Salt water flys 2nd generation

[Ryan Lynch]

John, your lures got here safley, cant wait to get out with em. They look even better than the pictures you posted. If i can ever be of any help please dont hesitate to contact me. Regards as always Ryan.

[MJB]

Snatcher,

 

I've been tying my own saltwater patterns for a couple of years now and as the new boy here I have a couple of comments(not criticisms) of your flies.

 

They seem a little over dressed. I have found sparsely dressed flies are far more effective.Are they weighted dumbell eyes? If they are you may find they cast better with the eyes set back from the hook eye ( about 1/4 of the shank ).

 

Martin

[Snatcher]

Cheers Martin this is the sort of feedback I am after. Will try dressing some more sparsely and see how they compare. The eyes are plain goo goo eyes Made from paper/cardboard/celluloid I think. Hence the neeed to epoxy up the whole job otherwise they would just fall apart. I may be wrong but I think the moving pupil brings on more strikes. Have not started weighting the bodies yet but will do if necessary. Thanks for the reply Martin, any chance you could could post up pictures of some of your flies so I can se what is working for you.

Tight lines

[MJB]

 

Snatcher,

 

The flies look a bit tatty as theyre used and been lurking in a flybox for the last couple of months. On the left are 5 Clouser Minnows and 2 Blondes,Middle are 3 Gurglers( surface pattern ). To the right are ( top to bottom) Hollow Fly,2 Superglue Sandeels,Rays fly and a Flatwing style fly.To give you an idea of size the Clousers are about 2" long and were responsible for the bulk of my 300+fish on the flyrod in the salt last year.

 

Martin

[MJB]

A 4lb Bass taken on a sparsely dressed Clouser ( Chartruese over white )

 

[Big Jeff]

MJB, cracking looking flies, are some of those clousers tied with the hook point standing up?

 

If I understand you corectly, instead of wobbling eyes, you use weighted dumb-bells, this must be quicker than the epoxy?

 

Do the weighted dumb-bells with pointed up stand drag/but not snag on the bottom (causing disturbance) attracting anything that grubs around on the bottom?

 

Sorry but loads of questions and I'm hungry for answers.

 

Jeff

[Snatcher]

So am I Jeff,I am sure we can all give each other a few tips on this subject.

[MJB]

The Clouser Minnow is designed to ride hook point up.Yes you can bounce them along the bottom, but at the same time it is possible to fish them on the drift/swing on a floating/intermediate line. The dumbells I use vary from 3-4mm lead or brass down to beadchain ( you know...the stuff the plug for your bath hangs on....assuming you bath ).If I had to choose just one pattern to use it would be the sparse clouser everytime and its my "go to" pattern when I go fishing.

 

I find working with epoxy a chore, hence the superglue sandeels.Just tie in a tail/body of bucktail or artificial hair+ some flash. Then slide a piece or pearl mylar tube along the hook shank, finish the head , stick on a couple of small eyes then slap some superglue over the mylar tube.In the flies in the picture I have probably "overcooked" the hair. Less is more when it comes to saltwater patterns in my opinion.

 

Martin

[Snatcher]

Where do you find the best source for the dunbells cos I will give them a shot. Used to use the beadchain a lot when I was tying up lures for the reservoir. Will give that a bash as well.have also just purchased some flat metal silver and gold "eyes" at my local haberdashery store. In fact they have loads of stuff in to experiment with and cheap as well.Lets Keep this thread alive fellow fluff chuckers.

Cheers for some new ideas

 

[ 02. February 2005, 09:05 PM: Message edited by: Snatcher ]

[MJB]

Snatcher,

 

Any of the usual fly tying retailers will have dumbells of some sort. Turrall and Veniards eyes seem pretty good.