Indigo Guide Service

Indigo Guide Service

Michigan fishing guide service specializing in fly fishing or lures. Offering river fishing or lake fishing trips on the Pere Marquette River (near the flies only area), Muskegon River, Mainstee River and Lake Michigan. Michigan fishing charter for salmon fishing, steelhead fishing, trout fishing, smallmouth bass fishing, carp fishing and pike fishing. Michigan fishing report and fly tying area.

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Carp Fly… Morlock’s Quick Craw by Kevin Morlock

Posted in Wet Flies by admin
Dec 10 2009
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Carp Fly… Morlock’s Quick Craw by Kevin Morlock

I was shown a similar crawfish fly years ago by Dorthy Schramm of Pentwater, Michigan.  I do not remember exactly what Dorothy’s fly looked like or if it was her creation or someone else’s.  This fly has been in continuous use and has been evolving for again, over ten years.  It is a very easy crawfish pattern, as crawfish patterns go and fishes very well when conditions are right.  The right conditions are inactive fish in relatively shallow water and/or flat calm — this fly hits the water very softly.  Each day I will have this fly in several color combinations, with each color in several weight combinations.

Best For… carp            Could Also Be Used For… smallmouth bass, trout, steelhead and panfish

 ***Materials listed in tying order

Hook… Tiemco, TMC 200R, size 6

Weight… 0-10 wraps of .025 lead wire (see note 1)

Tail… fox squirrel tail, tied down the bend of the hook

Flash… 1 strand each red and blue Hareline Dubbin, Krystal Flash

Hackle… grouse or pheasant hackle

Eyes… bead chain eyes (see note 3)

Body… yarn

Legs… rubber legs (see note 2)

Note 1:  I wrap the lead wire, then go over the entire hook and wire with thread and then cement.  I usually lead wire/cement several hooks at a time, this gives the cement time to dry.

Note 2:  I tied this pattern with a better looking finished look but it was more work and didn’t fish better.  I do my best to match the thread and yarn, tie off the yarn at the hook eye, wrap back to mid-body and tie in the rubber legs, then wrap back to the eye and finish.  It is a little sloppy but actually gives a bit of a cross hatch look.

Note 3:  Someone emailed and asked about the exact placement of the eyes… the eyes are tied on the bottom (inside bend) of the hook, they don’t look right tied on top (outside bend) of the hook.  With the number 6 hook, there is still enough hook gap to do the job.

 

Steelhead Fly… Morlock’s Pearl Jam Shrimp by Kevin Morlock

Posted in Wet Flies by admin
Dec 09 2009
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Steelhead Fly… Morlock’s Pearl Jam Shrimp by Kevin Morlock

Years ago I guided a young couple on a tough April steelhead trip on the Pere Marquette River — lots of people and few fish.  He had brought some of his own flies that he wanted to use, one was a pearl/white/pink shrimp pattern.  If I remember we went two for two with both fish on his pearl shrimp.  I’ve been trying different material combinations and styles for years trying to replicate that pattern.  To be honest I really only have a vague idea what his fly looked like or if it was just a fluke that day.  This spring I tested a new shrimp variation and it has worked great, I ended up naming it the Pearl jam Shrimp.

Best For… steelhead

 ***Materials listed in tying order

Hook… Mustad Signature C67S, size 6

Tail… tiewell, blue pearl Sparkleflash (I got my Sparkleflash from Chris Helm’s shop, Whitetail Fly Tieing)

Abdomen… Hareline Dubbin, Ice Dub UV Callibaetis

Back… 2-3 strands of peacock herl

Thorax… GlissenGloss, Estaz lights UV White

References:

Pere Marquette Fishing Report, Clouds and rain make for great steelhead fishing on the Pere Marquette River, April 21st, 2009

 

Carp Fly… Morlock’s Carp Breakfast by Kevin Morlock

Posted in Wet Flies by admin
Dec 06 2009
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Carp Fly… Morlock's Carp Breakfast by Kevin Morlock

This pattern is available at FlyMasters and FeatherCraft.

This carp fly tied in a variety of colors and weights is probably my most used pattern.  It seems like if they are going to hit anything it will be a Breakfast in one color or another.  I named it "Carp Breakfast" because if anything would get an inactive group of fish to break their fasting it was a Breakfast.  This pattern also casts very well in the wind with it's compact shape that does not carry too much water.  I keep the marabou in the tail sparse, this is the look that works best for me.

Best For… carp and smallmouth bass

 ***Materials listed in tying order

Hook… Tiemco 200R, size 4

Eyes… Wapsi dumbbell eyes, painted yellow, small (see note)

Tail (marabou)… slight pinch of marabou

Tail (flash)… 6-8 strands tied around marabou, Hareline Dubbin, Krystal Flash

Wire… light copper to cover and protect the peacock body

Body… peacock herl, 3-4 long pieces

Inner Hackle… light yellow mallard flank

Hackle Flash… 6-8 strands tied around mallard the same color as the tail, Hareline Dubbin, Krystal Flash

Outer Hackle… pheasant body feather

Head… peacock herl twisted on thread for strength and then wrapped behind and between lead eyes

Note (eyes):  It is important that you have a variety of fly weights for any conditions you may encounter.  My box would have half a dozen color variations of this pattern, each color variation would also be in several weights.

Note (size):  This fly is around 2 1/2 to 3 inches in length.

The Carp Breakfast is tied through Rainy's Flies in four colors and is available at FlyMasters and FeatherCraft, and FeatherCraft also includes the Breakfast as part of their carp assortment.

References:

Rick Mikesell from Trout's Fly Fishing in Denver lists the Carp Breakfast as his favorite carp fly for CarpSlam.

"After catching that big boy on a carp breakfast I sorta got the urge to do some more of it!  We caught 8 or 10 that day all on your fly!"  Click here to see the post.

The Tippecanoe Fly Fishers doing well on the Carp Breakfast.

Article:  In-Fisherman, Prime Time Carp by Kevin Morlock

 

Carp Fly… Morlock’s Craw Bunny by Kevin Morlock

Posted in Wet Flies by admin
Dec 04 2009
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Morlock’s Craw Bunny by Kevin Morlock

This relatively simple crawfish pattern is one of my bread-and-butter flies for Great Lakes carp.  I keep the size to about three inches but vary the color, usually having half a dozen or more color variations in my fly box.  With most of my carp flies, it has great action when stripped but will settle tail-up.  This allows the tail (claws) to have action with the slightest water movement — from an approaching fish, wave action or current.

Best For… carp and smallmouth bass            Could Also Be Used For… trout and largemouth bass

 ***Materials listed in tying order

Hook… Tiemco 200R, size 4

Weight… lead wire, 12 or so wraps of .030

Eyes… large bead chain SEE NOTE

Tail (flash)… 2 strands blue and 2 strands red, Hareline Dubbin Krystal Flash

Tail (claws)… bunny strip tied so that they spread

Tail (color accent)… small pinch of yellow marabou

Tail (hackle)… schlappen

Body (inner)… yarn that matches the Polar Chenille, tapered toward tail

Body (outer)… Hareline Dubbin, Polar Chenille

Note:  1) This fly is around 3 inches in length.  2) Someone emailed and asked about the exact placement of the eyes… the eyes are tied on the bottom (inside bend) of the hook, they don’t look right tied on top (outside bend) of the hook.  With the number 4 hook, there is still enough hook gap to do the job.

References:

Article:  In-Fisherman, Prime Time Carp by Kevin Morlock

 

Steelhead & Salmon Fly… Grau’s Tracer Bullet (fancy) by Walt Grau

Posted in Wet Flies by admin
Dec 02 2009
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Steelhead & Salmon Fly… Grau’s Tracer Bullet (fancy) by Walt Grau

Walt Grau showed me this fly years ago, his answer to dirty water.  Walt’s original tracer bullet is simply a giant nuke egg, sometimes accented with a bit of flourescent tinsel — the fancy is my variation, though I can’t say that it fishes any better.  If you like spending extra time dressing up flies that would fish just as well without the improvements, then the fancy variation is for you.  We use a tube on this fly only because long egg yarn makes a tangled mess with the hook.

Best For… steelhead            Could Also Be Used For… salmon

 ***Materials listed in tying order

Hook… tube

Body… gold holographic tinsel

1st Over Wing… orange Glo Bugs yarn (The Bug Shop)

Under Wing… orange "Glow-in-the-dark" Flashabou (Hedron Inc.)

2nd Over Wing… chartreuse Glo Bugs yarn (The Bug Shop)

3rd Over Wing… green "Glow-in-the-dark" Flashabou (Hedron Inc.)

Head… flourescent thread

Note:  This fly is around 1 1/2 to 2 inches in length.


Original Grau’s Tracer Bullet

References:

Walt Grau, Spey Rod Outfitter and Guide Service

West Michigan Fishing Report for November 30th, 2009 — Fresh Michigan steelhead with the Thanksgiving rain!

 

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Indigo Guide Service | P.O. Box 93 | Walhalla, MI 49458 | 231-898-4320 | indigoguideinfo@gmail.com