Today I had a chance to pick up some bass flies that Johan Terblanche very kindly tied for me. I was away from home during his recent visit but he was good enough to leave them with some nearby friends and when I dropped in on them today to collect my daughter who had spent the night there, I was duly given the flies.

I tie my own flies for bass fishing but, to be honest, I am pretty unadventurous relying on crude variants of woolly buggers, clouser minnows and foam poppers with marabou tails. Johan´s flies look very “fishy” and I´m sure the bass will be attracted to them. They are colourful and look like they will have plenty of action. They are tied on bigger hooks than I use myself which I think is a good thing. Black bass have huge mouths and I imagine a larger hook will be less likely to drop out.

I am looking forward to giving Johan´s flies a swim as soon as I have a chance and have promised to give him some feedback as to which patterns are the most successful.

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A selection of Johan´s bass flies

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This was waiting for me at Nick and Heike Edwards´house

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This popper has rubber legs and marabou. Just the kind of thing that bass like!

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I have nothing like this one

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This has weighted dumbbell eyes and plenty of movement in the materials

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Johan Terblanche – the man himself