# LA Flies



## FSUDrew99 (Feb 3, 2015)

Always see the standard purple/chartreuse flies over there.

Anyone who's fished over there feel free to share some popular patterns. Want to put together a good arsenal before my trip in Dec.

Thanks.


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## duppyzafari (Jul 9, 2015)

View attachment 2918
I have tied for LA Bull Reds quite a bit, though I've never fished for them. 

My customers in LA swear by bright, crazy colors with lots of flash. Green/Black and Orange/Black are the most popular color combos that I've tied for LA orders. 

Big flies on big hooks for the big bulls.


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## FSUDrew99 (Feb 3, 2015)

duppyzafari said:


> View attachment 2918
> I have tied for LA Bull Reds quite a bit, though I've never fished for them.
> 
> My customers in LA swear by bright, crazy colors with lots of flash. Green/Black and Orange/Black are the most popular color combos that I've tied for LA orders.
> ...



What size hooks are you tying with? 2/0?? Larger??


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## duppyzafari (Jul 9, 2015)

FSUDrew99 said:


> What size hooks are you tying with? 2/0?? Larger??


Gama SL12S 1/0 & 2/0. Big, strong hooks with enough shank to load up the legs & shiny stuff.


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## bowersmw (Mar 3, 2011)

FSUDrew99 said:


> Always see the standard purple/chartreuse flies over there.
> 
> Anyone who's fished over there feel free to share some popular patterns. Want to put together a good arsenal before my trip in Dec.
> 
> Thanks.


I fished there last year and again this year. I did better with natural patterns last year and only sight fished 1 day this year. Visibility was terrible in the wind and water levels were high so fish were scarce and not feeding. I suspect later in the year the water will be cleaner so more natural flies might pay off but I'm no expert. This fly is craft fur and marker, lead eyes, Cascade Flex Hackle and palmered rabbit strip on a 1/0 Mustad 60 deg jig hook. It did get drilled with prejudice by the only fish I got a chance to present it to.


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## kenb (Aug 21, 2015)

I've sight fished the LA marshes for the past 6 years, mostly around the middle of October. When I tie for the trip I tie a few with lead eyes,some with lighter ones, all with weed guards. Some bright with flash, a few with bulk and muted colors.
When I tie a new one on, we always ask "think they'll eat it?"
They always do.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

Not sure where you plan on fishing but you should have pretty good visibility in December. Typically I keep two rods rigged; one with something that can get down in the water column quickly since the clean water allows you to fish a little deeper, the other with something suspending that I can work quickly in front of cursing fish. Very rarely will I tie anything other than poppers on hooks bigger than #1's but that's just a person preference. I will also throw crab patterns year round at fish that are crawling the banks. Pick your flies according to water depth first, colors second. It could be the greatest redfish fly ever tied but if you can't get it in their face it doesn't matter what color it is. 

I like these if I need something with a little flash but still need a good profile if it's not gin clear water and/or bright overhead sun. Tied on a #1 and #2 

















If I'm working a flat with a crawling fish on the bank I'll throw a weighted crab on a #2. 









These have served me well when it's good visibility but the water is a little deeper. The body is tied heavy so you can strip them high in the water column when they first land but will drop quick if you need to get down to a feeding fish.










Another good all around fly. It's hard to go wrong with anything purple. I usually start out the morning with something in that color spectrum. Purple/chartreuse or blue/chartreuse, maybe a little orange/white. 










Other than that, anything gold is good to have around. The joke is you can use any fly you want as long as it's gold.


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## Troutset (Aug 23, 2015)

So nice they will eat it twice.








LA toad fly


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## FSUDrew99 (Feb 3, 2015)

jmrodandgun said:


> Not sure where you plan on fishing but you should have pretty good visibility in December. Typically I keep two rods rigged; one with something that can get down in the water column quickly since the clean water allows you to fish a little deeper, the other with something suspending that I can work quickly in front of cursing fish. Very rarely will I tie anything other than poppers on hooks bigger than #1's but that's just a person preference. I will also throw crab patterns year round at fish that are crawling the banks. Pick your flies according to water depth first, colors second. It could be the greatest redfish fly ever tied but if you can't get it in their face it doesn't matter what color it is.
> 
> I like these if I need something with a little flash but still need a good profile if it's not gin clear water and/or bright overhead sun. Tied on a #1 and #2
> 
> ...



Awesome. Thanks for the feedback. I'll be down in Delacroix as of now unless something changes. 

I've only been to Venice so I'm oooking forward to exploring that area.


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## E-money (Jul 7, 2016)

I am just starting to tie flies but when I fish artificial, I always do the best with purple/black and black(or purple)/chartreuse. If the water is gin clear and the sun is bright, then sometimes I do better with more subtle colors like tans or shad patterns.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Troutset said:


> So nice they will eat it twice.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wait....What?? Looks like you broke this fish off, tied on another, threw out to it and it ate another one??


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## Troutset (Aug 23, 2015)

Backwater said:


> Wait....What?? Looks like you broke this fish off, tied on another, threw out to it and it ate another one??


Yep, broke at the boat, caught it 10 minutes later.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Troutset said:


> Yep, broke at the boat, caught it 10 minutes later.


Now THAT is an awesome story!


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## E-money (Jul 7, 2016)

Tried another pattern that is basically the Redfish Ritalin from Nick at 239flies in the color that I think would do really well down there. Still learning but this is my best one yet. Proud poppa right here. 
View attachment 3001

View attachment 3002


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## E-money (Jul 7, 2016)

Tried my hand at a gurgler that I think will do well here too. Feedback appreciated. 
View attachment 3019

View attachment 3020

View attachment 3018


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

I think I am heading to LA at the end of next week. Plan is to be there from the 14th-21st. I have no idea what to throw, we will be starting off in Gran Isle and fishing several areas.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

paint it black said:


> I think I am heading to LA at the end of next week. Plan is to be there from the 14th-21st. I have no idea what to throw, we will be starting off in Gran Isle and fishing several areas.


Are you bringing a skiff?

Gurglers are fun but their window of effectiveness is rather small, depending on the estuary you're fishing. I like to fish Leeville quite a bit which is right up the road from the island. The public launch is the source of some pretty serious boat launch f**kery, espeically during duck hunting season. Keep your head on a swivel and be mindful of your location.

You can have some opportunities at big stupid fish if you can get the weather to cooperate. I like baitfish patterns in November if I'm fishing the outer edges. If I'm up in thick oysters I switch to a small crab or something like a charlie or gotcha, usually in gold. 

Good luck! Have fun, don't go drinking at pappys place. Hit me up if you need help finding your way around.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

jmrodandgun said:


> You can have some opportunities at big stupid fish


That's why Eric is running up there. We have a shortage of big stupid fish down here! Ha!


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## Troutset (Aug 23, 2015)

The duck boys do not mess around out there, expect a peppering if you go into their pond.


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## hookemdano (Feb 9, 2007)

Everything jm has said. I usually end up purple/chart or purple/black but I think profile and getting it in their grill in a hurry is what matters. I don't even care if it looks like a baitfish or crab. It only matters to me that it moves right in the water. Been using a bunch of arctic fox and fin racoon for that reason. Good luck.


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## hookemdano (Feb 9, 2007)

And I've been fishing there since 04. My ties have gotten simpler every year. Fish won't care about the color of the eyes or the knots in the legs.


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## texasag07 (Nov 11, 2014)

Agree with above heavy eyes to get it down quick and in there face, pattern is prolly not that important. Is what I have found.

Tie most on #1 or 1/0


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## FSUDrew99 (Feb 3, 2015)

Troutset said:


> The duck boys do not mess around out there, expect a peppering if you go into their pond.



And that's exactly why I am going during the spilt. I've hunted LA I know how it gets.


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## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

hookemdano said:


> And I've been fishing there since 04. My ties have gotten simpler every year. Fish won't care about the color of the eyes or the knots in the legs.


Yep, fish with a guide down there and see some of the ugly shit in their box. Just needs to be good sized, on a 1/0 or 2/0 hook. Strip of rabbit and some dumbbell eyes. 
[


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## hookemdano (Feb 9, 2007)

jsnipes said:


> Yep, fish with a guide down there and see some of the ugly shit in their box. Just needs to be good sized, on a 1/0 or 2/0 hook. Strip of rabbit and some dumbbell eyes.
> [


Exactly my point.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

Fancy looking flies are to catch the angler. Fish don't care about how fancy it looks. They care a lot about is it in the right place and does it look alive. And in LA waters where its often murky a lot of the shots are quick which makes it hard. But the fish also have to decide real quick to eat or not. So I like bigger flies with lots of profile for fishing for bulls. #2/0 and 3/0. Rarely anything smaller than 1/0.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

ifsteve's reply reminded me of this older flick on LA reds with big, ugly nasty flies.






Greg still is "Dah Man!"


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

ifsteve said:


> Fancy looking flies are to catch the angler. Fish don't care about how fancy it looks. They care a lot about is it in the right place and does it look alive. And in LA waters where its often murky a lot of the shots are quick which makes it hard. But the fish also have to decide real quick to eat or not. So I like bigger flies with lots of profile for fishing for bulls. #2/0 and 3/0. Rarely anything smaller than 1/0.


I would be interested in hearing more about how you tie. There are maybe two or three flies in my box on hooks 1/0 or bigger, and they are all poppers. Typically I opt for a heavier eye rather than a heavier hook but reading how you tie your flies I'm starting to think I've been doing it backasswards.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

jmrodandgun said:


> I would be interested in hearing more about how you tie. There are maybe two or three flies in my box on hooks 1/0 or bigger, and they are all poppers. Typically I opt for a heavier eye rather than a heavier hook but reading how you tie your flies I'm starting to think I've been doing it backasswards.


I don't tie. I have two buddies who tie commercially on the side and they keep my boxes well stocked. They have fished down there with me enough to know what works. If I was there I would post up a couple of pictures but of all the tons of different patterns I have I usually have two rods rigged. One with a Puglisi brush fiber baitfish pattern 2/0 or 3/0 and one with a Puglisi crab in 1/0 or 2/0. And most all of them have heavy eyes. If I am consistently seeing fish tight to the bank I might go to a smaller fly but I rarely have a problem with a fly sinking too fast and if its a mud back then I don't care. Let it sit on the bottom until the fish is close enough for the fly to be in their sight window then start to move it.


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## FSUDrew99 (Feb 3, 2015)

Backwater said:


> ifsteve's reply reminded me of this older flick on LA reds with big, ugly nasty flies.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Always loved this vid.


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## E-money (Jul 7, 2016)

Dangggggg I've been told to tie on #2 or #1 hooks. I need to step them up. I did find it strange since when I fish artificial I always use 4/0.


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## Troutset (Aug 23, 2015)

2/0 and medium lead eyes on my LA flies.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

2/0 is crazy to me. Are you guys bending hooks or something? I've pulled hard on some big fish with 40 pound tippet material without bending or breaking #1 size hooks.


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## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

Also been seeing a lot of bigger flies lately on 'jig style' hooks


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## Marshfly (Nov 4, 2012)

Picking up an older thread, I've caught more redfish on this fly or a slight variation of it than any other fly in my arsenal. It doesn't hurt that it is also one of the quickest flies to tie I've ever done. I trim the rabbit so it is in front of the hook point to get better hookups and use lead eyes instead of bead chain. I've also added a short contrasting rabbit strip tail and also added estaz to the body to give it some shine, but neither of those is necessary most times. Those fancy crabs work but take forever to tie. I don't have time for that and this works just as well.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

jmrodandgun said:


> 2/0 is crazy to me. Are you guys bending hooks or something? I've pulled hard on some big fish with 40 pound tippet material without bending or breaking #1 size hooks.


No it has nothing to do with bending hooks. Its all about presenting something big enough for them to see in the murky water and big enough to entice a bull to eat. And yes if the water is real clear I sometimes will go to smaller crabs but I have rarely had an issue with the fly being too big and a fish shying off of it.


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## bananabob (Jun 3, 2015)

Yes indeed, if you tie too much material on a small hook trying to make a bigger fly chance are you'll interfere with the hooks point having enough gap to get a good hook set.


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## WillW (Dec 6, 2012)

Marshfly said:


> Picking up an older thread, I've caught more redfish on this fly or a slight variation of it than any other fly in my arsenal. It doesn't hurt that it is also one of the quickest flies to tie I've ever done. I trim the rabbit so it is in front of the hook point to get better hookups and use lead eyes instead of bead chain. I've also added a short contrasting rabbit strip tail and also added estaz to the body to give it some shine, but neither of those is necessary most times. Those fancy crabs work but take forever to tie. I don't have time for that and this works just as well.


Post up some pics of one you tied
Thanks


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