Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum

Fishing in British Columbia => Fly Fishing Cafe => Topic started by: tburns on March 13, 2015, 06:47:33 PM

Title: Would you fish it?
Post by: tburns on March 13, 2015, 06:47:33 PM
Thought it'd be cool to start a thread where we post our recent ties for feedback and inspiration.  I'll start it off with a big pink sucker I tied a few weeks back. I started tying this year so any and all feedback is appreciated

(http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq246/blitz16/2015-02/92EC5B54-CFFA-4788-A0A6-BF867C512DE5.jpg)
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: RalphH on March 15, 2015, 05:24:55 PM
Nice. A little dubbing around the bead chain eyes might give it a more finished look.
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: bigsnag on March 15, 2015, 10:51:05 PM
.
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: bigsnag on March 15, 2015, 10:53:21 PM
Thought it'd be cool to start a thread where we post our recent ties for feedback and inspiration.  I'll start it off with a big pink sucker I tied a few weeks back. I started tying this year so any and all feedback is appreciated

I will fish it, and I will fish it with confidence.
Never mind about the dubbin for a "more finished look". Less is more and in time you will learn to keep the head small and neat.
This will kill as it is.
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: RalphH on March 16, 2015, 07:19:02 AM
Bigsnag is right, the fish won't care but a little dubbing can make it look nice in a photo or on display! ;D
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: ajransom on March 16, 2015, 10:10:53 AM
Yep - looks like a keeper.
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: HOOK on March 16, 2015, 12:13:58 PM
great looking fly plain and simple. I would fish that proudly as well.

If you want a more "finished look" try to actually "crowd" the eyes a little more. I do most of my fly without the eyes tied in leaving enough room to put them but still have them pretty tight to the materials that are there, then add in your final feather collar which will get it very tight into the eyes OR you can spin some dubbing and wrap the eyes and brush the dubbing out a bit if you want the eyes to create more of a "face" on your fly

Here is a few of what I tied over the season :-

(http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a80/Flaming_Hook/20150104_153129_zpsbszya9bd.jpg) (http://s9.photobucket.com/user/Flaming_Hook/media/20150104_153129_zpsbszya9bd.jpg.html)
(http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a80/Flaming_Hook/20150119_191933_zpsaemssotc.jpg) (http://s9.photobucket.com/user/Flaming_Hook/media/20150119_191933_zpsaemssotc.jpg.html)
(http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a80/Flaming_Hook/20150130_215832_zpsy8tbdtrw.jpg) (http://s9.photobucket.com/user/Flaming_Hook/media/20150130_215832_zpsy8tbdtrw.jpg.html)
(http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a80/Flaming_Hook/20141104_211131_zpsss6rhomi.jpg) (http://s9.photobucket.com/user/Flaming_Hook/media/20141104_211131_zpsss6rhomi.jpg.html)
(http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a80/Flaming_Hook/20141118_113126_zpsy1p7uzxr.jpg) (http://s9.photobucket.com/user/Flaming_Hook/media/20141118_113126_zpsy1p7uzxr.jpg.html)
(http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a80/Flaming_Hook/20141121_140342_zpsrureplho.jpg) (http://s9.photobucket.com/user/Flaming_Hook/media/20141121_140342_zpsrureplho.jpg.html)
(http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a80/Flaming_Hook/20141129_132851_zpswy1ivgfr.jpg) (http://s9.photobucket.com/user/Flaming_Hook/media/20141129_132851_zpswy1ivgfr.jpg.html)

These are tied with varying weight whether on shank or tube
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: ajransom on March 16, 2015, 12:52:15 PM
Never thought to tie in the eyes AFTER the fly is done... Totally makes sense though - ive always had the problem of an unnatural gap behind the bumbell eyes. Definitely going to try this!
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: tburns on March 16, 2015, 03:24:20 PM
great looking fly plain and simple. I would fish that proudly as well.

If you want a more "finished look" try to actually "crowd" the eyes a little more. I do most of my fly without the eyes tied in leaving enough room to put them but still have them pretty tight to the materials that are there, then add in your final feather collar which will get it very tight into the eyes OR you can spin some dubbing and wrap the eyes and brush the dubbing out a bit if you want the eyes to create more of a "face" on your fly

Here is a few of what I tied over the season :-

These are tied with varying weight whether on shank or tube

I really like that black and orange one fly...  Was on the vedder yesterday and saw that colour combo sitting beside my foot in the water.

Good call with the eyes.  i'll try tying them in post my other materials

Thanks for the feedback everyone.   :D
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: RalphH on March 16, 2015, 09:38:34 PM
I always tie the eyes in first. That's the standard advice and I think it allows the fly to laid out correctly. Some patterns such as Clousers you have to. When I tie intruder style patterns I tie the loop for the hook first from the back forward to the eye and then pull the loop material back either side of the shank and tie back. That provides some flat space to help seat the eyes. Then I tie the eyes in making sure they are snug and won't rock or swivel. Then I apply super glue to the whole shank and proceed to tie the balance of the fly.
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: HOOK on March 17, 2015, 11:39:57 AM
I used to tie the eyes in first as well however I found they were in the way of me stroking back feathers and such and once in awhile I would either end up with the gap or end up crowding the eyes too much. My trailer material I tie along the top of the shank and then put it through the shank eye and along the bottom, no need to glue it all with that many thread wraps holding it together.

Doing the trailer material the way you described I have actually had the entire fly pulled off the shank. Big fish that got through into the run below me, I tried to turn it and ended up with this in return :-(
(http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a80/Flaming_Hook/5846055884403024818_zps98442238.jpg) (http://s9.photobucket.com/user/Flaming_Hook/media/5846055884403024818_zps98442238.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: HOOK on March 17, 2015, 11:44:36 AM
I really like that black and orange one fly...  Was on the vedder yesterday and saw that colour combo sitting beside my foot in the water.

Good call with the eyes.  i'll try tying them in post my other materials

Thanks for the feedback everyone.   :D

Thank you. The head should look fuller but the materials are all wet and stroked down when I took the photo. It's a pretty simple pattern actually, hardest part of it is spinning the Amherst
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: RalphH on March 17, 2015, 05:38:20 PM
I've been using streamer shanks for intruders and there's no room in the eyes to pass the loops through. I've never had a hook pull out. I've had the hook bend open on snags so I am sure it's more than up to any fish. Glue or not glue it's up the tyer. Since I am tying the eyes/dumbells to a thin round shank, I glue.
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: bigsnag on March 17, 2015, 11:12:52 PM

Here is a few of what I tied over the season :-


These 7 plus the olive one from earlier and you have pretty much covered most water conditions.............but I am sure you will have other ideas.
Great work and most of all thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: HOOK on March 18, 2015, 01:18:48 AM
I've been using streamer shanks for intruders and there's no room in the eyes to pass the loops through. I've never had a hook pull out. I've had the hook bend open on snags so I am sure it's more than up to any fish. Glue or not glue it's up the tyer. Since I am tying the eyes/dumbells to a thin round shank, I glue.

I agree 100% with this statement. On the off chance I tie on a round shank I also glue, I'll also make sure my trailer material helps to create a flatter area for them to rest against to prevent any rotation. If im going to use cut back hooks then I use the Mustad salmon hooks with the turned back eye

I actually tie a lot on hair pins creating my own shanks. I really like using them because I can get the perfect length shank for whatever I'm tying

Here is a tiny video I put together last time I was out. Ignore the couple casts at the beginning, the part you'll like is the fly swimming in the last half. It's the pink/purple rabbit and rubber fly I posted here earlier
https://vimeo.com/121574846
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: tburns on March 18, 2015, 08:35:44 PM
Thank you. The head should look fuller but the materials are all wet and stroked down when I took the photo. It's a pretty simple pattern actually, hardest part of it is spinning the Amherst

I try tying in amherst by the feather and it always spins on me...  is the secret to getting it to lie back naturally in that arc spinning it into a dubbing loop?
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: HOOK on March 19, 2015, 01:03:05 AM
I try tying in amherst by the feather and it always spins on me...  is the secret to getting it to lie back naturally in that arc spinning it into a dubbing loop?

If I'm only tying in 1-5 fibres then I just tie them so the tips arc back inwards. If I want a collar of Amherst then I spin a bunch in a loop and then just wrap it stroking it back with every wrap

I will be putting a video together on using dubbing loops. Ostrich, Rhea and Amherst are the trickiest materials to spin I find and there are ways to make it easier. If your on FB go like my page Fun On The Fly where my buddy and I share many things. I have done a couple tying videos and have more coming  ;)
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: RalphH on March 19, 2015, 12:32:14 PM
Time for me to add a few.

Chum fry are starting to move so cutthroat, bulls and steelhead will be moving to them:

Here's a couple:

A green one that got me 2 steelhead yesterday:

(http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/p603/sallynam1/E%20Minnow%202.jpg)

A gold one sometimes works when a brighter pattern won't

(http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/p603/sallynam1/E%20Minnow%20Gold%202.jpg)

Two Steelhead:

One wild buck

(http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/p603/sallynam1/steelhead1.jpg)

One hatchery doe

(http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/p603/sallynam1/steelhead2.jpg)

Both were dynamite on a rod rated as #5 (SH) but I throw a line more like a #7 with it. The wild fish jumped 5 or 6 times in quick sequence. Leader tippet was 3x fluorocarbon.

Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: RalphH on March 19, 2015, 12:42:19 PM
Here's another pattern that's been catching me lots of cutties, some bulls and the odd coho and steelhead. I use this one on the Fraser and Vedder in winter:

(http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/p603/sallynam1/Sculpin%202%20800x567.jpg)

That fly has been fished!

hook: #8
eyes: extra small or small dumbells with painted eyes
body: crystal chenille gold or pearl
throat: orange egg yarn
wing: Arctic fox, black over brown over white topped with gold or pearl polar flash
head: egg yarn or wool. Cream underneath, black and brown mixed up top.

some catches:

(http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/p603/sallynam1/cutthroat%201.jpg)

(http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/p603/sallynam1/steelhead32inMar42014.jpg)

(http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/p603/sallynam1/Cuttie16inJan24.jpg)

(http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/p603/sallynam1/Dolly19inFeb4.jpg)

you can see the fly in the last one's beak!
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: HOOK on March 20, 2015, 12:44:37 AM
those are some damn fine Cutties you've got there !!
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: tburns on March 20, 2015, 12:34:43 PM
If I'm only tying in 1-5 fibres then I just tie them so the tips arc back inwards. If I want a collar of Amherst then I spin a bunch in a loop and then just wrap it stroking it back with every wrap

I will be putting a video together on using dubbing loops. Ostrich, Rhea and Amherst are the trickiest materials to spin I find and there are ways to make it easier. If your on FB go like my page Fun On The Fly where my buddy and I share many things. I have done a couple tying videos and have more coming  ;)

Done!  I try to do that I struggle to make them not rotate such that they are pointing outwards...  I checked out your R&R fly...  very cool and will be copying  ;D
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: bigsnag on March 22, 2015, 01:25:43 AM
Here's another pattern that's been catching me lots of cutties, some bulls and the odd coho and steelhead. I use this one on the Fraser and Vedder in winter:

(http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/p603/sallynam1/Sculpin%202%20800x567.jpg)



thanks for sharing RalphH
Title: Re: Would you fish it?
Post by: HOOK on March 26, 2015, 09:48:14 PM
Done!  I try to do that I struggle to make them not rotate such that they are pointing outwards...  I checked out your R&R fly...  very cool and will be copying  ;D


If they point outwards don't stress about it, once they hit the current they'll flow back the same as the rest. They may even cause the tinniest bit more action however they never look any different in my sink once it's all wet and swimming