Bay anchovy patterns

[jay348]

After a batch of swap flies, I've been on a kick tying these little guys. I hear they're already being spotted up the coast; and if last year's salt JAM taught me anything, it pays to have some small flies ready to toss.

Sticking with the tan/white colors, here are a few variations:

Mushmouth (swap fly)

Surf candy

Two things I'll note here: A layer of angel hair adds flash, but also shows the dark contrast of the lateral line, and I also used some white craft fur to mimic the opaque belly sac of the natural. This was my first attempt with this idea, but I definitely want to keep experimenting with it.

Finally, this is just a simple one I put together (yes, I'm sure its been done before). It's just white saddles, palmer chenille, tan ultra wing (shredded mylar of choice), white craft fur as a collar, and 3D eyes with epoxy to hold it all together...kind of a synthetic deceiver.

What are you folks using this fall?

 

[sandfly]

copper and brown is a good color for them, if you ever see them in a tight school they turn a reddish brown color. also popivics schoolie fly is good one to use when the fish are on them.

 

[Fredrick]

Nice ties guys when the fish are keying in on anchovies the fly rod is the king .

 

[jay348]

Thanks guys.

After spending all this time on matching the hatch here, I realize that I will probably fool more fish on a chart/white clouser. I have come to terms with this...

 

[Love2fish]

Don't forget to have a few that are a very different color than the real deal. I did a bit of testing a few years ago and found perfect imitations can get lost in a good size bait ball, they will get eaten but not as much as one that stands out a bit. That one would get crushed very fast by both bass and blues. Just something to keep in mind.