Blob Fly Pack | Attractors For Trout

Fishing with BLOBs, FABs (Foam Arsed Blobs), and Weighted BLOBs can be extremely effective for targeting trout in stillwaters and stocked dams in South Africa. These flies are especially useful in venues like dams, lakes, and reservoirs where stocked rainbow trout are prevalent. The South African climate and trout behavior in stocked waters make these flies key weapons in the fly fisher’s arsenal.

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What Are BLOBs, FABs, and Weighted BLOBs?

BLOB (Standard)

• Imitation: It doesn’t resemble a natural food source directly but acts as an attractor.

• Material: Usually tied with fritz (dense, bright chenille) in eye-catching colors like orange, pink, or yellow.

• Buoyancy: Neutral/slightly sinking depending on materials.

FAB (Foam Arsed Blob)

• Imitation: Also an attractor, but with a foam tail that keeps it buoyant.

• Action: It suspends in the water and can lift off the bottom or hover above other flies in a team.

• Ideal for: Fishing under an indicator or as a top dropper.

Weighted BLOB

• Function: Same design but with a tungsten bead or heavy wire to make it sink faster.

• Purpose: Gets flies down quickly, ideal for fast retrieves or windy conditions.

• Often used as: A point fly in a team of flies.

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Why They Work So Well in South Africa

• Stocked trout are often naïve and respond well to visual stimuli.

• Bright colors provoke aggressive or territorial strikes.

• South African stillwaters can become murky or algae-filled in summer — BLOBs stand out.

• Water temperatures fluctuate, so trout suspend at different depths. BLOBs and FABs can be adjusted for the depth effectively.

• In pressured venues, attractor flies outperform naturals in early mornings or when fishing is slow.

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How to Fish Each Type

Fishing a Standard BLOB

• Presentation: As a part of a team of flies on an intermediate or floating line.

• Retrieve styles:

  • Roly-poly: Fast strip, great for covering water quickly.

  • Figure-of-eight: Slower, mimics the movement of a blob as it pulses.

• Best setups:

  • Floating or intermediate line.

  • Leader: 12–16 ft, with a BLOB on the top or middle dropper.

Fishing a FAB (Foam Arsed Blob)

• Deadly under an indicator — great for cold or slow conditions.

• Buoyant FAB can lift a small nymph or buzzer below it.

• Alternative use: Top dropper on a three-fly rig — it acts as a “bobber” and suspends your other flies.

• Retrieve:

  • Very slow retrieve or hang it statically.

  • “Lift and drop” to pulse movement.

Fishing a Weighted BLOB

• Depth control: Use when trout are deeper or on windy days when control is needed.

• Best as a point fly:

  • Use with droppers above — can pull the other flies down.

• Retrieve options:

  • Quick strip retrieve to stimulate reaction bites.

  • Count-down method: Let it sink to a specific depth before retrieving.

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Tips for Success

Adjusting for Conditions

• Bright days: Use duller colors like coral or olive BLOBs.

• Cloudy/murky: Use brighter colors like pink, orange, or UV chartreuse.

• Cold water: Go static with a FAB under an indicator.

• Warm water: Fish deeper, use a weighted BLOB to get down.

Mixing Flies

• Combine BLOBs with buzzers, bloodworms, or small nymphs for deadly effect.

• Try a FAB on top, small buzzer middle, weighted BLOB on point.

“Hang” Technique

• Pause the retrieve 2–3 meters before the bank or boat.

• Lift rod tip slowly — trout often follow and take at the “hang”.

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Best South African Venues for BLOB-Style Flies

• Dullstroom (Mpumalanga) — stillwaters like Loch Logan, Walkersons, and Millstream.

• Swellendam / Western Cape — stocked dams like Theewaterskloof.

• Underberg (KZN) — large dams and smaller stillwaters on farms.

• Barkly East / Eastern Cape Highlands — when dams warm up and trout push deep.

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 Suggested Colors & Patterns