If you want success with picky sea trout you can consider two tactics: go small ... or go LARGE!
Fishing really small flies can be a key to success when fishing for searun sea trout. Here's a trio to try.
Low Water Red Tag, Killer Bug and Copper Bully
Low water Red Tag, Copper Bully and Killer BugLow Water Red Tag - materials
| Hook | Gamakatsu F-16, size 4 or 8Any down eye 2X streamer hook can be used. Stainless or salt water resistant recommended. |
| Thread | Black |
| Tail | Red wool |
| Rib | Copper wire |
| Body | Three strands of peacock herl |
| Hackle | Small, soft, brown hen hackle |
| Head | Thread |
Tying Instructions
- Start the thread behind the hook eye
- Cut off a short length of red wool
- Tie in one eye width behind hook eye
- Cover wool with tying thread to the middle of hook shank
- Cut wool leaving a small tuft for tail
- Tie in copper wire under hook shank
- Wind thread to front of wool
- Tie in three strands of peacock herl
- Cover herl with tying thread to the middle of hook shank
- Twist herl and thread a to form a peacock rope
- Wind herl to form a tight, cylindrical body
- Prepare a small, soft hen hackle
- Tie in base first in front of body
- Wind the hackle 3-4 times backwards to form a mini palmer hackle
- Wind ribbing 3-4 times forwards over hackle to secure it
- Tie down copper and cut surplus
- Form a small head from the tying thread
- Whip finish
- Varnish
One standard and four Low water Red Tags
Much more about the Red Tag is found in these articles: Red Tag Odyssey and Red Tag.
Copper Bully (Kobberbassen) - materials
| Hook | Short shank wet fly hook size 8-10 |
| Thread | Red or orange |
| Rib | Copper wire (optional) |
| Body | Copper flash dubbing, Angel Hair, SLF or similar |
| Head | Thread |
Tying Instructions
- Start the thread behind the hook eye
- Cover hook shank with thread
- Tie in optional ribbing
- Dub with flash dubbing to a slightly tapered shape
- Rib counterclockwise, tie down and cut ribbing
- Form a small head from the tying thread
- Whip finish
- Varnish
- Tease out material with velcro
It has its own article here: The Copper Bully
Killer Bug - materials
| Hook | Small wet fly hook, size 10 or 12 |
| Thread | Black |
| Rib | Copper wire (optional) |
| Body | Natural grey hare's or rabbit dubbing |
| Head | Thread |
Tying Instructions
- Start the thread behind the hook eye
- Cover hook shank with thread
- Tie in optional ribbing
- Dub with wool to a slightly tapered shape
- Rib counterclockwise, tie down and cut ribbing
- Form a small head from the tying thread
- Whip finish
- Varnish
It's essentially this fly: Hare's Ear Bug
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Like low water flies for salmon
Pit,
It's like the low water flies for salmon. If you want a small fly, but want a sturdy hook, you can simply tie a smaller fly on a hook that was originally meant for a larger size fly. It will appear smaller.
I used these flies for sea trout in the autumn, where a small fly is often a key to success, but where a hook in size 12 or 14 might be just a bit too small to hold the fish.
Martin
Thx for these red tag variations
Hello Martin, thx for these red tag variations. I love this red tag a lot; but why fixing such a little red tag on such a large hook? What's the reason and what kind of fish do you aim at?
pit
Red Tag is not a Woolly Worm
David,
I don't think the Red Tag is a Woolly Worm or anything near it. It's a body hackled fly in this variation, but based on an old UK wet and dry fly pattern and not tied in the Woolly Worm tradition at all. Especially not in this "low water" version.
And likening the Copper Bully with its one material to a fly with, 6-7 materials, wings, tail, rib and more is also taking the term variation to its limit in my view.
Just my two cents...
Martin
Called wolly worms in the U.S.
The flies your talking about are called wolly worms in the U.S. all shapes and sizes can be tied they work great from large size # 4 down to size # 14 weighted or not ribbed with wire or tinsel the skies the limit.You also talk about the copper bully,I tie a varyation called the copper demon the pattern is as follows hook 2 or 3 xl (mustad 9762 or 9761) # 14 - 4 hot orange 6/0 thread,hot orange marabou tail copper wire rib,copper tinsel body,hot orange hackle three turns,hot orange marabou wing with pearl krystal flash mixed in,caught everything from panfish to salmon,keep up the good article's enjoy sharing ideas and information.remember keep the fur and feathers flying.