Everything was a little late this year, including me. Striper fly-wise, I’m all set for summer. Now I just gotta find the time to get out there!
I don’t hold my box this way — it’s a 180-degree swing — so this is a little bass ackwards. On the left, top row, are my larger squid and some surface action flies. Beneath them, unseen, are medium to small squid, baitfish, and then much smaller forage. On the right side , top, my Big Eelies in descending dark-to-lighter. Unseen, underneath, smaller sparser sand eels, and then grass shrimp, clamwoms, and truly tiny stuff like The Tick.I don’t do a lot of daytime beach sight fishing, but I want a few staples at the ready in case I do. These are all weighted — one of the few times I’ll consider using weighted flies for stripers — from bead chain to dumbbells. Left side, second from right is Mark Giacobba’s Blue Claw. I caught my first snook on that pattern. Guess what? It works on New England stripers, too.
I don’t see any crab flies. Steve, tie one and try one you’ll be amazed how much the bass love crabs. Here on the cape the secret is out …everyone is fishing crabs.
Bill
Hi Bill, the left side of the small box are my crabs/crustaceans. Very impressionistic. I also have some very small crabby stuff buried in my big box bottom rows. I do indeed know how much bass love to eat crabs. 🙂
Do you ever use Rays Flie, I recall you posting an article about putting a yellow hackle in the window to get it light yellow for his rebel fly?Have you had any luck or have ~used used Mark Sadati’s? Slammer flis ? Jim
Hi Jim, Ray’s fly is an old favorite, and I still fish it, mostly in the fall as a silverside imitation on a team of three. I have not fished the Sedotti Slammer and have no plans to try it. When it comes to large bait imitations, I favor sparse, impressionistic patterns that use mostly natural materials. You know — flatwings. 🙂
But that doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t try it.
That yellow bucktail is still in the window. Fall’s coming!
Thank you for replying to me. You have an a past talked about fishing Block Isjand, I have read both books and I noticed that a lot of fisherman or spin fisherman used flies that were basically all black or black and purple. Do you have any black fly combinations that you use? Also, do you use any flies that has a color combination of the chicken, scratch color of cotton Cordell red fin lures? I believe that combination is what the rebel was supposed to
Ever had any experience with Bob Popovich‘s flies? I’m thinking mainly of the sepemer fly type?
PS Rays Fly is a great Small Mouth fly for me. Jim
Jim, it’s my pleasure to answer your questions. Part of Currentseams’ existence is to serve as a teaching tool.
I use black, blurple, etc. flies at night when the mood strikes me or when I think conditions may warrant it. I also use much lighter colors at night. I don’t agree that black/blurple is a mandatory for night time success. You can find some of the darker flies I fish by doing a search (Bombardier, Bruiser Big Eelie, Eel Punt, for example). I haven’t ever used a color combo that intentionally copied the chicken scratch color scheme, but I’m sure some of what I’ve fished over the years has come close. You mentioned the Bondorew Yellow Rebel, for instance. I have not tied nor fished any of Bob’s patterns, even though he’s a friend and a swell guy. Glad you’re finding a sweet water use for Ray’s Fly. No doubt smallies would love it!
currentseams.com 
I don’t see any crab flies. Steve, tie one and try one you’ll be amazed how much the bass love crabs. Here on the cape the secret is out …everyone is fishing crabs.
Bill
Hi Bill, the left side of the small box are my crabs/crustaceans. Very impressionistic. I also have some very small crabby stuff buried in my big box bottom rows. I do indeed know how much bass love to eat crabs. 🙂
Do you ever use Rays Flie, I recall you posting an article about putting a yellow hackle in the window to get it light yellow for his rebel fly?Have you had any luck or have ~used used Mark Sadati’s? Slammer flis ? Jim
Please excuse my personal assistant, Siri. Somehow, she doesn’t know how to spell the word flies. Jim.
Hi Jim, Ray’s fly is an old favorite, and I still fish it, mostly in the fall as a silverside imitation on a team of three. I have not fished the Sedotti Slammer and have no plans to try it. When it comes to large bait imitations, I favor sparse, impressionistic patterns that use mostly natural materials. You know — flatwings. 🙂
But that doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t try it.
That yellow bucktail is still in the window. Fall’s coming!
Thanks for the question.
Thank you for replying to me. You have an a past talked about fishing Block Isjand, I have read both books and I noticed that a lot of fisherman or spin fisherman used flies that were basically all black or black and purple. Do you have any black fly combinations that you use? Also, do you use any flies that has a color combination of the chicken, scratch color of cotton Cordell red fin lures? I believe that combination is what the rebel was supposed to
Ever had any experience with Bob Popovich‘s flies? I’m thinking mainly of the sepemer fly type?
PS Rays Fly is a great Small Mouth fly for me. Jim
Jim, it’s my pleasure to answer your questions. Part of Currentseams’ existence is to serve as a teaching tool.
I use black, blurple, etc. flies at night when the mood strikes me or when I think conditions may warrant it. I also use much lighter colors at night. I don’t agree that black/blurple is a mandatory for night time success. You can find some of the darker flies I fish by doing a search (Bombardier, Bruiser Big Eelie, Eel Punt, for example). I haven’t ever used a color combo that intentionally copied the chicken scratch color scheme, but I’m sure some of what I’ve fished over the years has come close. You mentioned the Bondorew Yellow Rebel, for instance. I have not tied nor fished any of Bob’s patterns, even though he’s a friend and a swell guy. Glad you’re finding a sweet water use for Ray’s Fly. No doubt smallies would love it!
Thanks for sharing. What’s the pretty aqua colored box (with a gasket) you use?
That’s a C&F Designs Permit box. I like it a lot!
Thanks Steve!
Looks absolutely BEAUTIFUL
I certainly love to keep up. I’ve just returned from a 7+ week trip to Montana. Yes, it was great.
Glad you had fun! Fishing around here has been challenging due to weather and flows, among other factors.