hellgramite fly

[Kyle]

does anyone have a pattern they would like to share? a friend of mine has been doing really well drifting rubber hellgramites. i figure i would try tying some for fly fishing.

you think this hook would work well?

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear Kyle,

You could try dead-drifting a brown, black, or olive Wooly Bugger and if that doesn't work try trimming the hackle on the top and bottom to leave just legs. Starting from scratch but thinking staying with a Wooly Bugger with trimmed hackle just tie in goose biots for the pincers and tail.

You don't need to out-think them, you just need to fool them!

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[Tigereye]

Should be fine. Upsize a girdle bug or just tie a black wooly bugger with a few ruuberlegs in body. Methinks movement and approximate color are more important when imitating these critters than any exact imitation. Size varies alot as both mature and imature bugs are usually present and active.

Personally i tie a body with dark brown chenille and palmer with furnace saddle hackle, then trim hackle so its short and stubby. Be sure to leave a little brown on the hackle fibers. Black over brown marabou tail. I really dont ad any flash except a copper or chocolate tungsten bead

 

[Tigereye]

Beat me to it Tim. We are on save wavelength

 

[afishinado]

Here are two smallies flies I like to use >

The Stonecat is all zonker strip with a Fish-Skull. Tie in a zonker strip in the rear of the hook and wind the zonker around the shank towards the eye. Slip on the Fish-Skull. I use epoxy to secure the head and tie in a thread dam just behind the eye. I form the tail by applying some Sally Hansens to the end of the tail and pressing flat.

The Hellgrammite is tied the same way. Tie in a zonker strip for the rear of the fly. Cut a strip of thin leather and tie it in on top of the shank. Tie in uand wind tan chenille to cover the shank. Tie in rubber legs and fold the leather strip over the chenille to form a collar and tie in behind the eye. Use the excess leather hanging over the eye to trim into a helgy head shape. I color the head and collar with a dark brown marker and use Sally Hansens to coat.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

Here are two smallies flies I like to use >

The Stonecat is all zonker strip with a Fish-Skull. Tie in a zonker strip in the rear of the hook and wind the zonker around the shank towards the eye. Slip on the Fish-Skull. I use epoxy to secure the head and tie in a thread dam just behind the eye. I form the tail by applying some Sally Hansens to the end of the tail and pressing flat.

The Hellgrammite is tied the same way. Tie in a zonker strip for the rear of the fly. Cut a strip of thin leather and tie it in on top of the shank. Tie in uand wind tan chenille to cover the shank. Tie in rubber legs and fold the leather strip over the chenille to form a collar and tie in behind the eye. Use the excess leather hanging over the eye to trim into a helgy head shape. I color the head and collar with a dark brown marker and use Sally Hansens to coat.

View attachment 1641231391

Cool patterns!

Helgy: It seems like this could be tied to ride inverted. Have you tried that variation?

 

[CLSports]

I agree with Wooly Buggers. Maybe add some rubber legs. No need to go crazy. Bass will eat 'em.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

I suspect a hellgramite pattern would be killer for smallmouth. That's A LOT of protein right there! Hellgramites are fascinating. I got to see one evolve from 3rd to 4th stage. It was a pretty neat experience. I have yet to experiment with a hellgramite pattern, maybe that will be the pattern to crack the Schuylkill's code.

 

[PennKev]

you think this hook would work well?

I'd stick with shorter shanked models and extended bodied patterns. I think you'll get better movement out of the fly and better hook-ups with shorter shanked hooks. I'm not too keen on any streamer hooks over 3xl, particularly for bass, but also for trout. I think they are prone to losing fish.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

mine is like afish's, except I palmer hackle over the chenille body and use thin-skin for the top. the rabbit strip really is attractive. I saw a guy who used what looked like real long mop fly material for the "tail" instead of rabbit. He said it was some special yarn he found. It looked like it would not be as durable as the rabbit though.
I use a shorter wide gap hook like PennKev recommended.
But as noted above, wollybuggers with rubber legs are a great substitute.

 

[Tiogadog]

Late to this but the Crittermite is a fantastic fly

 

[Nocktavius]

A pat’s in coffee works great. Trout are pretty dumb.

 

[mt_flyfisher]

Late to this but the Crittermite is a fantastic flyView attachment 1641231916

I just saw this on Facebook today. Somewhat similar.