The Llano Fly Box 6 Anglers Share Their Favorite Flies and Techniques

Kevin Hutchison – owner of Hill Country Fly Fishers and author of “Fly Fishing the Hill Country”. Kevin is a certified casting instructor, photographer and top notch guide on the Hill Country rivers. Surface Bass – Llano Bug Subsurface Bass – Bass Candy Panfish – Swamp Monster Tips 80% of the water doesn't have fish, you have to find the 20% that holds fish. You can't necessarily rely on what the books tell you. once you find fish, SLOW DOWN and work the water deep and slow. be careful with your profile. By the time you see fish (especially big ones), they have seen you. Keep a low profile.

Llano Bug Hook – TMC 200R size 6 Thread – UTC 140 yellow Kevin Hutchinson Hook – TMC 200R size 6 Thread – UTC 140 yellow Foam – 2MM ¼ inch wide Dubbing – yellow antron Wing – deer hair Legs – round rubber medium yellow

Bass Candy Hook – 3X long Thread – 140 Denier fire orange John Luke Hook – 3X long Thread – 140 Denier fire orange Body – yellow crystal chenille Eyes – medium dumbell yellow Flash – yellow/orange crystal flash Tail – fire tiger rabbit Legs – yellow/orange silly legs

Swamp Monster Hook – TMC 200R size 4 - 6 Thread – UTC 140 chartreuse Scott Sanchez – rights traded to Kevin Hutchison for a beer Hook – TMC 200R size 4 - 6 Thread – UTC 140 chartreuse Body – black mohair yarn Eyes – medium chartreuse bead chain Tail – black rabbit strip Rib – chartreuse floss Legs – chartreuse and black silly legs

Chris Johnson – owner of Living Waters Fly Fishing, a fly shop and guide service in Round Rock Texas. Guides on the Llano and other area rivers. VP of San Gabriel Fly Fishers and Austin Area GRTU lease rep. Surface Bass – Antelope Hairbug Subsurface Bass – Brushy Creek Streamer Carp, drum – CDC swimming damsel fly Tips better to go light (4wt) than heavy, with light tippet (3x and 4x) the forage base is smaller, drop down on your fly sizes fish the fast water, especially the seams. Swinging a streamer is very effective match your fly colors to the color of the rocks (tan, olive, yellow, pink)

Antelope Hairbug Hook – TMC 8089 size 10 – 12 Thread – GSP 100 white Chris Johnson Hook – TMC 8089 size 10 – 12 Thread – GSP 100 white Head – spun and trimmed antelope body hair Collar – stacked antelope body hair Tail – tan over white craft fur Flash – gold Light Bright

Brushy Creek Streamer Hook – TMC 5263 size 8 – 12 Chris Johnson Hook – TMC 5263 size 8 – 12 Thread – 140 Denier olive Beadhead – 5/32 gold bead Wing – Olive craft fur over chartreuse lite-brite Throat – white polar blend

CDC Swimming Damsel Fly Chris Johnson -Tied Marc Petitjean Tool Hook – TMC 200R size 10 – 12 Eyes – black medium bead chain Thread – GSP 50 white Head – untrimmed spun olive CDC Rib – single dark olive CDC feather Body – spun and trimmed olive CDC Legs – small olive spanflex/flexifloss Tail – Olive wooly bugger marabou

Matt Bennett– full-time commercial fly tyer and the owner of Fly Geek Custom Flies Matt is a member of the Umpqua Feather Merchants Signature Fly Designer program and his initial pattern, Bennett’s Lunch $, is starting to show up in fly shops all over the country. Matt currently serves as the President of the Austin Fly Fishers, and was awarded the 2015 Charles E. Brooks Memorial Award by the International Federation of Fly Fishers Tips You have to be very, very close to the structure with your cast. Big Guadalupe bass come out of current seams. Long pants and long sleeve shirts in light sky colors. Hat, buff and gloves to keep the Texas sun from frying you. Stay hydrated. .

Lunch Money Matt Bennett

Carp-It Bomb Matt Bennett

Rio Getter Matt Bennett

Surface Bass – Todd's Wiggle Minnow (white and fire tiger) Clint Jackson – Owner of Livin2Fish, guide service. Guides Colorado, San Marcos, Guadalupe and Llano. GRTU Officer and organizes the fly tying portion of Trout Fest. Surface Bass – Todd's Wiggle Minnow (white and fire tiger) Subsurface Bass – Barr's Slumpbuster in craw orange Carp/Drum - Suckerpunch Todd's Wiggle Worm Tips fish are always hanging in current breaks (rocks, cut banks, seams) they set the hook themselves the best float fishing is above from Mason down to Homer Martin Ranch

Todd's Wiggle Minnow Hook – TMC 8089 size 2 Thread – 210 Denier white Todd Boyer Hook – TMC 8089 size 2 Thread – 210 Denier white Body – 3/8” white or yellow cylinder foam Eyes – 3/16 red hologram dome eye Tail – chartreuse craft fur with crystal flash Marked with sharpie or Prismacolor pens

Barr's Slumpbuster Hook – TMC 5262 size 4 - 12 John Barr Hook – TMC 5262 size 4 - 12 Thread – orange Ultra Thread 140 Bead – medium black conehead Body – copper light bright Wire – UTC small Tail/collar – crawfish orange pine squirrel

Sucker Punch Hook – TMC 200r #8 Thread – UTC 140 Brown Dave Speer Hook – TMC 200r #8 Thread – UTC 140 Brown Weight - .025 lead wire, 13 wraps Tail – Tentacles, fine rust Rib – medium holographic tinsel, blue Body – mixture rust antron and orange rabbit Head – ice dub, peacock Wing – Tentacles, fine rust and orange guinea

Jeff Hoelter – Accomplished tyer with 20 years of fly fishing experience, much of it on the Llano River. Jeff is on staff at Living Water Fly Shop and is a TPWD Angler education instructor. Surface Bass – SB100 Deerhair Slider Subsurface Bass – Dirty Hippy Sunfish – Dave's Redfox Squirrel Nymph Tips fish often see the fly coming and will hit as soon as the fly touches the water. Try to keep slack line limited and be ready for a quick strike when the fishing is slow, try in front of, and behind large boulders in the middle of the river limited cover, so pay attention to overhanging trees and undercut banks

SB100 Deer Hair Slider Hook: Mustad 3366 4-10 Jim Gray Hook: Mustad 3366 4-10 Thread: UTC 140 or 210 or GSP Tail: Stacked deer hair Body: Spun deer hair

Dirty Hippy Hook: Tiemco 200R 6-12 Thread: UTC 140, red, tan, orange Charlie Craven Hook: Tiemco 200R 6-12 Thread: UTC 140, red, tan, orange Eyes: bead chain or small red lead eye Belly: Light guard hair from red fox tail Flash: gold and bronze Krystal Flash Back: Dark guard hair from red fox tail

Dirty Hippy Hook: Tiemco 200R 6-12 Thread: UTC 140, red, tan, orange Charlie Craven Hook: Tiemco 200R 6-12 Thread: UTC 140, red, tan, orange Eyes: bead chain or small red lead eye Belly: Light guard hair from red fox tail Flash: gold and bronze Krystal Flash Back: Dark guard hair from red fox tail

Dave's Red Fox Squirrel Nymph Dave Whitlock Hook: Tiemco 200R 8-14 Bead: Gold Weight: .015 lead (optional) Thread: UTC 70, Brown Tail: Red fox squirrel body hair Legs: Sili Legs nymph orange barred Abdomen: Whitlock SLF dubbing 02 Rib: Small gold holo. tinsel Hackle: Brown soft hackle Thorax: Whitlock SLF dubbing 01

Jim Gray – 30 plus years fly fishing, fly tying and rod building experience. Past president of the Austin Fly Fishers, current VP of the IFFF Texas Council. Fishes the Llano most weekends from April to December. Surface Bass – Llanolope Subsurface Bass – Borski Slider, Foxy Clouser Carp, drum – Jim’s damsel fly Rio Grand Cichlid – Rio Busting Scud Tips work the water quickly and discern the pattern. Make a few cast and move on. look for places that are “different”. A rock garden in a long flat stretch can be very productive. big pools generally produce poorly, look for moving water. be prepared to walk for the best fishing.

Llanolope Hook – Gamakatsu B10S size 6 to 2 Thread – UTC Tan 140 Jim Gray and Jeff Hoelter Hook – Gamakatsu B10S size 6 to 2 Thread – UTC Tan 140 Head – foam cylinder 5/16 – 7/16 Eyes – craft store doll eyes Body – natural trimmed antelope hair Tail – stacked natural deer hair

Borski Slider Tim Borski

Foxy Clouser/Llano Fox Bob Clouser/Jim Gray

Jim’a Damsel Fly Hook – TMC 200R size 10 – 12 Thread – UTC 70 olive Jim Gray Hook – TMC 200R size 10 – 12 Thread – UTC 70 olive Eyes – med black bead chain Tail/body – olive marabou blood quill Rib – UTC vinyl rib med olive Legs – Hareline Daddy Long Legs Olive Collar – grizzly olive hackle saddle or cape Head – SLF dubbing dirty olive

Rio Busting Scud Hook – TMC 2487 size 12 Thread – GSP 50 white Jim Gray Hook – TMC 2487 size 12 Thread – GSP 50 white Hackle – brahma hen saddle Body – UTC Sparkle braid midge size in peacock or black