A Simple Bloodworm Pattern

Thread Bloodworm (above)

Bloodworms are an essential part of the diet of many fish in Central Alberta and many other places as well. This simple bloodworm pattern has been my go to for several years. yes you can add a marabou tail or make the body with seal dubbing (they definitely work) but a simple thread blood worm or add scud back makes a very effective fly. They take just a few minutes to tie too! Sweet!

These simple flies have saved a day out on several trout lakes and whitefish love them! Be sure to fish these flies as close to the bottom as possible. Use forceps or a weight to measure depth, then adjust your strike indicator so the fly is 6-12 inches above the bottom of the lake. If the water temperature is below 60F, start fly fishing in 7-10 feet of water! If it is warmer, look for a drop off and try 12 feet of water!

Scud Back Bloodworm

 

Don't Forget Ice Minnows

If you fly fish at Kerbe's Pond, Hansons, Dickson and Sylvan Lake; you definitely need to have ice minnows in your fly box. I came across this pattern while fly fishing in Manitoba.  The brown trout and rainbows would cruise along the edges of the weeds and devour the forage fish! I have had excellent success at Kerbe's Pond out east of Red Deer. Kerbes is all about forage along the edges. I sometimes have an ice minnow just 18 inches below an indicator long the edges. Definitely any place that has forage that fish will feed off of, these simple flies are an asset!

Ice Minnow

Hook: Jig hook, pin and tungsten bead or jig and head turner bead- Size 12-16

Thread: Red 8/0 (creates a hot spot)

Tail: Black marabou

Body: 5 mm brill silver

 

Kismit and Bubba Gump Shrimp-Two Excellent Micro Leeches

Rick Miyauchi came up with the fly called Kismit! The word kismit means fate or destiny! Honestly it refers to something that feels predetermined.  All of this is relevant to its name. This is a straight forward fly to tie either with either an orange bead or a gold bead. The day the fly got its name, a big group of us were at Twin Lakes in Manitoba fly fishing for tiger trout! This fly at this point was nameless although everyone at the lake was using it, including the originator, Rick! Everyone was having an outstanding day catching sizeable tigers except Rick. He could not get a hit even though the other two in his boat were connecting right beside him. Well, it was quite funny and then the word kismit was suggested as the name for the fly and it stuck! Poor Rick!

Early in the season, Kismit with an orange bead is an excellent choice and later change to a gold beaded Kismit!

...and then there is the Bubba Gump Shrimp

The Bubba Gump Shrimp has a hot spot. It is tied very similar to Kismit except for the orange brill added as a hot spot. For some reason, the trout respond very favourably when they are on shrimp. I like to tie Bubba Gump Shrimp on a size 16 jig hook. It is a suggestive pattern that shines when the trout are on scuds.

Kismit (Rick Miyauchi originator)

Hook: Size 14 jig hook, pin and tungsten bead or use a head turner tungsten bead

Thread: Olive 8/0

Tail: Black Marabou

Body: olive-brown brill, 5 mm

Bubba Gump Shrimp (Bob Vanderwater originator)

Hook: Size 16 jig, pin and tungsten bead or use a tungsten head turner bead

Thread: Olive

Tail: Black marabou (or olive)

Body: Olive 9 or brown olive with an orange brill hot spot (5 mm) 

Colin and Murray at Twin Lakes

Doug tangling with a sizeable tiger trout!

The Andersons having a great time at Twin Lakes