Palmetto Fly N Fish - Promo

The Gill Bug David Hutton, Palmetto Fly N Fish Mar 8 2021 S imple flies. I like simple flies.  Just saying it aloud - “simple flies,” is appealing.     There is n o complicated engineering with such patterns, and no laundry list of expensive materials. And that's what we have here today - a simple and very effective pattern for bass and panfish: " THE GILL BUG," aka, "The  GB." ------------<~~>------------ Gill Bugs Galore Origin Of The Gill Bug      This pattern was the brainchild of Detroit rod builder, taxidermist and inventor, Paul Young.                                                                             Paul Young     Mr. Young  built some of the finest fly rods ever, and was among the best of the post-WWII rod crafters. He is one of the pioneers responsible for the trend towards lightweight fly rods we enjoy today. His gear still brings high prices whenever it comes up for sale, and a chapter of Trout Unlimited is named after him.      But

  Over the past few seasons, I've noticed the old Hornberg Special popping up.      This vintage fly dates back to the 1920's, and was first crafted by Wisconsin conservation officer, Frank Hornberg. Originally tied with stiff neck hackle and considered a dry fly, it eventually fell into the streamer niche as a baitfish mimic.  Just WHEN it went from dry fly to streamer I don't know, but Joseph Bates includes it in his book, " Streamers and Bucktails: The Big Fish Flies," first edition, 19 79.       I would guess it has probably been in the streamer wallets of fly anglers since the 1950's, and I personally think it makes a much better streamer than dry fly.     T he style and manner of enclosing the hook within the tall wings i s unique, and is generally called the "killer style..." It is something many anglers are unfamiliar with, and it first came out of New Zealand.     In the opening foto, I used goose and duck flank feathers for the main body w

The Fliedermouse       I   don't normally fish topwater flies as my primary type.  There, I said it.  Clap me in irons, s harpen the guillotine .      I tend to view fly fishing as a shallow water style, and top-water flies are a natural. So don't be concerned by that opening statement - I  like  shallow water floating flies, bugs, and poppers. There is nothing as exciting as that splashy  surface bite.       Yessir, surface patterns  have their place and I usually start any session by fishing the surface.            But there is an inherent problem with surface flies that is almost never mentioned: They are useful only part of the time.       When the sun gets high, or the wind turns sharp and brisk, they start to be ignored. Or, for whatever reason known only to the fish, they just won't come up to take a surface offering.      At those times, I start probing down in the water column. Many fly anglers simply won't fish anything BUT a surface fly or bug.... but I'm

David Hutton, APRIL 2021,2023 Palmetto Fly n Fish H ow would you like an elemental  fly that nearly always get a bite? What if it's not exotic, or complicated? Suppose it also has a warm, fuzzy appeal ? Well, such a fly exists in South Carolina... The Murray Hackle Fly ----------<~~>---------- Origin      This fly came into being after a Hobby Lobby birthday trip for my wife. She got treated to a little shopping spree, and I ended up with a bag of mixed furnace hackle. This hackle is about 2-4" long, in an assortment of shapes, and is actually pretty solid stuff. I call it well figured hackle 😁      The feathers in the bag presented me with a challenge, however. They are not uniform, so the first thing I had to do was learn how to put them to use.      I actually have a soft spot for these feathers, because they were the first I used when I started tying flies. They were available, and at the time I didn't know much about feathers or their dedicated uses. Basic