Topwater Flies

Saltwater Fly-Fishing
1

Guys, What flies do you use for reds on top? Thanks in advance. Bob

Bob Sanders
FishingWithBob
Edisto Inshore Charters
Big Fork Farms LLC
Real Estate Sales
803-300-2780
803-259-1374
bob@fishingwithbob.com
www.fishingwithbob.com
www.southcarolinalandonline.com

2

Bob I am no expert, but a deer hair muddler is a good topwater. The packed deer hair makes them float really good. I tied one up that I am planning on trying for reds and trout with. Looks like a mullet with real good action. There are other types that look like scaled up poppers that I am sure work well too.

2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”

3

Foam Gurglers… with a rattle is preferable… work like a charm…

Mad Mike

"to hell with insane… I’m OUTsane!!! "

4
quote:
Originally posted by Optiker

…a deer hair muddler is a good topwater. The packed deer hair makes them float really good. I tied one up that I am planning on trying for reds and trout with. Looks like a mullet with real good action.

</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>Optiker, I have to agree with you, there. I think we might have discussed that fly last season. Hard to tell the difference between a God made mud minnow and a deer hair muddler when they are both pushing water in the grass. It’s a personal preference but, I just can’t throw a fly with sheet foam on it to make it float. There are some great deer hair flies that will make the water boil if you want it to. Best of luck with whatever you use. :wink:

PS Almost forgot. “What flies?” Muddler Minnow, Dahlburg Diver, oversized deceiver (just under the surface) and I want to try a bass bug this year in neutral colors, probably.

5

I just tied up some B&W grizzly hackle seaduecers wiht a spun deer hair head on them and they have pretty sick action… they float but if you strip them real hard they will suspend and look pretty nice…LMB are loving them so I am pretty sure a red will suck one down too… I usually tie a bunch of foam gurglers like Mad Mike said… beware on the rattles… if you use the thin glass ones they break and get crushed pretty easy… look for pyrex or brass rattles, they will last longer… I have tied a few up where I wrapped foam arond the hook and covered the rattle in foam before I did the under body to hopefully keep the rattle form getitng crushed…

“Paddle faster boys… I hear banjo music!”
SC Chapter Coordinator- Heroes on the Water
http://www.HeroesOnTheWater.org
Charleston Director- SCKayakfishing.com
Tarpon 160os

6
quote:
Originally posted by nikonjedi

I just tied up some B&W grizzly hackle seaduecers wiht a spun deer hair head on them and they have pretty sick action…

</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>Sounds like the salt and pepper bass bug?

7

Thanks, everyone. Bob

Bob Sanders
FishingWithBob
Edisto Inshore Charters
Big Fork Farms LLC
Real Estate Sales
803-300-2780
803-259-1374
bob@fishingwithbob.com
www.fishingwithbob.com
www.southcarolinalandonline.com

8

iFly they are kinda liek that but I used about 4 feathers and made a big collar then spun red deer hair up front and trimmerd it to kind of a diver head… I reely need to take a picture of that dang fly and post it up… :smiley:

“Paddle faster boys… I hear banjo music!”
SC Chapter Coordinator- Heroes on the Water
http://www.HeroesOnTheWater.org
Charleston Director- SCKayakfishing.com
Tarpon 160os

9

I personally think this is the best top water fly! If u don’t believe me, just watch this…enjoy
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_iasmUObyg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

10

Ask Josh at the West Ashley Charleston Angler to tie you the top water flys he made RJ.

11

Hotsauce, Awesome footage. What is that fly?

Bob Sanders
FishingWithBob
Edisto Inshore Charters
Big Fork Farms LLC
Real Estate Sales
803-300-2780
803-259-1374
bob@fishingwithbob.com
www.fishingwithbob.com
www.southcarolinalandonline.com

12

I don’t know what its called. I took this video to Josh and he was able to tie it. I have caught a few early morning reds off them so far.

13

Yellow and red Gurgler tied a little differntly than usual… I tied up a few with rattles… just haven’t had the $$ or time to go fish them…

“Paddle faster boys… I hear banjo music!”
SC Chapter Coordinator- Heroes on the Water
http://www.HeroesOnTheWater.org
Charleston Director- SCKayakfishing.com
Tarpon 160os

14

foam gurglers that look “shrimpy” work well plus they are easy to tie. try adding a zonker tail and palmering some hackle around the body for shrimp-like legs. bead chain eyes look pretty good or you could go the burnt mono route.

15

Burnt mono keeps it light… ya want it to stay high in the water if not on the surface…

“Paddle faster boys… I hear banjo music!”
SC Chapter Coordinator- Heroes on the Water
http://www.HeroesOnTheWater.org
Charleston Director- SCKayakfishing.com
Tarpon 160os

16
quote:
Originally posted by nikonjedi

Burnt mono keeps it light… ya want it to stay high in the water if not on the surface…

“Paddle faster boys… I hear banjo music!”
SC Chapter Coordinator- Heroes on the Water
http://www.HeroesOnTheWater.org
Charleston Director- SCKayakfishing.com
Tarpon 160os

Good point - sometimes keeping the fly suspended an inch under the surface is pretty effective, but I guess at that point its not a topwater fly anymore. Heck, tie one of each and go have fun.

17
quote:
Originally posted by winyah-jay

Good point - sometimes keeping the fly suspended an inch under the surface is pretty effective…

</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>And when you watch the mud minnows, sometimes they are just under the surface pushing water and sometimes they are all poking their lips and heads above the surface. Good to be able to simulate both. A wet (saturated) deer hair muddler rides different than a dry one. So, you can get a bit different action without tying on a different fly.

18

The fly in that video is a Gurgler with a rabbit strip tail, hackle collar, estaz body and two layers of foam pulled over the top. I love the action of rabbit but it tends to get wet and foul round the hook easily. Those guys minimized that problem with the monofilament loop.

Nikon, how do you stick rattles in your gurglers? Ever seen a Hell’s Bay Hopper? Very similar and more weedless with a rattle.

Gurglers are my favorite flies hands down!

There is no normal life, there’s just life.

Tarpon 140

Knot the Reel World Fly Fishing LLC

19
quote:
Originally posted by Hokieflyguy

… two layers of foam pulled over the top…

…Gurglers are my favorite flies hands down!..

</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>And the nice thing about them is how natural they look. Here is a redfish eating a piece of life jacket… I mean Gurgler fly. :smiley:

20

You guys have this dialed. Here’s my 2cents.
Have used the Hells Bay hopper, has a very low hookup rate.
The gurgler in vid. is as Hokie stated, but the 2 pieces of foam are separated by the hook eye (hook pushed thru) giving it a “hotlips” effect for more pop and wiggle.
Gurglers are easy to tie and effective.
Deerhair is more time consuming, but fish like the chewy feel and will hold on longer.
Crease flies are great, if someone else (thanks Terry) ties them, can be popped loud if choppy or “gurgled” for more subtle presentation.
There is a texas pattern called the m.v.p (most valuable popper) that incorporates foam head, doll eyes and deer hair, deadly. To much trouble for me to tie.
Havent noticed reds paying much attention to pattern, they are attracted to noise and surface disturbance, at low light will usually eat anything struggling on surface (have witnessed a mouse and grasshopper eaten)…
Go early, throw whatever you got, have fun…

Newman
www.gtownkingfisher.com