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Small flies... and large


Fall fishing for sea trout means small flies. Here are my favorites... and a couple of not so small ones that have proven useful as backups.

By Martin Joergensen

Low Water Red Tag, Killer Bug and Copper Bully

Low Water Red Tag - materials
Hook
 Gamakatsu F-16, size 4 or 8
Any 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

  1. Start the thread behind the hook eye
  2. Cut off a short length of red wool
  3. Tie in one eye width behind hook eye
  4. Cover wool with tying thread to the middle of hook shank
  5. Cut wool leaving a small tuft for tail
  6. Tie in copper wire under hook shank
  7. Wind thread to front of wool
  8. Tie in three strands of peacock herl
  9. Cover herl with tying thread to the middle of hook shank
  10. Twist herl and thread a to form a peacock rope
  11. Wind herl to form a tight, cylindrical body
  12. Prepare a small, soft hen hackle
  13. Tie in base first in front of body
  14. Wind the hackle 3-4 times backwards to form a mini palmer hackle
  15. Wind ribbing 3-4 times forwards over hackle to secure it
  16. Tie down copper and cut surplus
  17. Form a small head from the tying thread
  18. Whip finish
  19. Varnish
Red tags, standard and Low Water - click for article
One standard and four Low water Red Tags

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 equal
Head Thread

Tying Instructions

  1. Start the thread behind the hook eye
  2. Cover hook shank with thread
  3. Tie in optional ribbing
  4. Dub with flash dubbing to a slightly tapered shape
  5. Rib counterclockwise, tie down and cut ribbing
  6. Form a small head from the tying thread
  7. Whip finish
  8. Varnish
  9. Tease out material with velcro
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
  1. Start the thread behind the hook eye
  2. Cover hook shank with thread
  3. Tie in optional ribbing
  4. Dub with wool to a slightly tapered shape
  5. Rib counterclockwise, tie down and cut ribbing
  6. Form a small head from the tying thread
  7. Whip finish
  8. Varnish


User comments
GFF staff comment
From: Martin Joergensen · martin·at·globalflyfisher.com
Submitted April 30th 2009

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

From: David A Swart · davidaswart·at·gmail.com
Submitted April 29th 2009

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.


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