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Friday, November 18, 2011

I have a problem with smelt....

Osmerus mordax

Smelt

It has been said that smelt ( seasonally ) make up a majority of salmon ( LL) and trout's diet, suplimented by insects of course.

I have heard conversations, between those who tie flies, that can be heated, about what angle the wing posts should be at for certain dry flys. People will argue till they are blue in the face regarding how closely you match your design to natures.




















But, we use shit for smelt patterns.

Smelt .



















Joe's Smelt.



















Smelt .
















A Wulf variation :















I am on a quest for a better smelt pattern. I have a week before a big Maine style fishing trip with some of Team Maine, we will be feeding fish who should take a smelt pattern.



I will keep you posted.

6 comments:

Jesse Lance Robbins said...

on your quest, i would encourage you to explore articulated options. 20 pound mono should work for attaching the hooks.

Dustin's Fly Box said...

I'm with Jesse and the funny thing is you are 100% CORRECT lol. Great post

Andrew Wilkie said...

Here fishy fishy

Keith said...

Jasper, might be a little big but check out the popovics surf candy. Stripers love em... Looks pretty smelty to me.

http://www.saltwaterflies.com/popovics_surf_candy.html

Morrell said...

I'm definitely going to swing a few unweighted double bunnies and small white zoo cougars back in the homeland to immitate smelt. Flies that kill it out here but don't get much notice East of the Mississippi.

good point Jasper

Unknown said...

I think I tied that Joe's Smelt in the photo for either Fly Fishing Connection or Global Flyfisher...hard to keep track.

Emmett Johnson