Float n fly Patterns Anyone?

So I just started to tie my own flys and here is what I got. Can any one show me a fly jig minnow pattern that will match northern waters. I’m a single father taking care of my kids for 15 years don’t have the money to afford materials hope some one can show a pattern of a crappie minnow pattern that would be roughly 2 in max and using fish skull mask View attachment 22848View attachment 22847View attachment 22849View attachment 22850View attachment 22851View attachment 22852

When slow suspended works doesn't get better than F&F. That said I haven't the need to divert from cast & retrieve at my waters of opportunity and light as possible works fine. Prefer feeling rather than seeing a bite.

Lots of skilled artistic tiers including yourself but after a long lifetime of experience have settled with KISS. In fact, just found rock bottom discovering Texas 3/8" rabbit zonker strips which a small cut piece with a crosscut fur lie seems ideal for fluffy 1/8 & 1/4 size small jigs. Bout the EZest tie I've tried and will soon field test off rocky salt water shoreline on an upcoming trip.

Being mentored by Jigger John tying trout jigs have tried all manner of fancy contrapting but last cold season settled on a KISS single material crosscut mink fur piece which works as well as anything. Massive variety of colors - black and light gray on 1/16 #6 heads. Thought I was on to something when pink, orange, and red rabbit ties got nice trout previously, but it seems just single light and dark color mink fur with no flash enhancements work just as well.

Don't fish for crappie here but remember a day in CO bite on every cast with a KISS 1/16 #6 black marabou jig intended for trout. My 2 cents is that the huge variety of colors crappie ties and soft baits are mostly self promoting hype especially by guys who sell them.

I know, sounds a bit harsh but we all exist in our own bubbles of reality.

Welcome to the forum. I use mostly duck feathers for my float n fly jigs. Gadwall and mallard flank feathers are the best and to save money go to a park with ducks and walk around the lake and there should be some feathers laying around. Wash them really good before tying them. I've caught tens of thousands of crappie with the duck feather jigs fishing them under a weighted float. I tie them on hooks from a #1 to a #12. Last year I caught a 3.10 Black crappie on a 1/48 chub head with a #10 hook. Here are a couple pics.

Black one is my best Dale Hollow fly.

Hey Q, you ever get wallys in Dale Hollow? Biggest smallie? Fish the Cumberland River?

As the late fishing show host Mike Sakamoto says "any color works as long as its black". As mentioned black mink 1/16 #6 tie remains best choice for river trout and canal smallies during low slow flow here in west central Nebraska.

Update on Texas cut 3/8 rabbit zonker ties - fishing in HI sucked with many skunks & best was maybe a single decent fish per session. One such the only fish caught a moi bit a 1/4 red head shad dart with a Texas red zonker square tied crosscut. A black version did OK with lesser quality bycatch.

Haven't tried yet, does anyone fish black jigs at night?

Billy Westmorland use to tie & fish a buck tail jig and was very effective.

A guy who's fished Dale Hollow since it was damed asked me to make him a bunch of white rabbit zonker/crosscut jigs from me with red eyes.

I personally like black with some purple accent or green pumpkin with orange accent.

Since I don't have need to F&F, just guessing that most any jig/fly tie will get bit right time right place. With the float providing casting weight and depth control lightest possible jig weight might certainly be an advantage.

Of course we all have our tested and proven favorites, but does that really matter to the fish?

Hawnjigs said:

Hey Q, you ever get wallys in Dale Hollow? Biggest smallie? Fish the Cumberland River?

As the late fishing show host Mike Sakamoto says "any color works as long as its black". As mentioned black mink 1/16 #6 tie remains best choice for river trout and canal smallies during low slow flow here in west central Nebraska.

Update on Texas cut 3/8 rabbit zonker ties - fishing in HI sucked with many skunks & best was maybe a single decent fish per session. One such the only fish caught a moi bit a 1/4 red head shad dart with a Texas red zonker square tied crosscut. A black version did OK with lesser quality bycatch.

Haven't tried yet, does anyone fish black jigs at night?

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I've never caught any walleye at Dale Hollow. Only time I fish Dale is fnf season usually Thanksgiving to mid Jan. However this year they were still hitting the fnf in April. Dale has some monster Smallies several 3's, 4's, and 5 pounds. I like fnf season as you usually catch the bigger fish then.
I have caught some walleye in the past on the Cumberland River below the dam at Wolf Creek. Though it's been a few years ago. The big stripers are in the river.

Altho you can catch walleye year round searching them out with electronics on a boat, the shoreline walleye opportunity on our Lake Mac is limited to the month of June, since I avoid the combat debacle during the Spring spawn on the dam. Game warden I know says most are snagged or netted (illegal !) since the big females don't bite while doing their bizness. I always wondered why big triple treble Rapalas were so popular.

June here hosts the alewife spawn, also present in Dale Hollow, tho that timing might be different. Just got back from a decent session on the Mac - 5, 10x2, & 12# wallys C&R all on a 2/0 Gami light jig head pinned with a 3" opening night color Berkley PB Twitchtail Minnow.