A while back Dick Brown had his newest edition of Bonefish Fly Patterns sent my way to look at.  With a move and associated domestic drama it took me a while to get to it.

A good book.

I’m sorry it took that long.  The book is fantastic.  Dick not only really knows how to write (I mean, they guy can just plain write), he has some serious insight into what makes flies work.  There are some really good nuggets in the book about fly design, colors, flash and everything else you could be interested in, but he also has page after page after page of flies tied by to top shelf of today’s bonefisherati.

One thing you’ll come away with is the sense that at some time, someone tried just about everything.  There are flies that are hardly more than bare hooks and there are flies that are dressed up like they are taking the S.O. out to the Opera (or to see Oprah). There are flies that are impressionistic, realistic and optimistic. They’ve all caught fish though.

A highlight was seeing Davin Ebank’s fly right there with Aaron Adams and other luminaries.  Very cool.

A fly tied/created by Davin from Flatswalker

I recommend the book.  True… I didn’t pay for it.  But I would have.  No… I’m not giving it away.  I’m keeping it.  It is currently in my “study” for periodic reference.

Where am I going to put the new flies I’m tying for Hawaii?  Hmmmm…

Not a lot of room in there.

Getting back to better than alright. Finally got my fly tying desk in my new place.

Time to get back to work.

Normally by this time I would have tied up a couple dozen patterns as I prepare for my next trip (this time to Hawaii).  Now that I have the desk back I can get back on the search for pattern/size recommendations for HI.

Anyone have any go-to flies for HI?

The revised and updated Bonefish Fly Patterns is more of an analytical treatise on not only bonefish flies, but the prey bonefish feed upon, and the types and features required of an effective fly and how and where to fish it. Brown goes into a full analysis of what bones eat broken down into the percentages of prey they eat in the Bahamas and Florida. It’s almost like a diet book in the way each food source is listed by type and percentage eaten, but also by what prey bonefish seem to prefer regardless of availability.

Sounds pretty good, eh? Ed Maurer publishes the online journal Florida Fly Fishing Magazine (Click here to see the full review), so he has some room to speak with authority on the subject.  Of course, I’ve interviewed Dick and he actually send me a copy of the book, which I’ll review as well, once I clear things off the table a bit and make some time to give it the attention I need to give it.

Check out the link above and check out Dick’s new book. If you like bonefish and want to know more about fly selection, this is a must have.

Always have to cheer when good things happen to good people.  Congrats Davin.

the book is out now and if you’re a bonefisher or plan to become one this is a MUST HAVE for your fly-tying desk. Not only does it contain almost 200 patterns, but it describes how and where to fish them. It also has a TON of info about bonefish habitat, behavior, and food preferences as well as lots of tips and techniques.Hop over to your local fly shop and grab a copy, or hit Amazon… but they only have a few copies left so you’d better hurry.

via Flatswalker: SaltWater Fly Fishing Guide Blog – Flatswalker.

A few folks have asked… so… I gave it some thought.  I think this patterns was the one I wish I had more of down there in Andros at FIBFest.

Reverse Gotcha... bunny tail... rubber legs... ya know... "stuff"

Maybe this has a name… I’d think it is just a bit too similar to other patterns to have it’s own.  It’s goodness.  I added some UV Cure whatever to the back of the fly, which is a move I really, really like.  Some folks said it would make the fly land too heavy… I didn’t see that, but it is possible that would be an issue in really skinny water.  This fly is a #2… so… not little, but after reading some of Aaron Adams’ thoughts on the matter, I think we should probably move up a size or two on most of the flies we throw.

Hope this helps.

A nice fly from Capt. Matt Thomas who guides down in the Lower Keys for… well… things that eat Blue Crabs.

(hmmm… when I put this up last night the video displayed… not sure why it isn’t doing that now)

Nice video.

I’m going to have to get on the fly tying video thing here soon… I need to get a couple of the patterns I used down in South Andros up… I think they are good stuff.  Sounds like a project for the weeks ahead.

This is from Deneki, of course, as they present 5 Idylwilde patterns for South Andros.  You have to like the Idylwilde blog… the tag line is “Marinated in Awesomeness.”

Nice tie from the Idylwilde folks.

5. Paulson’s Bunky Shrimp: This little pattern, in sizes 4& 6, is a uniquely tied “shrimpy” pattern. I used this last May to great success on the shallower East side flats when we were hammering the bones coming out of the inland mangroves. It turns over delicately at distance and the braid over the top of the body helps to keep it gack-free.

via Bonefish Flies for South Andros by Idylwilde.

These patterns all look pretty interesting to me.  I’ve noticed touches of orange or pink in most all of these, as well as, in general, a generous helping of rubber legs.  This particular fly, the Paulson’s Bunky Shrimp, doesn’t have the rubber legs, but… well… it could, I suppose.  A unique looking offering and I’ve been trying to tie up some approximations.

Voila... legs.

Maybe the legs are a bit long, but I figure it is better to start long and trim.  I once (a LONG time ago) was getting a haircut and was asked if I wanted more or less hair.  Yeah… start with more and trim back, harder to go the other way.

I’m still busy at the vice… still trying to fill up my boxes with goodness and flies I have confidence in throwing.  I figure I pulled 40 flies out of my two bonefish boxes… flies I just wasn’t feeling.

Tying is fun.  What can I say?

Seeing a post over at Michael Gracie’s about the same, exact fly.  His version looks good.

After getting off the phone with Michael Gracie I started thinking about Peterson Spawning Shrimp, a pattern MG mentioned he had tied up in preparation for Andros.  I decided to turn again to my old friend and fly tying teacher, Mr. Yew-toob, to see what he had to say on the subject.

A nice tutorial from the TCO Fly Shop surfaced.  TCO Fly Shop is out of PA.

I gave it a shot… it would help if I had more rabbit that wasn’t orange… so, I’m improvising a bit.

OK... maybe not there yet.

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When I was this kid’s age I wasn’t tying flies.  I was still in the grips of gear fishing and was dreaming of steelhead trips with my dad. I think this kid is going to out tie me pretty soon.  Maybe this won’t be your next saltwater tie, maybe it will, but I just think it is cool this kid is focused and doing this stuff.

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