My nephew and I love to make fishing flies. We've gotten pretty good at it. Of course we can't do the really elaborate flies....but they work. What we try to do is mimic a cricket, spider, grasshopper, dragonfly or a moth.
There are all kinds of materials that you can use to make flies. I categorize flies two ways: those that sink and those that float. I prefer to make the ones that float. Sinking flies are for a different kind of fish...mainly river trout and salmon. Floating flies work well with the sunfish that we have around here: mainly crappie, bluegill, bream. They even work on catfish and bass. I've discovered that the color doesn't matter so much as reflection. Fish like shiny flies. They also prefer those with legs. A guy once told me that fish recognize shapes and shadows.
Now when I fish I'll go between store bought flies and those that I've made. It feels good when fish love a fly that we made. Right now it's too cold to fish......I'll pick it back up in March. -
JGR
My nephew and I love to make fishing flies. We've gotten pretty good at it. Of course we can't do the really elaborate flies....but they work. What we try to do is mimic a cricket, spider, grasshopper, dragonfly or a moth. 
There are all kinds of materials that you can use to make flies. I categorize flies two ways: those that sink and those that float. I prefer to make the ones that float. Sinking flies are for a different kind of fish...mainly river trout and salmon. Floating flies work well with the sunfish that we have around here: mainly crappie, bluegill, bream. They even work on catfish and bass. I've discovered that the color doesn't matter so much as reflection. Fish like shiny flies. They also prefer those with legs. A guy once told me that fish recognize shapes and shadows. 
Now when I fish I'll go between store bought flies and those that I've made. It feels good when fish love a fly that we made. Right now it's too cold to fish......I'll pick it back up in March. -JGR
