Panfish Fly Tying Instructions

Panfish flies are designed to create motion and noise in the water. Panfish are opportunistic feeders and will respond to flies with ample action and contrasting colors. Tying the flies is accomplished with basic fly tying tools and minimal materials. Panfish flies are typically simplistic patterns that either resemble a streamer pattern or a top-water popper. The streamer patterns are the most common for water temperatures below 60 degrees, but panfish will respond to the poppers as the water warms.

Things You'll Need

  • Size 10 to 18 hooks
  • Tungsten and brass beads and cones
  • Rubber legs
  • Flash
  • Foam
  • Deer hair
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Instructions

    • 1

      Tie panfish flies on size 10 or smaller hooks. Panfish have small mouths and are difficult to catch with a large hook. Size 12 and 14 hooks are ideal for most panfish flies.

    • 2

      Use a bead or cone head to add a wobbling motion for panfish streamer flies. Use tungsten beads to sink the fly quickly or brass beads to fish the fly in shallow water. Dumbell eyes are also effective but they must be small enough to fit in a the panfish mouth.

    • 3

      Tie panfish streamer and nymph flies with rubber legs. The legs create motion in the water and are very effective for attracting the fish. Use the legs for tails and on the sides of the abdomen and thorax.

    • 4

      Use flash in panfish streamers, nymphs and dry flies. The flash is added to tails and used to wrap the abdomen. Panfish are attracted to the reflection created by the flash and will attack it regularly. Flies like the Lightning Bug are popular because of the all-flash abdomen.

    • 5

      Use deer hair and foam in panfish dry flies and poppers. The material compresses better than cork and hard bodies and will fit into the small panfish mouth. Hard bodies are more durable, but they do not flex when bitten.