10-09-2003, 06:39 PM
[cool]DRAGONFLIES? Actually, it is well known among fly flingers that dragonflies and adult damselflies are bass candy. Not too many of the real big fish will spend the energy to chase dragonflies, but small to medium sized bass can often be seen leaping clear out of the water to try to nail those elusive critters.
On Lake Pleasant, in Arizona, I once drove myself crazy trying to connect with the bass that were popping out of the water...clear out in the open, over thirty feet or more in depth. I finally saw that they were not chasing shad, as I had previously thought, but dragonflies that were skimming low and depositing eggs into the water.
On Lake Sherwood, near Thousand Oaks, I had a couple of wild afternoons with a flyrod, throwing some experimental dragonfly patterns around the cattails and other stickups in the shallows. There were hundreds of small bass and big bluegills cruising and hunting for errant dragons and damsels. Anytime I could drop my fly within sight of a fish, it was smacked hard. Those fish had learned that they needed to move fast and hit hard if they wanted to dine on dragons.
I haven't tried tying any dragons for several years, but they are not difficult. The hard part is casting them. They are not heavy but they are wind resistant. I once did fairly well by fishing one behind a bubble, with a fly rod. It casted well. The trick was to just let it sit for a few seconds after splashdown. Then a series of wiggles and jerks would usually get a strike, if there were any fish nearby.
There are many commercially tied dragon patterns. Some of them are more lures than flies...with floating foam or balsa bodies. I have a lot of different craft cord colors that would make some great looking bodies, but it is not very buoyant. The wings can be anything from plastic to squirrel tail.
I had a guy tell me once that he had some success throwing a small floating Rapala...silver with a blue back...when the fish were chasing the blue dragons. It sounds like it might work, but I have never tried it.
By the way, I am making up some lighter heads...with the darker purple. They are an ideal link between fishing heavy jig heads and drop shotting. I should be getting some off to you after the weekend.
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On Lake Pleasant, in Arizona, I once drove myself crazy trying to connect with the bass that were popping out of the water...clear out in the open, over thirty feet or more in depth. I finally saw that they were not chasing shad, as I had previously thought, but dragonflies that were skimming low and depositing eggs into the water.
On Lake Sherwood, near Thousand Oaks, I had a couple of wild afternoons with a flyrod, throwing some experimental dragonfly patterns around the cattails and other stickups in the shallows. There were hundreds of small bass and big bluegills cruising and hunting for errant dragons and damsels. Anytime I could drop my fly within sight of a fish, it was smacked hard. Those fish had learned that they needed to move fast and hit hard if they wanted to dine on dragons.
I haven't tried tying any dragons for several years, but they are not difficult. The hard part is casting them. They are not heavy but they are wind resistant. I once did fairly well by fishing one behind a bubble, with a fly rod. It casted well. The trick was to just let it sit for a few seconds after splashdown. Then a series of wiggles and jerks would usually get a strike, if there were any fish nearby.
There are many commercially tied dragon patterns. Some of them are more lures than flies...with floating foam or balsa bodies. I have a lot of different craft cord colors that would make some great looking bodies, but it is not very buoyant. The wings can be anything from plastic to squirrel tail.
I had a guy tell me once that he had some success throwing a small floating Rapala...silver with a blue back...when the fish were chasing the blue dragons. It sounds like it might work, but I have never tried it.
By the way, I am making up some lighter heads...with the darker purple. They are an ideal link between fishing heavy jig heads and drop shotting. I should be getting some off to you after the weekend.
[signature]