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Frequent FFSW contributor, Capt. Gene Quigley, gives us his 5 go-to flies for fishing the northeast blitz. All are best bets for stripers, blues, albies and bluefin tuna. As a professional skipper, Quigley depends on these flies when he really needs clients to connect. Find out more about fishing these flies in the September/October issue of Fly Fishing in Salt Waters.
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Bucktail Deceiver – Mullet
Bait Migration: Southern Rhode Island to Delaware. Early fall.
Best Bet: Island Beach State Park, NJ. September.
Hook: #2/0 – #3/0 Mustad Signature Series or other 3X long-shank hook
Thread: clear mono, fine
Body: White Bucktail (tied 360 degrees around the hook shank in series)
Head/Collar: Red Bucktail (tied 360 degrees around the hook shank in series)
Flash: Pearl Gold Angel Hair (tied sparsely in between Bucktail stages)
Eyes: Size 3EY prismatic tab eye (Optional)
_For step by step tying instructions on the bucktail deceiver _click here.
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Sili Skin Fly – Bay Anchovy
Bait Migration: Watch Hill, RI to North Carolina. September thru November.
Best Bet: Montauk Point, NY. Late September.
Hook: Mustad C68S SS size 2 or 4
Thread: Danville’s ultra fine mono
Flexi Cord Light 1/4 inch pearl Sili Skin – mother of pearl
Material: Brown unique hair blended with light brown angel hair over polar unique hair blended with polar ice angel hair
Eyes: Mylar stick on in size 2 Plasti-Dip or Softex
_For step by step tying instructions on the Sili Skin fly click here.
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Jiggy Fleye – Sand Eel
Bait Migration: Cape Cod, MA to North Carolina. November to February.
Best Bet: Rockaway Beach, NY. December.
Hook: #1/0 – #3/0 Mustad Signature Series
Thread: Clear mono, fine
Belly: White bucktail or super hair
Collar: Chartreuse bucktail or super hair
Stripe: Three to five strands of silver Flashabou Mirage
Head: Medium silver Jiggy head or tungsten cone head
Eyes: Size 2.5 orange prismatic, epoxied
_**For step by step tying instructions on the Jiggy Fly **click here.
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Mega Mushy – Sea Herring
Bait Migration: Montauk, NY to North Carolina. November to February.
Best Bet: Sandy Hook, NJ. Late November.
Hook: 6/0 Tiemco 600SP or other short-shank hook
Thread: clear mono, fine
Tail: White or polar bear Super Hair, tapered surrounded by metallic Flashabou or Flashabou Mirage, saturated w/ Softex or Soft Body (entire hook shank to past the bend)
Belly: White or natural color blended Slinkyfibre / MEGA MUSHY material (tied reverse-style) – To learn Steve Farrar’s flash blending technique go to the Atlantic Saltwater Flyrodders’ web site.
Back: Blended Slinkyfibre / MEGA MUSHY material (tied reverse style) – thread wraps and back material should have liberal dose of Softex or Soft Body
Eyes: Size 8MEY 3-D prismatic eye, epoxied on top and bottom.
_**For step by step tying instructions on the Mega Mushy **click here._
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Hollow Fleye – Adult Menhaden (Bunker)
Bait Migration: Cape Cod, MA to North Carolina. October thru March.
Best Bet: Outer Banks, NC. January
Hook: #2/0 – #3/0 Mustad Signature Series or other 3X long-shank hook
Thread: Clear mono, fine
Body: White Bucktail (tied 360 degrees around the hook shank in a reverse tie series)
Head/Collar: Yellow Bucktail (tied 360 degrees around the hook shank in a reverse tie series)
Flash: Pearl green Angel Hair (tied sparsely in between Bucktail stages)
Eyes: Size 3EY prismatic tab eye (Optional)
_**For step by step tying instruction on the Hollow Fleye **click here.
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To read the complete article, please pick up the September/October issue of Fly Fishing in Salt Waters.
