# Favourite Bass Flies



## Levi (Nov 24, 2008)

So, summer holidays approaching, i will be headed back to my home turf on the NSW north coast and hitting up some of the might river bass again.

Its been a few years, but last season i finally got back into tying flies, and with the 7w begging for some 50cm bruisers i'll be hooking into a tying a few little numbers before christmas.

So, the usual assortments i will be making below, but i wanted to know whats your favourite for all those fond of the long wand
1.Dahlberg divers (assorted)
2.Mouse fly (Dahlberg type abreviation as Mouse -leather tail etc)
3. Zonker leach types (will post some pics when done as i have some adaptations of these that are dynamite)
4. Pink thing adaptations (smaller bass sized version of the barra type, done in Pink, Yellow (favourite up nth), Green and brown.
5. Black cricket, foam and dear hair

So, i'm intertested to hear what's your pic... has the world of bass flies moved on in the last few year???

Thanks all 
PS- Pics to come after the production line kicks off


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## Richie (Oct 6, 2011)

I'll put my vote in for a Black Dahlberg Diver.

Also, although not on the list, I like Gurglers, Morsie's Whiting Poppers or any of the foam-style poppers really.


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## 4weightfanatic (May 19, 2011)

Here's a few that work for me





















Some subsurface flies














Other variations of the Toga Destroyer














Some others incorporating marabou wings


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## 4weightfanatic (May 19, 2011)

More ....can't leave out the classic Bass Vampire





















Basically I like to use materials with alot of inbuilt movement like marabou,squirrel tail and polar fibre. Surface flies I reckon rubber legs are mandatory for that extra movement at rest. I've never caught one on a Dalhberg as I've always reached for the rubber legged foam popper flies first. Cheers Pat


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

I'm having trouble using the mouse... you buggers have started my right arm twitching!

Nice looking flies!

And fish!

Cheers, Jimbo


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## 4weightfanatic (May 19, 2011)

You just reminded me Jimbo - The Mouse !














A couple of other flies Wiggle Minnows - good for shallow diving over weed beds and laydown structure.


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## DougOut (Dec 31, 2006)

g-day Pat;
I'd love to throw that "Wide Wiggle Minnow" of yours at some mooching Toga 8)


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## 4weightfanatic (May 19, 2011)

Cheers Doug they have a nice wobble/wiggle when slow stripped contantly or a fast strip to get them down then pause and they wave side to side as they slowly rise (using a floater line). I've had my best success fishing these flies for flathead on a full sink line (short 5 ft leader) off of sandbars in Currimundi Lake using a fast strip to get it to dive to the bottom then pause and the take is on the pause as it rises. Only downside is you "line" any flatties between you and the fly spooking them. Cheers Pat.


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## Levi (Nov 24, 2008)

Thanks Pat,

here are a few of my first ones... its been a few yrs, and although you don't forget.. i'm certainly not as neat as i used to be!


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## Levi (Nov 24, 2008)

A few more. I need better thread for the deer hair as the grade i have is too weak, but when i get that i will do a few more surface flies and post some pics


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## Levi (Nov 24, 2008)

HI Pat,

what is the body of the toga destroyers built up from?? they are lovely looking fly!

like your use of marabou, i love the extra movement this give.


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## 4weightfanatic (May 19, 2011)

Some great looking flies there Levi - I'm a big fan of rabbit too so much movement in them. The Toga Destroyers original creator Sunshine Coast local Andy Vockler ties them entirely out of Tiewell Marawool but I found the wool holds alot of water taking a few backcasts to shed so I started experimenting with different materials. I have found Tiewell MegaHair a bit more "wirey" and sheds water easier but lacks the even consistancy throughout the "patch" like marawool so it varies a bit in colour as the dye must be absorbed at varying rates. This is not all bad as it allows a little "grading" of colour through your tie. The Toga Destroyers pictured are as ;front one -MegaHair body spun like deer hair or stacked like glo bug yarn,polar fibre tail,back one entirely polar fibre. These materials don't spin and flare like deerhair so you have to stack and manipulate around the shank to get an even buildup. This is along with a black leech pattern similar to your zonkers the go to fly for Borumba Togas. Another good flie is the Venison Fly - spun deerhair like a Dahlberg,zonker tail (leather no longer than hook gap) and bead chain eyes. The deer hair is trimmed quite low with a razor and is not as bulky as a Dahlberg Diver. I 'll post a pic of a Venison fly and an all MegaHair Toga Destroyer.


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## 4weightfanatic (May 19, 2011)

This was one of a bunch of shrimp spat up by the bass in the very top pic in this thread and were about 20-25mm long - he looks cooked by the fishes stomach juices so I probably would tie a pattern in pale brown/olive. I don't think I'd have the patience to use this pattern unless the bass were in huge numbers :lol: Pat


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## Levi (Nov 24, 2008)

Cheers Pat, 
I like the full body appearance that technique gives to your toga destroyers, will have to head to the fly shop and get some of that material. 
I ended up doing a few of the standard black dahlbergs with kicker legs, a couple of mice and this little odd zonker creation in brown. 








The area i fish is full of freshwater herring, small mullet etc so i did a new pattern. Hard to photograph, but its basically white marabou tail, pearl chenille body with an white zonker belly and natural brown upper. plenty of flash to represent the shine on the herring and a little bleeding gill for good measure. this thing should have a bunch of movement in the water and im keen to test it.


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## 4weightfanatic (May 19, 2011)

I love the look of those herring flies - looks like alot of movement with that marabou my favourite tying material. That zonker deerhair fly also looks like it'll have a heap of movement the Togas would like that I bet. I took a couple of photos tonight of the rubber legged popper flies I've caught bass and cod on this spring which are real easy to tie. Cheers Pat.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

4weightfanatic said:


> I found the wool holds alot of water taking a few backcasts to shed so I started experimenting with different materials. I have found Tiewell MegaHair a bit more "wirey" and sheds water easier


Pat to begin, I know nothing about flies other than having seen some, but a thought comes to mind re the shedding of water from your flies.

Would it be worthwhile spraying a finished fly with the aerosol seam sealer as used on tents and camping gear?

Keeps everything pliable once dry, no colour change, adds no weight, but certainly repels the water easily.


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## 4weightfanatic (May 19, 2011)

Dodge I had thought about using a silicone spray like you use on shoes but didn't want to add any chemical smell. With the marawool you would have to soak the whole fly in the "solution" as you wouldn't be able to just spray the outside. One downside also would be you would slow down the sink rate of the fly and the fly fishos that are more experienced than I at using the fly suggest you want the fly to descend immediately it hits the water. It is a subsurface fly hence the bead chain eyes so you don't want it sitting on the surface while it slowly takes up the water. I reckon the water resistant sprays do have their place but I think for surface flies not sub surface. Cheers Pat.


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## Levi (Nov 24, 2008)

Nice foam popper pat. How are you shaping them? flame/soldering iron/Heat for the cup?

Foam poppers are pretty handy, never sink, and quick and easy... will whip up a couple right now i think! 

thanks for the inspiration.


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## 4weightfanatic (May 19, 2011)

G'Day Levi was just about to post a couple of more pics ...... How do I shape it ? The foam came from a jewellers and was used to protect crystal ornaments so isn't a perfect block shape but I can get one 40 mm cylinder and about 3-5 10-20 mm cylinders out of a block with the leftovers utilised in small gurglers etc. I have an Irish Tin whistle which I have sanded the edges on one end and basically drill it out by pushing and twisting a cylinder out. Hollowing the front out is the last process after the fly is tied as you can hold the fly by the hook bend. I have a cheap $15 soldering iron and just heat it up applying the tip to the centre front and as it starts to melt just work around in slow circles only melting about 3 mm deep. I have tried a couple of different foams and the black stuff which is some sort of EVA seems to melt the best. Here's a couple of pics of the Bearded Burbler (no offence Rexy) a 35 mm foam cylinder with a rabbit zonker on the belly. Firstly I glued the cylinder on a bed of thread then I tied a short bit of rabbit fur on the top of the tail. Next I measured some zonker strip so that I had enough leather to tie in behind the hook eye after pushing the hook point through the leather at the rear. This was glued to the belly before tying off behind the eye. The front of the foam was hollowed out last.














This has had a swim and looks good but decided to add the rubber legs tonight. These legs were replacements for Octo Jigs. I was looking for spinner bait skirts but could only find these at the shop I visited. The purple and black was exactly what I was looking for. Going to give this a swim this coming Sunday if things go to plan. Cheers Pat.


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