….so let’s tie some smallmouth bass flies.

Last weekend three fishing friends joined me for the trek to Marlborough, MA. The Fly Fishing Show was our destination. We were on the road shortly after 6:00 A.M. and found ourselves wandering the show floor before 10:00. The Marlborough show is a bright spot in an otherwise tough month here in Maine.

Sadly, I don’t expect to be fishing the Kennebec River until late April or early May. This year, the show provided me with the inspiration to return to my fly tying bench.

For years one of my most productive subsurface flies has been the fly fisher’s answer to the Mr. Twister. Unfortunately, because the rubber tails break off far too easily, it is not unusual for a client to go through three or four flies while the fish are hitting. Once a portion of the tail is missing, it’s time to tie replacement.

This year I stumbled upon what looks like a suitable synthetic substitute. I purchased half a dozen packages from Eastern Trophies. In short order I tied half a dozen “Jiggy Flies” with the new tails. This weekend I plan to travel to a nearby lake outlet to see how they look in the water. It’s best to give a new fly a whirl before one fills a fly box.