From the Vise - Smallmouth

Thinking about smallmouth more and more this winter. The crew and I are headed out this Sunday, to try to dredge some up with the 63 degree weather. It seems the more I think about trout fishing in the winter the more I miss flip flops and board shorts fishing for smallies. So below are a few flies I have been messing around with this winter, as well as a few standbys that needed some replenishing. Many of these flies have been in my box for a long while now, but some are newer and very noteworthy. One is Pat Cohen's Jiggy Craw, this fly is awesome for early season jigging and slow crawling on the bottom, lots of movement, and a a great profile. The Roamer, which is an awesome baitfish pattern to toss at some pre spawn fish. The Freeze Dried Sculpin (New) which is going to be an awesome all season bug to crawl low and slow in the deeper water. Lastly, the Orange Belly River Crawler, this one took a hiatus from the box last year, but has always been a staple in my warm water boxes.

Featured Fly - Taramite 3.0

I know that its not bass season anymore, or at least its not prime bass season, and everyone is thinking about steelhead and big lake run brown trout. So I'm sure you are wondering why I'm posting a video on another variation of my hellgrammite pattern. Well I recorded this video in the heat of smallmouth season but, just got a computer that could handle the editing process. So here you go. Keep this one in your favorites menu and pull it back up in the summer. Hope to have any more to come.

Smallmouth Food - Hellgrammites

Hellgrammites, a nasty bug that smallmouth love. These little guys can draw blood if you get too close, but for some reason smallmouth love them. They are in most warm water rivers, and some cold water creeks. Trout even like them, a high protein diet.

A fly tied by a State College regular and amazing bass fisherman Ron. This fly has taken more smallmouth bass and anyone could count.

Pat Cohen designed the bodies that can be purchased online or at any tco location. This is a dynamite hellgrammite fly patter.

Crittermite Tails are amazing. This little bass fly has been a go to fly since last season for me.

Made with Cohen's hellgrammite bodies, this realistic hellgrammite pattern in deadly under an indicator.

My most rcent experiment. I can not take full credit, I found a fly on instagram that had the same concept, and I combined theirs with my crittermite pattern. A great fly for fast water.

Featured Fly - Taramite 2.0

Well I was very excited to get my new hellgrammite pattern up on the blog, but after the past couple weeks, I have tied over 40 for guide trips, and I have made some minor changes to the pattern. I wanted to share it with all of you. Check it out.

Materials:

Hook: TMC 5262 sz. 4

Thread: UNI Thread 6/0 - Black

Eyes: Lead Eyes - Black or Lead

Body: ETO Crittermite Bodies - Black, Olive, Brown

Under Body 1: Ice Dub - Color of Choice

Under Body 2: EP Tarantula .5" Brushes - Color of Choice

Legs: Round Rubber Legs - Black or Brown

Head: ETO Game Changer Tails - Color to Match Body

Step 1: Slide the crittermite body over the hook, then make a short thread base.

Step 2: This is a new step from the first edition, Tie in the game changer tail, about half the length of the tail.

Step 3: Leaving a short space between the hook eye and the lead eyes, tie in the eyes 

Step 4: Tie in the rubber legs to form the pinchers. 

Step 5: Tie in the Hairy Legs.

Step 6: This is a new step from the last one, Dub the body with Ice Dub, figure 8 over the eyes and bring the thread back to the point shown in the picture.

Step 7: Tie in rubber legs on each side.

Step 8: Make only three wraps of the hairy leg brush. Finish the last wrap in front of the eyes.

Step 9: Should look like this from the top, tie down and cut off extra. 

Step 10: Pull the tail forward, and tie off in front of the eyes. 

Step 11: Cut off the little tab, whip finish and cut off. 

Step 12: Using super glue, add a few drops to the head. I also place a drop on my thread to help secure the fly. 

Step 13: Fold the tail over, hold down for about 3 seconds, this will form the head and finish the fly.

 

Bottom View:

Top View:

Fish View:

Featured Fly - Taramite Hellgrammite

 It's bass season and it seems that yet again my one of my go to patterns is a Hellgrammite. I was shown this awesome Crittermite tails at Somerset last year, and finally got around to getting them in the shop. This is a fly that I came up with using the new Crittermite tails, took it out this morning and the bass loved it. This is an awesome pattern that looks just as great in the water as it does sitting on your fly tying desk.

Materials:

Hook: TMC 5262 sz. 4-8

Thread: UNI Thread 6/0 - Black or Brown 

Tail: Crittermite Tails - Black or Brown 

Body: EP Tarantula Hairy Legs Brush 0.5" - Color Varies 

Eyes: Lead Eyes sz. X-small - Med. - Black 

Legs: Spanflex sz. Med - Black or Brown 

Step 1: Slip the crittermite skin over the hook point.

Step 2: Tie on the led eyes, leaving enough space to tie in rubber legs in front of them.

Step 3: Tie in the Tarantula leg brush. Wrap the thread forward.

Step 4: Wrap the brush forward, stop about 3/4 of the way to the lead eyes. 

Step 5: Tie in rubber legs on each side. 

Step 6: Wrap the brush between the legs and in front of them.

Step 7: Invert the hook and wrap the brush over the eyes and in front of them.

Step 8: Tie in the legs or "pinchers" on the bottom of the hook.

Step 9:  Bring the skin forward, tie it in by the little tag.

Step 10: Cut off the tag.

Step 11:  Whip finish and cut off.

Step 12: Wrap thread behind the lead eyes, this will form the head of the fly.

Step 13: Whip finish and cut off.

Finished Fly:

Featured Fly - Hellgrammite

This go around, I have decided to do a hellgrammite pattern that is a spin off of Mike Mercer's Rag Hellgrammite. There isn't much difference between the two patterns. I simply changed the legs and I only used one bead. Either way, this fly has been working very well for me this bass season, with some of the larger bass taken on this pattern under an indicator.

Materials

Hook: TMC 200R sz. 8-6

Body: E-Z Bug - Grey, Olive, Brown 

Legs: Round Rubber Legs - Black 

UnderBody: Any Dubbing - Olive Yellow

Bead: Tungston Bomb Bead  - Black

Pinchers:  Goose Biots - Black 

Shellback: Loon UV Knot Sense 

Step 1: Slide Bead onto hook, Wrap thread back to the bend of the hook, Tie in a 2 inch section of E-Z Bug.

Step 2: Dub the underbody about 1/2 way to the bead.

Step 3: Tie in rubber legs on both sides of the hook.   

Step 4: Dub around the legs pushing the back.

Step 5: Repeat Step 4.

Step 6: Bring the E-Z Bug forward, tie behind the bead.

Step 7: Tie in 2 goose biots on either side of the bead. Forming Pinchers.

Step 8: Make a shell back using a UV curing product.

Step 9: Add a couple strands of UV Krystal Flash.

Step 10: Hit the UV goo with a light, trim the krystal flash, whip finish.

Finished Product:

Hellgrammite fly pattern nicely placed in a Schuylkill River Smallmouth bass