The subject of this article, "The Long Dragon," is a fly I used about 12 years ago, during my first seasons with the float tube.
I call this pattern, "The Long Dragon," because it has the general look and "vibe" of a large dragon fly nymph..., and, it is a lengthy fly, thanks to the unique hook.
So, "Long Dragon," is both catchy and logical... and as good a name as any.
So, "Long Dragon," is both catchy and logical... and as good a name as any.
But, what I remember was the big bluegill I caught with the Long Dragon.
Luck Or Something More?
There is a pocket water near my home that I had been fishing for several seasons, mostly with flies, so I knew it pretty well. I always caught fish there, mostly common panfish - and I was happy. So, I was a little surprised when the Long Dragon started catching some hefty sized bluegill.
Naturally I had to ask myself... "Why was I catching these in that same area, when I had not before?"
Maybe it was just dumb luck.... with me, that's always a possibility.
But I am also reminded of something Terry Wilson has espoused: big bluegill tend to cautiously move in behind a potential meal, eyeball it for a bit, then snatch it from the rear.
Since the featured hook on this pattern is long, the actual hooking portion of the fly is right at the tail, so the Long Dragon plays to this habit of theirs. "Maybe thats it," I thought.
Since the featured hook on this pattern is long, the actual hooking portion of the fly is right at the tail, so the Long Dragon plays to this habit of theirs. "Maybe thats it," I thought.
The other thing that possibly contributes to big fish appeal is that this fly is good at getting deeper in the water.
Once I got into fly fishing for bluegill, I soon discovered that surface trout flies, poppers, and all those nifty foam patterns are good at catching panfish... until they aren't.
The main strike against them is that they are primarily a shallow, surface water game....and eventually the surface bite dies.
That's when a certain reality steps in: bigger bluegill mostly live close to the bottom, in deeper water.
The surface bite dies because the big bulls and hens prefer the bottom layer of water. This is especially so as the season warms, and the sun climbs higher.
The light entering the water becomes brighter, the surface water gets warm, or maybe even hot, and there is less oxygen in the upper layers.
But its cool and dark nearer the bottom, and more and more food items become available to them down below. So they go deeper, and come to the surface less often. And as the old saying goes, "...you can't catch 'em where they aint."
Thus, to increase your odds of catching bigger bluegill, you should arm yourself to fish deeper.
What Is Deep?
You might now be asking what I mean by, "deeper water?"
The answer is simple: "the deepest water within the given area where you are fishing."
It might be a hundred feet deep a mile down the lake, but the deepest water in the vicinity where you are right now may be only be 10 feet... so THAT is the deepest water in the area, and that's where the better, mature fish choose to spend most of their time.
The goal, then, is to either catch them down in this deeper water, or more likely, to intercept them where it leads directly to feeding areas.
This means you'll need flies that will get down in the water, and they will need to resemble something a fish would
want to eat - enter the NYMPH pattern.
The answer is simple: "the deepest water within the given area where you are fishing."
It might be a hundred feet deep a mile down the lake, but the deepest water in the vicinity where you are right now may be only be 10 feet... so THAT is the deepest water in the area, and that's where the better, mature fish choose to spend most of their time.
The goal, then, is to either catch them down in this deeper water, or more likely, to intercept them where it leads directly to feeding areas.
This means you'll need flies that will get down in the water, and they will need to resemble something a fish would
want to eat - enter the NYMPH pattern.
Make Mine Nymphs
The main idea here is to present something that looks like what the fish I'm is already eating, down where they move from the deeper water. For bigger bluegill, that is probably going to be something like a large nymph, or perhaps a small fish.
The main idea here is to present something that looks like what the fish I'm is already eating, down where they move from the deeper water. For bigger bluegill, that is probably going to be something like a large nymph, or perhaps a small fish.
And while it is true that these guys will take a baitfish when they can, their mouths are still small, and they feed primarily on invertebrates...like nymphs.
If I was to name a single fly for bluegill, it wouldn't be a popper or foam bug - it would be a nymph pattern.
If I was to name a single fly for bluegill, it wouldn't be a popper or foam bug - it would be a nymph pattern.
FLY NOTES
Okay, enough gabbing; lets get into this.
For this pattern I chose to go with a modified Briminator, because it closely resembles a large nymph, I already had success with the type, and it was one I was good at tying.
But it is the hook that makes the difference.
Unique Hook For A Fly
Okay, enough gabbing; lets get into this.
For this pattern I chose to go with a modified Briminator, because it closely resembles a large nymph, I already had success with the type, and it was one I was good at tying.
But it is the hook that makes the difference.
Unique Hook For A Fly
I was sitting at my tying desk one evening and was struck with a thought: "Why not use a radically different kind of hook? How about a cricket hook? That's definitely different."
If you aren't familiar with the cricket hook, it is technically a round bend, Aberdeen hook with a 4x or 5x long wire shank. A similar style is known as the, "Carlisle" hook.
But it is that long shank that is the difference; it lets you create a "stretched" version of your favorite fly.
A few other features of the cricket hook make it a good choice.
1. It is needle sharp and penetrates a fish's jaw easily. Keep it sharp and it nearly sets itself.
2. It is readily available at any tackle shop or Walmart under the Eagle Claw name.
3. It is not too expensive...just under $2 for 10, as of this writing.
4. It can be pulled free from snags.
That last one, #4, deserves a special note.
But it is that long shank that is the difference; it lets you create a "stretched" version of your favorite fly.
A few other features of the cricket hook make it a good choice.
1. It is needle sharp and penetrates a fish's jaw easily. Keep it sharp and it nearly sets itself.
2. It is readily available at any tackle shop or Walmart under the Eagle Claw name.
3. It is not too expensive...just under $2 for 10, as of this writing.
4. It can be pulled free from snags.
That last one, #4, deserves a special note.
Sometimes our flies snag on wood and other obstructions; it happens to all of us.
When that happens, just point your rod tip at the fly, apply steady tension on the line, and pull straight towards you.
If you tied a good knot, and your tippet can take the strain, the hook will actually begin to straighten... and voila! It very often pulls free from the snag.
Then, using your forceps or needle- nose pliers, you bend it back into shape and you're back in the game. Easy-peasy.
If these hooks have a drawback, it is that they are heat treated steel wire and not forged steel. This means they are not rhino-strong. But in my experience, they are adequate for most any bass and bluegill you'll encounter with this fly, when coupled with the naturally springy, shock-absorbing qualities of the rod and line plays.
Long Dragon - Details
The basic Briminator that is the foundation of the Long Dragon probably needs little introduction; it has become quite popular over the last 40 years. It is easy to tie, and requires nothing but basic, common materials. But in case you're not familiar, I wrote an article about it, here:
When that happens, just point your rod tip at the fly, apply steady tension on the line, and pull straight towards you.
If you tied a good knot, and your tippet can take the strain, the hook will actually begin to straighten... and voila! It very often pulls free from the snag.
Then, using your forceps or needle- nose pliers, you bend it back into shape and you're back in the game. Easy-peasy.
If these hooks have a drawback, it is that they are heat treated steel wire and not forged steel. This means they are not rhino-strong. But in my experience, they are adequate for most any bass and bluegill you'll encounter with this fly, when coupled with the naturally springy, shock-absorbing qualities of the rod and line plays.
Long Dragon - Details
The basic Briminator that is the foundation of the Long Dragon probably needs little introduction; it has become quite popular over the last 40 years. It is easy to tie, and requires nothing but basic, common materials. But in case you're not familiar, I wrote an article about it, here:
THE BRIMINATOR
And that is really all we have in the Long Dragon - a Briminator with an extended-body. So, I won't go deep into the tying sequence, here. For THAT, see the above link.
And that is really all we have in the Long Dragon - a Briminator with an extended-body. So, I won't go deep into the tying sequence, here. For THAT, see the above link.
However, to help the bigger Long Dragons get down in the water (sizes #6 and #4), I do change one thing: THE EYES.
They may not look special, but they are rather unique. Unlike the usual bead-chain eyes normally seen on the Briminator, I use hematite/magnetite craft beads on the bigger ones.
These beads come in the same sizes as most craft beads, and they are shiny black, which is good in my opinion. But, they are quite a bit heavier than any glass bead, or bead chain, without being gargantuan.
For the same size, they approach lead eyes in weight, and are significantly heavier than bead-chain.
These beads come in the same sizes as most craft beads, and they are shiny black, which is good in my opinion. But, they are quite a bit heavier than any glass bead, or bead chain, without being gargantuan.
For the same size, they approach lead eyes in weight, and are significantly heavier than bead-chain.
Lastly, they are slightly magnetic. I don't think this adds any mysterious fish catching properties but, who knows - maybe it does?
To use these beads, I employ the melted-monofilament technique to make a pair of eyes on a central stem, which I then mount on the hook in the usual way.
See the pics below to see what I mean...
Beads stuck together by magnetism
Mono core to be melted with a cigarette lighter.
Mono core melted on both ends
Finished eyes
Eyes mounted on hook; dab of nail polish
to finish off.
Complete fly with eyes
So, why not just use lead eyes? Go ahead if you have them. But I use the hematite beads because they are inexpensive AND readily available at craft and hobby outlets. I also like the self-sufficiency of crafting my own eyes.
Fishing The Long Dragon
The first rule of catching fish is fishing where they are, and we've covered that already.
The second rule is you must give them something that looks like their usual food, and we've addressed that by mimicking a large aquatic nymph pattern.
The second rule is you must give them something that looks like their usual food, and we've addressed that by mimicking a large aquatic nymph pattern.
And here's why I go big with these.
My area lakes are full of large dragonfly nymphs. I've found these nymphs over 2" long, so I know the fish will recognize them as tasty food. With 350 species of dragonflies in North America alone, odds are quite good you have big nymphs in YOUR waters, too.
Another possibility is that down in the dim light of deeper water, the Long Dragon may appear like a small crayfish. So without duplicating any one thing, we are covering at least two options with one fly.
The nymphs discussed here are either free swimming, or wholly bottom dwelling, and crayfish tend to be down among the rocks. So there's your hint on using the Long Dragon: fish it down near the bottom where deeper water comes right up to shallower feeding areas.
The beads are pretty heavy so they get down fairly well, and if needed, some extra weight can be added to the leader in the form of tungsten putty, Twist-On weights, or the old-school trick of a small split-shot on a loop at the hook eye.
With this in mind, two ways to fish the Long Dragon are obvious...
1. First, always look for places where deep water abuts shallow feeding areas.
2. Fish the Long dragon as a slow-ish sinking pattern, tight around the deep side of cover - docks, wood, rocks, weeds.
Count them down, then keep them moving along with small strips and the occasional sharp snap to jig them upwards, like a nymph "jetting" along..., then let them glide back down.
3. Fish them weighted, or on a sinking line, right near the bottom, as crawling/swimming imitations of dragonfly nymphs or crayfish. Again, work them along the edge line between deep water and feeding cover.
The combination of light wire hook and heavy eyes makes the hook point ride up, so they tend to snag a bit less than conventional, hook-down patterns.
I mentioned the split-shot, eye loop method above - here's how to do that.
Tie the fly onto the tippet or line with a large 1" loop at the hook eye, and attach a small split shot to the bottom of the loop. This is less bother than fiddling with a shot dropper
Then, just use a slow retrieve and keep them moving like they're creeping along near the bottom.
Bass love a large morsel, too, so I suppose the big Long Dragons will appeal to these gamey fish. I've never targeted bass this way, so I can't honestly say this is a, "bass fly."
But knowing how they love to crash any party, I can't imagine a Long Dragon would fail to get their attention.
But knowing how they love to crash any party, I can't imagine a Long Dragon would fail to get their attention.
Hematite eyes
Bead chain eyes
Long Dragons, front to back:
small, bead chain eye
small, bead chain eye
Larger, hematite eyes
The Long Dragon doesn’t duplicate anything in particular, but in the immortal words of Polly Rosborough, ...”it looks like something a fish would want to eat.”
And that's really what it's all about.
And that's really what it's all about.
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Writers should always strive for a job well done... even half-baked ones like me. So if you found value in this article, please like, comment, and share it.
Do you want to add the catching flies seen here to your own fly or tackle box?
Do you have questions, compliments, or suggestions?
If so, email me at...dahutist@gmail.com
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