tyes for night fishing

[c_nesbella]

I was wondering what patterns to tye when targeting larger wild browns in the middle of the night. I have used wooly buggers to some success and had no luck with mice patterns. I'm not looking for anything super big since I only got a 5 weight but there gotta be something other than buggers to tye for late night fishing. I'd like to add a few late night patterns to my arsenal any recipes would be appreciated. I also got some utc glow tinsel here anyone think adding this into patterns would entice some strikes at night?

 

[Fishidiot]

The conventional wisdom is to use something large and black and that "moves" water. Honestly, I don't think specific patterns matter much and I just use the same dark colored streamers or nymphs that I use during the day.....although, if given a choice, I'd prefer them in larger sizes for night work if targeting bigger browns (why else fish at night?).

The classic George Harvey "pusher" flies were pretty popular some years ago. These were essentially big wets with duck flank feathers tied in on the sides to create wings that would push water and create a wake or otherwise send out vibrations.
I don't know about the glo-tinsel - never tried anything like this. There are some warm water conventional gear guys that like this sort of thing for bass and muskies at night - it might be worth a try.
Experiment with 'em and let us know how you made out.

 

[Chooch]

Pusher's work. Large wooly buggers with oversized hackle and shorter tails work. Big sculpins work. Big streamers with deer hair and feathers, like a deceiver work as well. I like using heavily dressed flies at night for a lot of movement vibration in the water. If I had to pick one, it would be a pusher hands down.

 

[afishinado]

Yup, a heavily hackled black bugger has taken a lot of fish for me at night. Try tying them w/o weight and strip them just under the surface...........Kawack!...fish on.

 

[pete41]

One thing to remember-
Use patterns where the wing or tail seldom wraps around the hook-that's the reason patterns such as the feather wing streamers,which can be very good in daytime are too much trouble at night.
Hook wrappers have to be constantly brought in and checked or you can waste a lot of time fishing flies that aren't working correctly.

 

[Lonewolve]

#6 daiichi 1530
thread/ 8/0 uni thread black or olive
Rib : gold wire
Tail: Black or brown dyed mallard flank
Body: olive or black dubbing usually Fred Reese GrundSow
Wing: Turkey slips or hackle tips..usually brown or black
Hackle : black,dark dun,brown hen
This is called ironically the turkey wet, works wonders at junction pool between the hours of 10:00 pm- 5:00 am on junction pool on the Delaware.

 

[midnightangler]

Big black wets with heavy palmer hackle and goose wings have been my go-to night flies for a long time. Big woolly sculpins with extra hackle are very good, and so is the bomber. Keeney's PMS is a decent night fly, but squirrel doesn't move a lot of water for its weight when waterlogged (if that matters to you). Honestly, if you take five or six stiff black saddle hackles and wind them on a hook it will catch fish at night.

I've fished a bit for trout with glow-in-the-dark materials. Sometimes it works, but it isn't as important as using a fly that creates a disturbance.

 

[Leteras]

I have had sucess with glow in the dark patterns I tie. I fish them all the time for steelhead and browns. I know when I tell people about them people are hesitant to try them. I have caught a lot of fish on them though. My buddy ties a glow in the dark minnow that is phenominal too. I have caught fish on that also.

 

[gaeronf]

Leteras wrote:
I have had sucess with glow in the dark patterns I tie. I fish them all the time for steelhead and browns. I know when I tell people about them people are hesitant to try them. I have caught a lot of fish on them though. My buddy ties a glow in the dark minnow that is phenominal too. I have caught fish on that also.

Do you have a recipe for some of these that you'd be willing to post up? These patterns sound interesting!

 

[Leteras]

I actually have a tutorial for the luminous maximus pattern I tie. I did it for kype magazine in 2011. I will post it later when I get home to my computer.

 

[gaeronf]

Leteras wrote:
I actually have a tutorial for the luminous maximus pattern I tie. I did it for kype magazine in 2011. I will post it later when I get home to my computer.

Ok! Thanks Leteras, I'm looking forward to seeing the pattern!

 

[Leteras]

I will make some other tying tutorials too when I get the chance. I want to do some videos too when I get the time.

 

[c_nesbella]

Thanks for all the input. The vibration thing makes sense. The pusher fly is one I would like to try I just can't find a good example of it and the ideal feather for it seems like I would have trouble obtaining. The theory behind seems like it would work great. Id really like to find a good recipe for this one.
I'm going to try the non weighted bugger seems like that would also work well.
As far as keeping the hackle heavy on these flies, is the spacing of wraps important?
I'm going to tye some of the other patterns to try as well..a common consensus seems to be keep the hackle heavy and make something that's gonna create a noticable disturbance in the water.
I'm gonna give some of the glow in the dark tinsel a try worst possible scenerio is it won't work lol.
I'm going to try to pull a few all nighters next week to give some of the methods and flies a try. Appreciate the lladvice.

 

[Chooch]

Recipe for the pusher is in one of Harvey's books and I think it is in Humphries Trout Tactics. The feathers do not have to be eact. Any stiff flank feathers will do the trick. If you have a pheasant pelt there are plenty on it that will work.

As far as the glow in the dark stuff goes, I wouldn't waste the time. It will certainly not make the fly more attractive to the trout. Further, anything that glows in the dark needs to be "charged", and pulling out a flashlight to charge it stream side is a no-no. Ruins your vision and will spook fish also.

 

[Leteras]

Sorry for the delay with posting the tutorial I said I would post last week. Here it is.

 

[sandfly]

A muddler greased up works great as well..

 

[dubthethorax]

I fish from 10pm-12am about 4 nights a week, doing well on trout in the spring and fall, and I've been slamming smallies and an occcasional carp all summer. Some rules of thumb for me:

1.If there's no light anywhere (street lights, path lights, etc) go with black.

2.You're near a bridge or anything where some light hits the water, go with brighter colors. The original reason for black is so the fish can see the sillohuette against the night sky. If you're casting into some areas with light, fish will be hanging in the shadows and will see your offering drop into the light from a side view, and bright color helps when this happens. For me, I usually stick with white or chartreuse.

3.Subsurface - go big with the hackle as others have mentioned on streamers, also don't overlook a big meaty worm pattern. (look up Feathercraft's bugskin wiggler and oversize them)

4.Topwater - make lots of noise, make sure the fly plops down really hard on the water so the fish take notice. Keep the colors dark. Try adding some GID material as an indicator if you need it. Any combo of foam, hair, and rubber legs work. Try AZ mini hoppers or Hopper Juans in sizes 4-6.

5.Don't be afraid to fish close to shore. Browns especially are predators at night and might not be in that deep hole in the middle of the stream where you see them during the day. Strip up and down the banks and you'll have more luck.