Fly Tying...Koga's Bonefish Shrimp

Koga's Bonefish Shrimp from Tightline Productions~T. Flagler on Vimeo.

Boom...Morgan

Fly Tying...Translucent Shrimp

Translucent Shrimp for Sea Trouts by Holger Lachmann from Holger Lachmann on Vimeo.

Boom...Morgan

Fly Product...Chicone's Barred Micro Crusher Legs

Now available in 8 colors and 3 sizes...$4.49 each. 

Via Salty Fly Tying:

I am proud to announce my latest product collaboration with my friends at Hardline Dubbin, Inc!  Through rigorous product testing with a few of my most effective patterns we have struck the perfect combination of realistic representation and impressionism…. Giving you Chicone’s Crusher Legs. My New Clear Barred Crusher legs will give life to your old patterns and take your new creations to the next level.  

Although they look bright in the package, when you separate the individual silicone legs they are actually very translucent with light barring which is very different from most other legs on the market that are a solid color or barred black. The clear barred legs were designed to look more natural in the water, revealing only a scant amount of barred color for attracting attention over a light colored bottom or sand. The Olive, Tan and Orange are perfect for emulating tiny crustaceans hiding amongst the grass and mangrove root on the flats.

I like the regular and micro cut legs for traditional redfish, bonefish and permit patterns, and the wide cut was designed for creating ultra realistic translucent underbodies that matched the crustaceans legs. Below is a look at my Drama Queen Shrimp. It’s body is created by palmering the Chicone’s Crusher Legs and then coving them with a layer of vinyl rib. To the naked eye it looks very space and translucent… not to much to write home about, but if you illuminate the fly with a UV light you can see the desired effect that palmering the body has. The UV Reactive dye used to create the rubber legs give these flies a very unique and realistic appearance in the water. Chicone’s Crusher Legs are available in three sizes and eight colors.

Boom...Morgan

Fly Product...NEW Fish-Skull Shrimp & Cray Tail

Just when you thought these guys had set the bar higher, they go and outdo themselves. I love the way Flymen is tapping more and more into the Saltwater realm (beyond what their original Fish-Skulls did) with the Pop-n-Fly and now the Shrimp & Cray Tails. Check it...

Via Flymen Fishing Co.:

Tie realistic, weighted shrimp and crayfish flies.

Designed by Martin Bawden

The Shrimp & Cray Tail™ is a stainless-steel weight molded in the shape of crustacean tails.

Quick and easy to tie, the Shrimp & Cray Tail™ is a simple alternative to bead chain eyes and dumbbells – two general-purpose fly tying materials which add the needed weight to shrimp and crayfish flies, but require ungainly tying methods and lack the distinctive tail profile of these creatures.

Photo via Ozark FF Journal                       Photo via www.frankenfly.com

Target both saltwater and freshwater fish, from bonefish, permit, stripers, speckled trout, and redfish, to carp, smallmouth bass, and other warm-water species.

To learn more, read this article by Martin Bawden:
Inside look: Designing the Fish-Skull Shrimp & Cray Tail.

Quantity per pack: Small, Medium (20); Large (15)

Photos via www.frankenfly.com

Boom...Morgan

239Flies.com Redfish Ritalin & Marsh Critter Tutorial

Fly Tying: 239Flies.com Redfish Ritalin & Marsh Critter Tutorial from LivitFilms on Vimeo.

Boom...Morgan

The All-New 239 Flies Website

A few years ago I started to see these gorgeous saltwater flies pop up on Instagram from the handle @239flies. Well I knew 239 was an area code down in FL and I found out Nick Davis, its owner, was a big snook, bonefish, redfish, tarpon, and permit guy down there. His flies and photography were works of art bringing a new flavor of tying to the industry. Popping colors, unique use of synthetic and natural materials, and simply awesome names put his flies out in front of many others.

I found the link to his (old old Version 1.0) website and immediately bookmarked it. Nick slowly became an inspiration for a lot of saltwater tiers, including those up here looking for new baitfish patterns to apply to the Bay. As the brand began to grow, Nick updated his website to accommodate the growth and his orders began to grow and grow in size thanks to his social media presence, YouTube tutorials and features, including his set in S.C.O.F. Issue 10 last Winter.

Back in April, 239 Flies shutdown the fly shop section of their website for a complete makeover with the help of Nick Shirghio of Nick Shirghio Photography. During the downtime, Nick Davis continued to put out some great YouTube tutorials on his page and maintained consistent content for his rad Instagram page.

Photo by Nick Davis/@239Flies via Instagram

After nearly half a year of hard work, 239Flies.com is back, and better than ever. The new site is easily navigable, had some of the best fly photography out there and a completely clean, new design. The patterns are the same with some expansion including new decals (which ship free), new pattern sizing options, quantity and custom ordering options, and a few new patterns.

Roll on over and see what Nick and 239 have to offer and put some of his flies into your box...whether its your fly box or a shadow box.

Boom...Morgan

DIY...239 Flies Crustacean Eye

LivitFilms x 239 Flies...yes please.

239Flies Crustacean Eye from LivitFilms on Vimeo.

Boom...Morgan

Daily Reel...'Borski Shrimp'

Borski Shrimp from Ian Baldwin on Vimeo.

Boom...Morgan

Daily Reel...'Shrimp Gurgler by Captain Ethan Kiburz'

I have yet to have success on this fly on the Bay in the past few years, but that won't hold me back from continuing to throw it...it just looks so tasty.

Shrimp Gurgler by Captain Ethan Kiburz from Ian Baldwin on Vimeo.

Boom...Morgan

Daily Reel...'Dead Shrimp Fly Blues'

Dead Shrimp Fly Blues from Billy H on Vimeo.

Boom...Morgan

Daily Reel...'Red Tide'

Freaking love this...Happy Friday!

Red Tide from Casting Tales on Vimeo.

Boom...Morgan

Daily Reel...'Curry's Red Shrimp by Stuart Foxall'

Curry's Red Shrimp by Stuart Foxall from Speycast Media on Vimeo.

Boom...Morgan

Fly Product...12wt Apparel

One of our favorite apparel companies on the market right now, and have been for over two years, 12wt is on the verge yet again of making some great things happen within the industry. The only gloves the TLTFF Crew wears are the 12wt WORKwt and SUNwt gloves. 12wt was a huge supporter of CCA MD events in 2013, and we're looking forward to continuing the relationship in 2014. Check out this great video they've  put together to bring you up to par with what 12wt is.

12 Wt Apparel from william benson on Vimeo.

If you saw, or are planning on seeing F3T this year, you may just spot some 12wt gear...and then, if you didn't already, will drop some clams on legit gear from the 12wt crew.

Boom...Morga

Daily Reel...'Irwin's Bulsa Wood Shrimp'

Irwin's Balsa Wood Shrimp from Lowcountry Journal (Doug Roland) on Vimeo.

Boom...Morgan

Monday Humor: True Facts About the Mantis Shrimp

A little video to help you get over your case of the Monday's...

Boom...Morgan

Tying the Ghost Pimpy Shrimp

Via TFM:

Have I mentioned before that I dig Instagram?  This photo posted by Pursuit Flies of their Ghost Pimpy Shrimp pattern is another good reason why.  What a cool step by step tutorial, all in one image, on how to tie this pattern that will certainly find it's way into my redfish box. 

If you want to tie a few yourself here's how...

STEP ONE - Tie on small lead eyes toward the front of the hook and make sure to leave room for deer hair between the eye of the hook.

STEP TWO - Tie a loop of 20 lb mono off the back of the hook so that the tail won't foul.

STEP THREE - Add a clump of  tan craft fur for the tail and Barr the tail with a brown sharpie or other marker. 

STEP FOUR - Then, tie in and wrap pink ice chenille halfway to the lead eyes. 

STEP FIVE - Take two strands of sili legs and tie them in on top of the chenille, doubling them over so that there are four legs hanging off the back.

STEP SIX - From then on, spin white deer up towards the eye of the hook.

STEP SEVEN - Trim the head down leaving a little collar and you are ready to fish!

Check out the Pursuit Flies website to purchase this fly or others and follow along on Facebook and Instagram as well.

Boom...Morgan

Daily Reel...'Gifford's Dirty Shirmp - How to Tie'

Gifford's Dirty Shrimp - How to tie from LC Journal (Doug Roland) on Vimeo.

Boom...Morgan

Daily Reel...'HCFT 31: Crattle Shrimp'

HCFT 31 - Crattle Shrimp from chase hancock on Vimeo.

Boom...Morgan

Guest Post: Creative Feathers

This post is from TLTFF's newest crew member, Luis Santiago. Read more about Luis in our 'About Us' section.

Creative Feathers

Travelling thru Galveston, TX as always talking fish with anyone who will listen I was told “if you like fly fishing go talk to Connie at CFS” never one to pass up and opportunity to hang out in a fly shop I dropped by after completing my two flights for the day.

 

I spent a little time researching Connie after speaking with him and it turns he is a bit of a local legend and a well-known name in the fly industry in that part of the country. He has a few Texas state records  on the fly under his belt to show but you wouldn’t know it from talking with him. I found him a friendly and welcoming gentleman with a passion for taxidermy and fishing you find in those few hard charging individuals you wish you could some day be like. Connie was just as curious about what roads had brought me to the door of his shop on that hot Texas day as I was of his talents and experience.

An avid and gifted tyer and well experienced kayak angler. He was and early promoter of clear cure goo and Connies epoxy shrimp is nothing short of amazing. Just about every fly in his shop was hand tied in house and picture perfect.  He has a great video on youtube on how to put a Clear cure goo Epoxy shrimp together that’s worth watching if you have any interest in making a half decent shrimp. A pioneer in the use of the spoon fly Connie can set you up with some quality made spoon templates and a how to recipe via his website. His method of cutting and tying the spoon fly are a bit different giving you and interesting wobble action in the fly. That has been very successful for me on largemouth bass.

He holds a patent for the design of the kayak fish bag you can also purchase from the website.

I purchased a shrimp fly for my collection, several spoon fly templates and Connie was nice enough to give me a spoon fly in a new untested color for some field testing. I look forward to dropping by CFS in the future and if your ever in Galveston stop by Connie's shop and talk fish. Support the local fly shops. Tight lines!

You can contact Connie via his website http://www.creativefeathers.com/index.cfm

spoon fly step by step at http://www.creativefeathers.com/details.cfm?id=357

Video of epoxy shrimp Epoxy shrimp video.

Boom...Morgan

Trip Days #5

Yesterday I got my fly line wet for the first time in OBX, felt great. Thanks to some awesome reports and help from the guys at Hatteras Jack I headed over to "New Inlet", an inlet that was courtesy of hurricane Irene and now one of the hottest flounder spots on the entire Outer Banks.

I decided to go back today after getting skunked (but some great footage with the GoPro). The inlet has a great channel that really rips when the tides change. I was in one of the back creek targeting drum and trout when all the sudden, puppy drum start hitting the surface. I there everything from shrimp to crab to what I was told to throw, clousers (in every color). Like I said, no bites, but definitely beautiful. The tides here are pretty crazy, especially in New Inlet. I sent my backpack down on a sand bar to try and get some further casts and before I could blink, water was rising up to my backpack at a rapid rate, I grabbed it just in time to save my phone.

The water clarity is amazing and species availability makes the Bay look like its for rookies. I love it, can't wait to see what decides to bite later in the week. I have a few wading spots I plan on trying out, all within 20 minutes of the house. Cant wait. Till tomorrow I leave you with this...

Boom...Morgan