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Sand Bug

8K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  juro 
#1 ·
Just say no to bait...

Sandbug: a winter steelhead dredger fly



The first time I saw a sand shrimp out west it gave me the creeps. Pink, orange, mustard, and those huge claws. Their natural anise smell is pretty unique too.

Anyway, they are quite the delicacy for searun salmonids and this pattern is intended to bring out that sand shrimp response in tinted water when fished slow and deep. This is far from a fancy fly - it's a working fly. Although I am more prone to swim a sculpin facimile than a shrimp pattern I have had some great luck on this one.

Hook: TMC 7999 or equiv. w/ barb pinched

Thread: sedge orange monochord

Tag: micro chenille in mustard-orange

Center Tail: two strands of flashabou, crystal flash, etc.

Tail: two sections of mustard micro chenille melted to a point with a lighter. Place outside bugyarn segment for more pronounced spread, otherwise tie in under yarn cloak.

Tail: flanked by a pair of matched wood duck quill sections

Posterior segment: globug yarn in light pink cut square and shaped to cloak chenille wraps. Compress and wrap in place, trim excess off front of wraps. Flank with two more wood duck quill segments, then collar with a couple of turns of vibrant hackle.

Mid segment: under-wrap four turns of mustard orange micro chenille, then repeat three part segment

Forward segment: no chenille under-wrap, just yarn / wood duck / collar and finish eye.

One drop of zap-a-gap to bind the threads.
 
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#2 ·
Hey, that's a beauty, Juro.

Sand Shrimp flies are great in estuaries for sea run cutthroats, of course. I'll tie up a few Juro's shrimps and see how they do down where I live.

John Shewey came up with a nice Sand Shrimp imitation he calls the Alsea. I have a bomb of a Sand Shrimp I cooked up for surf perch and stuff -- the fish sure like these things -- orange, peach and yellow is a hot combination.

Cheers,

Eric
 
#4 ·
A Fly that Works!

I just had to dig this up even if it is a 2002 post. I was fishing the Skagit last week for a few days and remembering the big bright steelie that Juro had hooked up a few years back when me and him went to the "Chapel". So I put one of these bugs on my leader and a few casts later I was playing with a nice chrome steelie. This fly has produced several steelies for me on the Queets, the Sauk, the Hoh and the Skagit, when all else seemed to fail. Thank's for the pattern Juro!
 
#5 ·
Good to hear it's still workin Pete!

That was a great morning. When Tootsie from the Bunny Farm came over to me after breakfast, put her hand on my arm and sais "I feel you will have luck today" I knew it was going to be happenin for me :smokin:
 
#8 ·
my "Creeper"

Thanks for the kid words. I'll post my formerly top secret "creeper" pattern now that the statute of limitations is up. It's a more evolved fly that is suitable for summer fishing not just winter dredging.

Frankly I don't fish the sandbug that much in comparison to the hours the creeper gets the swing. Based on the caliber of the friends who have also become creeper fans I am confident that it makes the cut and frankly I wouldn't be on a summer or fall steelhead river without a few in my box.

I am on the road again this week on business but should have some free time before the thaw to get this up there.

thanks again
 
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