JakeGerardKud

Horse mane ties some wicked saltwater streamers! ...a friend of mine had some wierd breed of horse. I used to ask her all the time to let me cut some of its mane for tying. It was about 10-12 inches long, very soft, and kinda kinky or wavy. Well, the horse got really sick and they had to put it down. Wish I could find a few more of them horses.

Glad I could help. Although, I just realized that I gave the instructions to you backwards. Also one added tip, cut the popper head a bit shorter or use a different hook (popper hook). I haven't been able to fish much since I've been in Japan. I'm on a naval base and believe it or not, there isn't much beach access here. Going up to Fukuoka late this summer jiggin for giant squid and small tuna...should be fun. Can't wait to visit home in June. Just in time for the cahills and sulphurs!!!!

One of my favorite ties for stripers along the New England coast is a huge black or yellow slider. I don't have one on hand at the moment nor do I have the materials to whip one up for you. It's pretty simple to tie: An 8/0-9/0 Gamkatsu octopus, a backwards cork popper head, Spun black deer hair behind the head to the leaving about 1/3 of the hook shank open to tie in the tail. For the tail I use black bucktail or marabou, and black yak hair or kinky fider. I first tied this to imitate a 9 inch black sluggo. I fish it fast and sporadic. Not sure how effective it will be in a lake, but if it is you will certainly have a ball. Sorry no pic. Hope the instructions help.

I like the "barbless" hooks a lot.....and I especially like the "BigE" Euphasid. Very nice. It even looks simple enough for me to tie.

Thanks for the responses. Just fulfilling my curiousity. I've seen ties that are actually an egg pattern. A parachute with about a half inch of mono tied off the bottom of the hook with a little yellow dubbing on it. I can't find any photos right now.

Just out of curiousity...I'm wondering what everyone thinks about eggs on the back of spinners? I have found from my own experiences that just a wee bit of yellow dubbing or something brite on the tail of spinners produces better over the standard tie. This tiny little detail may sound crazy, but I feel like it makes a big difference and it only take a few extra seconds to tie it in. My camera is down right now...sorry no picture. Also another minute detail is a very small bushy tail on an elk wing caddis to suggest a shuck. For this I use yellow lite brite and I do not use hackle on my caddis. Just wondering how many of you guys do this as well or believe that it make a difference.

A film canister packed with scotch-brite pad. Pop a hole in the lid of the canister with a bobkin and pull it in and out to clean cement, paint, etc. off of your bobkins. A hollowed out Bic pen for stacking hairbugs and an electric noes hair trimmer for trimming them. A toy merry-go-round. I took it from my sister years back and glued foam all around it. Now I've converted it into a drying wheel for epoxy.

Another very useful tool for spinning hairbugs is a battery operated nose/ear hair trimmer. I trim the basic shape by hand first and then use the clippers to neaten in it up.

Thank you all very much for your input. Sorry so late for me to reply. My internet was down for a while. I'm gonna take out the vice today. I haven't tied since I started this thread. Hopefully I can get this fly down. Thanks again guys.

I have been trying to tie a simple woodchuck caddis. I'm not a great tier, but I thought this fly looked pretty easy. I am having trouble tying in the woodchuck wing. I am not using any hackle under the wing. It seems that I cannot get enough hair in one clump to tie the wing...I need to tie in to separate clumps. But my major problem is the hackle at the front of the fly. I can't tie with hackles to save my life. I am using two hackles (same size) and wrapping them opposite the way I am wrapping my thread. I just can't figure it out. I'm getting so frustrated with it. I would really appreciate any help. Thanks a lot. -Matt

Awsome tie. I may have to make an attempt at it in a size 12&14. Very nice!

Thank you all for you replies. Sorry I haven't responded...I was aways for a bit. I do notch or cut the center of the feather tip. I wish I could post a photo, but my camera will not take a decent looking photo. I guess I just need to work on it. I know that legs are not necessary, but I like the way it looks.

I have been tying a lot of pheasant tails lately. I am having a hard time getting the legs tied in neatly and evenly. I am laying partidge over the peacock herl and tying the pheasant butts over it to create the wing case while also pushing the partridge down for the legs. But for some reason it looks like crap every time. Anybody have any pointers of different techniques? Thanks a lot. I can post pics if needed.

When tying with cones or beads, I always tie a few "ready to go" hooks with the beads or cones on them. Then I begin tying. I use a base of thread near the eye big enough so that the cone pushes against it. Then I tie a ball of thread behind the cone and tie it off securely. I take a pair of tweezers and push the ball of thread tightly into the back of the cone. Use a generous amount of cement. This process is effective for me, but a bit time consuming. That's why I tie a bunch of these before I actually begin tying the patterns. It's hard to describe without picutres...sorry.

I know that these are all freshwater patterns, but I have been tying a few saltwater streamers. I am waiting on the rest of my materials in the mail. So, here is my first shot at a mackerel pattern. It's about 5" long tied on a 3/0 Mustad. Belly: Natural polar bear Lateral line: Silver crystal flash, Grizzly and white saddles Back: Blue bucktail, and peacock herl. I used the technique where you tie the hair forward first, spin it around the hook shank and then tie it back. I forgot what this technique is called.

In my opinion stainless or traditional hooks don't make any difference in freshwater. I pinch the barbs on ALL of my hooks. Nymphs, dries and streamers except #18 and smaller. There are very few times where I have gut hooked fish while fly fishing. And if I do...so be it. It happens. It's inevitable.

Thank you all very much for your help. Denny sells only full cree skins. And in my opinion, they're not that expensive. About $100 is worth it to me. I'm going to buy one. I'm sure it will last me forever or close to it anyway. But I do agree that they really aren't necessary when you can use 2 different colored hackles to match a cree. Thanks again.

I feel kinda dumb asking, but what is "cree hackle"??? I was looking at a woodchuck caddis recipe and it called for cree hackle. Not sure what it is. Thanks a lot.