Cat ch on new fly pattern

I've been messing around with fly patterns that look like small bream.

I was finally able to get free for a few hours Saturday morning and try it out at a local pond. My first opportunity to get out since Harvey blew through. This was the first Bass that liked the fly.

The next one kinda caught me off guard. I thought at first I had hung up on something. I guess Cats like small bream too.

One of the things that have really surprised about fly fishing is the number of catfish I hook up with using a streamer fly. This big Blue had my 8 weight doubled over.

Yeah, there's a whole section in one of Doug Stange's books abut fly fishing for catfish.

Last time out on the lake, I did pretty well with an olive over white small deer hair clouser on the catfish. Seems like I do better with them by removing all or almost all of the flash. I've caught them on buggers and crawfish patterns, too. They are good fighters.

Back when I set trot lines for catfish, a small bream was the best bait to use.

Great job Bruce. Some of the biggest bass I've hooked in ponds were on bluegill colored crank baits. If I were looking for a pond pattern to catch big bass that would definitely be on top of my list.

That is a good-looking fly! I like your field test!

J-MOE, funny you should mention bream pattern crank baits, I had an old bream pattern Heddon Sonic lure in mind when I made up this fly.

Nice fly and nice results!