FlyBox Contents:
I tie my own flies. Most everything listed below is tied on Eagle Claw 254 SS hooks (short shank). I prefer sizes 1 through 3/0. I prefer sparse dressings.
I carry about 400 flies with me when I go out on the boat. I'm a sicko. I have boxes in reserve at home filled with another 200-300 flies. I SHOULD feel comfortable going out on the flats with a few small streamers, a few big streamers, and a few crabs...I know I'd be covered, but...
The striper and bluefish flies in my box at this time are:
- Clouser Deep Minnows, of course (Bill Clouser)
- ...in chartruese/white, chartreuse/olive, grey/white, white/white, black/black
- Half and Halfs (also known as Declousers)
- Assorted Deceiver-like flies (Lefty Kreh)
- Assorted Squid-like patterns
- Banana Squid (J. Kenny Abrames)
- Ray's Flies (Ray Bondorew)
- ...very effective pattern.
- Feather wing Ray's Flies
- Assorted Flat-wing patterns (Bill Peabody/J. Kenny Abrames)
- Bay Smelt, Polish Joe, Mackeral... my "go to" streamers.
- Heavy Raymond
- Bondorew Bucktails (Ray Bondorew)
- ...very effective patterns
- Slabsides (Lou Tabory)
- Snake Flies (Lou Tabory), and variants, a favorite.
- Yellow Rebels (Ray Bondorew)
- ...very effective pattern for bluefish. I tie a wire shock tippet in when I tie the fly.
- Gibbs Striper Fly (Harold Gibbs)
- ...THE classic striper fly, so I consider them good luck in my box.
- Razzle Dazzles (J. Kenny Abrames)
- ... pattern that has produced very well on big fish.
- Surf Candies and Siliclones (Bob Popovics)
- ...rarely used but I have a lot of respect for his ideas.
- Softex sand eels
- E-Z Body Leadeye Minnows (Chris Windram), Clouser alternate
- E-Z Body Sparkle Eels (Chris Windram)
- My Dad likes the idea of BIG flies:
- Catherwood Giant Killers (Bill Catherwood) 6/0
- 5-Feather Herring flies
- Big-Eye baitfish (Paige Rogers)
- I fish crabs even when I shouldn't:
- Furry Foam Crabs
- Tom's Rattle Crabs (Tom Thomas)
- Crabby Steve
- Reticulated Crab (Bill Catherwood) Terrible to tie!
- Del's Merkins (Del Brown)
- Rub-R-Mold crabs (Carl Richards) Impress your friends!
- E-Z Body Sparkle Crabs (Chris Windram)
- Swimming Crab (J. Branham)
- Bugsters (Abrames' lobster pattern I've never tried).
- Gartside Gurglers (Jack Gartside)
- Assorted Poppers and sliders
- Various Cinder worn immitations.
- Shrimp immitations.
- Mole crab immitation.
- The above patterns should keep anyone busy all winter long. If a fly works, I HAVE to have a few of them in my box. Over the years patterns start to accumulate, but a lot of these patterns duplicate eachother for "look and action" in the water. Proper presentation of a fly that is reasonable in size and color will catch fish almost always.
- Now, I have to go tie a new fly I just saw in a magazine...
- ...in chartruese/white, chartreuse/olive, grey/white, white/white, black/black