# Early Topwater



## FlyLipps (Oct 3, 2007)

Mike and I hit some early docks Across from Big Sabine. Was on the water by 5:00a.m.and spent early part in darkness avoiding looming storm clouds. Caught a 20 inch speck on about my third cast. Was the beginning of a good morning. Went on to catch several good specks and a few smaller ones as well all on top. As a matter of fact all of our fish were caught on the same pattern, topwater BeerBelly Fly. This pattern is weighted so it does not float but will swim to the surface where you can either pop it on top or swim it just below the surface. The fishing action was steady and we managed three specks at twenty inches, missing a few others that looked like a decent fish. Also caught 6`8 smaller specks. Unfortunately no reds. Were off the water by 11:a.m., five and a half hours of blind casting is about all I am good for these days. It was hot and I was tired.







This is one of the 20 inch specks taken later in the day.








The fly of the day Topwater BeerBelly Fly. I was fishing one in a similar color to this, Mike was throwing one in chartreuse and white. Both seemed to produce equally well.


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## timeflies (Oct 3, 2007)

Sweet report. That's a lot of blind casting. I couldn't hang with you guys.


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## FlyLipps (Oct 3, 2007)

Trust me Timeflies, we were tired, but haven't gotten out much so we were excited. While I really respect Lefty Kreh, I once read in one of his books that if your arm was tired or sore after a day of fly fishing you weren't doing it right. He had to only be talking about freshwater four weights because every day I fish saltwater and blind cast for four hours or more, I AM TIRED! Thanks for the reply.


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## tmber8 (Mar 2, 2011)

Nice job on the fish and great looking fly! I caught a few short trout over that direction last weekend on a chart/white clouser. I looked on your website, but didn't see a recipe for this fly. Mind sharing?


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## FlyLipps (Oct 3, 2007)

tmbr8, Thanks and yeah I haven't updated the website in a while, although my fishing partner/web designer has redesigned it. It just hasn't gotten through some technical issues to go on line. I would be glad to share the design but it involves some rather unorthodox tying techniques that are difficult to describe in writing. They are simple just unorthodox. I will give the basic recipe here, but it would be better to do a demo sometime. Maybe we can get some tyers together and trade patterns and techniques some time. Anyway here is the recipe:

Hook- #1or1/0 Mustad 3407
Weedgaurd- 40# fluorocarbon
Tail center- is a few strand Krystal flash and sparse clump of bucktail
Tail outside- two pairs of hackle
Collar- palmer long marabou tied back
BeerBelly- medium pearl Flexicord
Weight- small split shot or buckshot placed inside inverted beerbelly
Action- FlyLipp
Head- pictured is calftail coated with Fleximent
Head option- Recently I have been combining calftail with craftfur and coating it
Cement- homemade fleximent and super glue

That's about it. It is not a difficult fly just uses some unusual methods of construction. I didn't include colors because that is such a personal preference decision. Like I said I would be happy to demonstrate this sometime. I'll even provide free FlyLipps. Be glad to answer any questions you have


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## tmber8 (Mar 2, 2011)

I would love to get together and tie sometime. I had the pleasure of meeting you when you dropped by the Saturday clinic for the Flyfishers of NW Florida at the old boy scout building on 17th. I lead the "fly of the month" for the club and am always looking for new patterns to tie, especially ones that catch fish. Did you use a sink tip line that day or floating line?


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## FlyLipps (Oct 3, 2007)

Actually I used both, but for the early morning bite it was the floating. As the day warmed, well even more warm than it began, I went to the intermediate sink. On the intermediate sink, the BeerBelly acts as a suspending pattern and I try and swim it about two feet above the grass, in a slight lift and fall motion. Let me know when would be a good time to get together.


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## FlyLipps (Oct 3, 2007)

tmbr8, do you still have your Freedom Hawk?


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## tmber8 (Mar 2, 2011)

Moved on to the dark side and traded it in for a Hewes Redfisher 18. Thursday night we are meeting go at the boy scout building. I would love for you to stop by if u are free around 630 pm.


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