade. Toothpick used in applying glue.
2.  Cut the sandal into strips from left side to right side. Make strip wide enough to
3.  Fit your hook.Then cut smaller pieces to make each body.
4.  Shape this body with the knife or razor blade then fine tune the body with coarse sandpaper or emery board. The shape is up to you. They all catch fish.
5.  Now cut a groove on bottom of body for the hook. Wrap the shank where it will fit in the body groove. This keeps body from rolling.
6.  Now glue wraped hook into groove in body. Use plenty of Hosehold Goop on body. Cover entire bottom. Work hook deep into groove.
7.  Let set over night upside down wedged in a clothespin. The goop will smooth out when drying.
8.  Wrap bucktail on hook behind body add flashabou. Don't overdo it.
9.  Last step glue on doll eyes with same Goop.
10.  Let dry go fish. 

 

Amnesia Fly

Originator: unknown

Species: bass, panfish, pickerel

Remarks: by Catch Cormier

At the Acadiana Fly Rodders annual conclave in 2002, I won a posterboard of flies in a raffle. It contained over a hundred flies tied by members of the club, or by folks who had donated old flies to the club.

When I got it home, I started picking through the collection, seperating them into boxes for salt water, bream, bass and coldwater trout. Turns out there was one fly that had fallen from the posterboard the night I brought it home. When I discovered it, my wife claims I set a new record in the 400-meter dash. That’s about how far it was from my back door to the edge of the neighborhood pond.

Four of the five voices in my head told me this fly was going to be special. The instant I cast it out and it hit the water, the fish were over it like crawfish etouffee over rice!

I made every attempt to find out who tied this fly and what it's name was, but no one knew. I then perused the internet hoping to find the pattern somewhere, but again to no avail. Someone suggested I call it the "Amnesia Fly", because it doesn’t recall what it’s real name is, or who tied it.

I’ve done very well with this fly for bass, bream, crappie and pickerel. I’ve even tied a saltwater version for redfish, and it’s done well too.  I'm sharing this pattern recipe just in case I get amnesia myself and forget.

Materials:

• Hook: Mustad 9672 sizes 6 or 8 (larger sizes for bass)
• Tail: Marabou
• Body: Metallic braid wrapped around the shank, with one strand of flashabou on each side extending just past the tail
• Ribbing: monofilament or small diameter v-ribbing
• Head: Built up with thread then epoxied over
• Alternative head: 3/16" black bead brass (mid-depth) or tungsten (deep)

Best colors: black, olive, purple

Instructions:

1. Tie in the marabou tail. The length should be same as the hook shank length.
2. Tie in one flashabou strand each side, with the strands going forward (not towards the back).
3. Tie in the ribbing on top the hook, starting just behind the eye (or bead) and going back to just before the bend.
4. Tie in the metallic braid to just before the bend. Bring the thread to behind the eye.
5. Wrap the metallic braid going forward and tie off at the eye.
6. Pull the flashabou strands back toward the tail. Pinch in place while wrapping the ribbing forward.
7. Tie off the ribbing at the eye.
8. Trim the flashabou to just past the end of the tail.

 

 

Slow Sinking Spider

Originator: Stephen Robert

Species: panfish, bass

Remarks:

The Slow Sinking Spider is the creation of Stephen Robert of Houma, Louisiana, and has become one of the best bream (sunfish) flies anywhere. It's a replacement - and an improvement - to the legendary Accardo Ligon Spider, which is now discontinued.

Stephen says, "I use this pattern sight fishing to bluegill and bass. If you have bright sunny days and the fish will not hit poppers and you can see the fish let this fall slowly in their face or in their beds.".

In their presentation, "Magnificient Seven Panfish Flies", warmwater experts Glen 'Catch' Cormier and Larry Offner list it in the seven must-have flies. On many occasions, this fly has done the trick when popping bugs or deep nymphs have drawn few strikes. The SSS is not only a great pattern, but is fairly easy to tie. Making it a good choice for novice tiers.

Materials:

• Hook: Mustad dry fly hook-R50-94840, or equivalent, size 10
• Abdomen: ultra chenille (color 1)
• Thorax and backing: ultra chenille (color 2)
• Legs: barred sili-legs or centipede legs
• Thread: size 70 denier or 6/0 thread black

Best color combinations, thorax/abdomen: black/chartreuse, black/yellow, black/red, red/yellow, light blue/tan

Instruction:

Video by Bill Morrison

 

Ron's Redchaser

Originator:  Ron Begnaud

Species:  redfish, drum, other inshore species

Remarks: by Ron Begnaud

Ron's Redchaser is a fly I developed in the Spring of 2001. One of the things I find most rewarding about fly tying is the problem solving aspect of it. I was met with the challenges of the marsh being particularly muddy. I needed a fly that would be visible in bad water. I also wanted a fly that would push water and look like a mouthfull to big fish. Having already come to the conclusion that the mouth of redfish is on the bottom of their head for a reason (they feed down) I knew I wanted a fly with a little weight that would settle on the bottom. 

Combining these attributes, plus a desire to always have the fly ride hook up, and be fairly weedless, the redchaser was born. After first developing this fly it took me a long time to actually get a fish to refuse it. It produced agressive strikes in many varied conditions. Rons Redchaser is now my go to and signature redfish fly. I hope it catches as many fish for you as it has for me.

Materials:

• Hook - Eagle Claw EC413 60 degree jig hook, or Mustad 34007 with eye bent 60 degrees toward point, size 2 or 4
• Thread - Red Flat Waxed Nylon
• Eyes - Small or Xsmall dumbell or hourglass eyes
• Tail - Gold Braided Mylar piping, or prismatic gold polyester piping (pictured) available in sewing dept of Hobby Lobby.
• Body - 2 Wraps of red chenille
• Hackle - 2 red saltwater neck hackles, palmered.
• Head - 5 minute epoxy

Instructions:

1.  Sharpen hook
2.  If using Mustad 34007, place eye of hook in vice, and bend toward point at about 60 degrees to resemble a jig hook.
3.  Tie in dumbell or hourglass eyes on top of hook right behind 60 degree bend.
4.  Tie in a tail of gold mylar or prismatic polyester piping. If the piping is of a small/narrow size, e 2 or 3 peices of equal length.
5. When tying in piping begin less than 1/2 inch behind eyes.
6.  Fray piping to form tail.
7.  Tie in end of chenille in where mylar is tied in, make 2 or 3 wraps and tie off front end.
8.  Tie in 2 red saltwater hackles and palmer to just behind eyes.
9.  Apply 5 minute epoxy from dumbell or hourglass eyes to eye of hook and rotate to dry.

Cabali Worm

Originator:  Ted Cabali

Species:  Bass

Remarks: by Catch Cormier

Previously known as the Sqwirm Worm - until that name became associated with a trout fly tied from Squirmy toy material - the Cabali Worm is one of several innovative creations from fly tying genius Ted Cabali of River Ridge, LA.  

According to Cabali, the basis of this fly was "renewed interest in fly patterns that imitate spinning or casting rod lures rather than specific aquatic organisms".  The Cabali Worm isn't a specific set pattern, but a group of patterns that closely imitate the conventional angler's plastic lures, and which use silicon strip material (trade name: Sili-Legs).  For example, the original variation of this fly was a saltwater attractor that imitated soft plastic baits used for speckled trout and redfish.

The Cabali Worm was born of the same principle, except with bass the intended target. The instructions I list are for creating the worm body. What you do with it is up to your creativity. The original Cabali Worms (flies on the left) imitate more of a lizard or crawfish, and are deadly on spawning bass. The variation on the right resembles more the straight-tail plastic worm. Swim this fly by stripping it in small but steady pulls. It's light enough to cast with a 5 weight, and float thru grass mats like those found on many lakes, but still sinks without weight.

 

Materials:

Sillilegs, aka Silli Legs, come in many colors, patterns, and sizes. For an idea of what colors and patterns are available, check out the Barlow website. You can also find these same type skirts at most fly shops.

This fly calls for using the regular-size cut silicone skirt layers that are slit to the last 1/4" on each end. The layers are very easy to use because the ends are not slit. Other materials will include the hook of your choice, flat waxed thread, and possibly chenille and beads (a beadhead version of this fly, with a short, small hook, is a killer).

Instructions:

Each layer of sillilegs contains 20-22 strands. Depending on hook thick a worm you wish to make, 10 to 16 strands are needed. The thinner worms are more limp, have more action in the water, and are easier to cast with a light rod. This needs to be balanced by the fact that thicker worms can catch the bigger bass.

Let's make a 12 strand worm. Seperate each layer into two sets of strands, 6 each. Cut one end of the layer, but leave the other end intact. Grab the cut ends, seperate them, and begin twisting. After enough twists, poke a finger in the middle (where the layer end is), bring one end back to the other, and let the two ends slowly "bimini twist" on each other. If the worm comes up a bit crooked, pull and stretch the worm out a few times, and this will straighten it up. Use small paper clips to hold the worms in place until the tying process is ready.

I'll give two tying options here. The first calls for using a Mustad 37187 bass hook. Bend the top 1/4" in a bendback-style. Then tie the clipped end of your sqwirm body onto this bent section. The worm will fall right alongside the point. In fact, pass the hook between Sqwirm strands. Attaching a mono weedguard at this point also acts to keep the sqwirm from sliding off the hook point and doing crazy things. This pattern best represents the typical bass worm.

The second option - my favorite - is the beadhead worm. I've found that 4" plastic worms on a jighead can be as deadly on bigger bass as large worms with large hooks. Just not as snagproof. I use a 4mm beadhead, vernille, and size 4 or 6 jig style hook, 60 degree flat eye, usually black nickel.  Tie the worm body to the hook shaft, then tie in a matching vernille body and wrap up to the beadhead. Finish off on the beadhead. This fly has incredible motion when retrieved in small strips.

TYING TIP UPDATE 1 When twisting the split layer, the middle is where the layer remains joined. If this "joined end" breaks, take the two sections and merge them similar to a loop-to-loop connection. Then restart the twisting.

TYING TIP UPDATE 2 The "joined end" is unstable as is. It won't last but a few strikes from a fish, then the worm unravels. To prevent this, make a Duncan Loop with mono, and slip it over the worm above the joined end. Tighten the mono loop down firm around the tail, then trim. You can even apply a tiny amount of super glue or UV epoxy around the mono for durability.

Shiny Fon-Fon

Originator: Barry Dauphin

Species: inshore brackish

Remarks:

Redfish love charlies of all kinds, and this pattern by Barry Dauphin of Lafayette is a cousin to the charlie, but without the wing. The secret to the flies success, and to its name, is the shiny tail. Barry says the tail on the Shiny Fon-Fon is that little extra, or lagniappe, that gets Mr. Redfish on the fly like a hungry Cajun on french bread!

Materials:

•  Mustad 34007 hook size 2
•  Dyed yellow grizzly hackle feather
•  Large bead chain eyes
•  Pink chenille
•  Silver krystal flash
•  Silver flashabou, narrow in width

Instructions:

1. Tie in eyes and wrap thread toward bend of hook.
2.  Tie in 50/50 mix of krystal and flashabou for tail, length of tail should be length of hook
3. Tie in the hackle feather at bend, followed by the chenille.
4. Wrap the chenille toward the front, covering the hook and tying off behind the bead eye.
5. Palmer the feather towards the front, and tie off behind the bead eyes.
6. For added durability, use epoxy or clear nail polish on the threads between the eye of the hook and the bead chain.eyes.