Milkfish flies: Dreaming the Can-Can

The antics of this past weekend have given me reason to head back to the drawing board with regards Milky flies.

The fact that we had two enquiries and two hookups - that's four positive encounters - with flats Milkfish on a CanCan Girl (its actually a Gotcha variation) has altered my thoughts a little with regards the chasing of Milks on the flats. The fly has been working too well on the Bonefish lately and has accounted for my last 11 Bonefish, plus several smaller Permit and a Golden Trevally.

The name CanCan Girl comes from a comment that the line of finished flies looked like a row of dancing girls - naughty and ready for action. And also from the fact that the flats dwellers can't seem to say no to them!

A nice row of naughty CanCan Girls ready for action.

Back to the Milks - it all started last Saturday. With four Bonefish and a Permit already accounted for (the Permit was released ala long line just short of reaching distance), Dad presented a CanCan Girl to a moving shadow. A heavy cloud that had just pulled in above us caused the vis to drop significantly and we were struggling with sighting and identifying any fish that was further than five or so meters. I was standing behind the Old Man watching rather intently the regular movement of a tail about 80m away. I had just set off after the tail in question when Dad hooked up; I missed it and the first jump and was alerted by Dad's call and bent rod that he into a decent fish. With that I saw a Milk accelerate past within half a rod length of me. What blew my mind was the fact that it had a CanCan Girl right in the scissors. Two cartwheeling jumps and a burnt finger later Dad was standing with a limp fly line and knocking knees.

"That must have a fluke!" were the first words out his mouth. I was inclined to agree.

That was until the entire process was repeated, this time with a Milk we identified clearly - thanks to the clouds removing themselves - before presenting, about five minutes later.

You could have knocked me over with a feather.

Once more that day and again the following morning we had solid knocks from sighted Milks. Although the they did seem less interested in the flies than the first two.

So, at the desk I've tied a few unweighted CanCan Girls. I've also combined the body of the CanCan and Arno's Milky Dream fly.

CanCan Girl Recipe (Picture below):

Hook: Gamakatsu or Grip #2 - #6
Thread: Soft pink Danville 6/0 or something like it.
Tail: Red Bunny Fur
Body: UV Minnow Body wrapped over pink thread on shank
Eyes: Depending on weight - tungsten eyes to bead chain.
         For unweighted version just leave the eyes off.
Wing: White or cream calf tail.

Dreamy CanCan Recipe (Picture below):
Replace the calf tail wing with a fluorescent green or chartreuse egg yarn.

Skirtless CanCan Girl (Picture below):

Same as the CanCan Girl just without the red tag.

Now only time will tell as to whether those living torpodoes are going to repeat the mistakes of last week end.

An old used and abused CanCan Girl showing the rigours of the hard work on the flats...

Ideas about flats flies.

It's been a tough weekend on the flats.

The bones have been hiding and the Goldens where cruising on their own and being as picky as a snot-nosed nouveau-rich Frenchman (if you're French and reading this you're neither snot-nosed or nouveau-rich). We did get to do some casting and I got a few beaut pics of the old man casting across picture perfect sand flats.

But so is life and at least it forced me back to the drawing board. I tied up a couple of patterns I've been wanting to give a whirl for awhile. The plan now is to test them properly within the next week or so.

A Charlie type pattern. A special prawn. And an Ugly Crab/Spawning Shrimp/JD's Creature cross breed thingy! The Charlie and prawn patterns both come from listening carefully to other guys talking about what has been hot down south. The Charlie is simple, effective, takes 15 seconds to tie and appeals to a my 'less is more' thoughts on fly tying. 

The Prawn, however, does not. It is a great fly - I must admit that I've tied the first one a few weeks ago and it has already accounted for two bones and a golden (which was lost :( ). It takes a bit longer to tie but fish love it. It's realistic, the keel keeps it swimming upright and the colours come alive in the water.

The 'Ugly Something or Other' has yet to be tested. It's heavy; designed to sink quickly so that I intercept effectively the erratic feeding habits of Golden Trevally. It combines what I consider the most important crab and shrimp triggers - namely the rostrum, pincers, eyes and legs. It sits upright in the water and the furry foam body creates and very realistic carapace. I could possibly add a few bars (darker brown) on the rostrum and carapace but not until I've tried it as is. Another addition is more orange for the egg sack around the mouth and eye area.

We'll see...

The offspring of several ideas - the ugly something or other.

The drawings from one I saw once and my tie of a special prawn. This fly does work.

Two simple Charlie patterns. Bare shank, orange legs and bunny wing.

Look into my eyes... As once said, eyes on flies are very important...

The Evolution of JD's Creature Fly

JD Filmalter, like me, has had an obsession with Golden Trevally since his first encounter with them on the flats of the inner islands. We have chased them, theorised about them and worked out their habits.

Obviously this all led to our own fly development for Gnathanodon speciosus. What would get the best results most consistently? While I have stuck to crabs and ended up with the “UglyCrab”, JD has gone with the shrimp direction. Taking inspiration from famous Spawning Shrimp and Avalon flies, JD has created his own “Creature” flies.

These crustacean imitators have proved successful in both JD’s pursuit of Golden Trevally and in catching a variety of other flats species including Carangoides ferdau  ( which is the Blue, not Bluefin Trevally) and Bonefish. I’m pretty sure it’s just a matter time until JD gets a good permit on one.

The Creature has had a full evolution of growth and, keeping true to Darwin’s theories, has shed its weaknesses and grown in its strengths.  The first Creatures were rather shabby, woolly affairs that incorporated a few triggers. They worked, but JD wasn’t happy and tweaked or revised with every Golden encounter.

At a fairly rapid rate – which highlights his understanding of fish and fly fishing – JD has turned the Creature  into a serious fly that has a impressive and growing list of caught fish. Even I have a sneaky one in my box just-in-case.

The most recent - and best - version of The Creature sits alive on the grass of the flats, daring a fish to eat it. The combination of a hot pink underbody and an EP or Frizz Fibre overbody give the fly a translucent and realistic shrimp look. The feelers double as pincers and move alluring in the water. The eyes stand out on stalks adding to the realism. A weed guard prevents snagging over the grass and the tungsten beads tied in as a keel provide adequate weight, an upright swimming position and the added bonus of some noise.

I have no doubt there will be more changes and adaptations made to this fly. And while, like so many different fly patterns, I'm sure it has been tied by somebody, somewhere else; JD's talent as a flyfisherman is highlighted by the growth of this great fly.

One the first creatures.

Getting the shape and the eyes right. First use of silly legs as feelers and moth apparatus.

The Creature becoming more streamlined. Colour experimentation . And note the first time addition of the keel.

Almost there - the rostrumless (this one has a small, understated rostrum) Creature.

The most recent Creature fly showing the addition of a pronounced rostrum,  pink hotspot, weed guard and barring.

Keel position

A backlit photo which gives an idea of the translucence of the fly. This much more noticeable when underwater.  

JD and a Golden Trevally with a Creature in the scissors.