Big fish flies – temperate & tropical destinations

Articulated swimmer – “brown bomber” with optional rattle

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Hard bodied Brown bomber lures are very popular as a lures for targeting barra and jacks in Queensland waters and most lure fishers have at least on in the lure tray. Based on the colours of the ‘brown bomber’ lure, particularly if I am targeting barra in fresh water dams like Awonga that are often a bit tannin stained, it’s a fly I don’t hesitate to tie on.

Articulated swimmer – mega – orange & yellow with rattle

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This mega sized version of that original fly is my go to fly when I know I am targeting particularly big barra. It’s tied on a size #3/0 Mustard 34007 hook and at 15cm long it’s an uncomfortable fly to cast properly for long durations but I am happy to tie it on to target a specific fish or to fish that short period of the ebb tide when I am targeting big barra known to haunt bridge pylons and mid river structures that are only accessible for the short period of the ebb tide.

Mud prawn – large 9cm or 10cm long

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This is the biggest version of my Mud Prawn Fly and the one that I use when chasing barramundi in relatively clear salt water around structure such as drowned timber. It’s a very durable fly that swims hook point up so that it’s fairly snag resistant. It is designed not only to provide a representation of a prawn that is readily taken by barra of all sizes but it can be crept slowly over logs and other structure giving the maximum time for fish to respond, can be fished like a soft plastic or can be fished as a faster moving fleeing prawn.

Articulated slow roller

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Tied in either Qantas or brown bomber colours this is a great fly when targeting barra in Lake Awoonga and other barra impoundments on those quiet days when the barramundi are sulking and you need a fly that is going to be in their face for a relatively long time but still active.

Chatto’s marabou bugger

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My first fish on fly fell to the magic of a Woolly Bugger and many have gone the same way since then. Tied predominately as a prospecting fly for barra in Awoonga this fly also gets a swim in estuary and coastal waters when I am looking for grunter and fingermark.

Thing – pink

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The original thing was pink and white and was tied by Graham White of Darwin the early 80’s. It got its name “pink thing” when one of his mates asked for “a lend of one of those pink things”. Whilst the “pink thing” was tied as a barra fly it has turned out to be a great dirty water fly for a range of tropical species.

Crease minnow

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A great fly to use when target fish are actively feeding on small fish such as sardines, whitebait and pilchards. You can either fish it on a floating line and strip it across the surface with dramatic effect or fish the fly on a sinking line, count the fly down and then retrieve it up through the water column using a fast stripping action or roly poly retrieve.

Wiggle minnow

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By varying the materials used, the colours and size I have accounted for trout, bream, flathead, mangrove jack and even barramundi on wiggle minnows. The recipe I have set out below is just one version of this very adaptable fly and I would encourage you to individualize the fly to your own requirements.

Clouser minnow

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The Clouser in my view is the quintessential salt water fly. It can be tied in sizes to suit Bream or Billfish and with the correct dressing and size is equally at home in saltwater, trout and bass fisheries.