Lightning Bug

[Greg McWilliams]

This fly was introduced to me by BBG'S Dave Kensinger. It is a fun tie and great little fly!!!! Flyfishers need this one in their arsonal!!!!!

Size 8 nymph or dryfly hook dressed with 2 biots tied in for a tail

Body material pearl braid. I used pearl flashabou til I got some of the braid. Tie in on top of the hook shank.

Wrap material 2/3's of the way up the shank!!!!

Dave uses chenille tied in at this point for the thorax. I use black rabbit dubbing and build up the thorax!!!

Tie in a saddle hackle

Wrap several turns to form a collar

Whip finish and the lighning bug is born!!! I also add lead wraps if i want to get it down quicker. I fish it on floating and sinking line both the redear love it in the evening!!!! This one is tied in black and pearl, but there are a lot of colors combos out there that would work really well!!!!

Thank You Dave Kensinger for this fly it is in my go to box, Fun to fish and tie!!!!

[Greg McWilliams]

Guys, Be sure to thank Dave Kensinger!!!!!! He is one who introduced it to me!!!!! He was chasing steelhead with a fly rod and asked me to do it!!!!!! I have a feeling he has several that would be a nice addition to a flybox!!!!!!

[dave kensinger]

Well  the creeks are starting to ice up  Greg , so ill be back at the fly bench tying up for panfish. Ill post some flies that never let me down later.

[Greg McWilliams]

Dave, look forward to those got to's!!!!! The lightningbug is fun to tie and fish!!!!!! The redear hammered it late in the evening in the shallows!!!!!!

[Jen Nayfly]

Hey Greg any idea where I can get more of the colored braid used in the lightening bug?

[dave kensinger]

Jen , I get mine at the local fly shops because we use it in steelhead flies but bass pro carries it in all the colors but blue and purple it runs about 2.49  Its called sparkle braid,hope this helps

[Leo Nguyen]

Greg, here's a bit of something I yanked of my dusty fly box, and made one myself. The first is the old fly that I used to catch trouts because the flashabou attract the fishes as it drops, and the wide elk hair created a drowning victim wake as it falls. Very deceptive for being a clunky fly.

The second one, I created to mimic your lightning bug. Small tail using biots won't create attention unless it's in clear water. My is stained. Thing that can cast a shadow from above as it drops is a good lunch time for the boys below. Olive green braid will attract them, since they like the color of green-black. Added a bit of gold pixie dust into the mix by lightly applying gloss over the belly and upper body, giving a shimmering glow as the sun hits it just right. The elk hair simulate moving leg fragments, creating a deceptive appearance of a drowning victim.

[Florida Boy]

I've used something very similar to this before, except it had marabou instead of biots for the tail, awesome little Fly, I'm gonna have to pick up some biots and tie up a few of these

[Jen Nayfly]

Here's a little different version of this fly. This is a great gill getter!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.sfotf.ca/fly-tying/2009/7/15/lightning-bug.html

[Leo Nguyen]

Nice variation of the late dragonfly nymph. Thanks for the info. Will use it.

[dick tabbert]

Thank you Greg. It is a neat looking fly and I can see why a fish would like it.