Shad and Herring Patterns

[Philly 0]

I'm in the process of tying up some shad and herring patterns for a friend to use on the Roanoke River this spring for stripers. Here are a pictures of a couple of the prototypes. The larger flies are up against a 12 inch ruler in the picture. The smaller herring pattern is about 8 inches long, and the smaller shad about 6 inches. Any comments would be appreciated.

 

 

 

http://www.flytyingforum.com/uploads/gallery43cdb7ed4804d.jpg[/img

[Philly 0]

The picture of the smaller flies didn't make it. Let me try again.

 

[James Daly 0]

Comments? What Comments? The only one I got is, a striper will absolutely knock the piss out of those flies!!!! Those are great ties!! I love the bulkiness. They'll definately push water and create quite a stir. Tell your buddy good luck, but he won't need it with those. James D TB7 :headbang: :clapping: :cheers:

[harleyhunter 0]

Very very nice. Those babies are going to definately be fish getters.

 

Sam

[Joe Hard 0]

Im with Troutbum7, Maybe a longer shanked hook on the larger patterns. I would tell your freind to HOLD ON!, and that he might want to bring an extra line just in case.

[duckydoty 0]

Nice looking flies! What kind of set-up would you use to sling a monster like that through the air?

What size hook are you tying them on?

Duckydoty

[mb82 0]

Very nice

[Sean Juan 0]

Very nice...I love using big flies for stripers.

 

What material are you using to tie those, it almost looks like a yak hair synthetic blend I really like the subtle shimmer.

 

Do you add weight to counter act wind resistance or can you cast them fine without. On most of my big patterns I add a lead keel so you can throw them like lawn darts.

[sage8wt 0]

Great looking patterns!!!

[Ashby 0]

I'm with Troutbum, you are going to have your hands full when those hit the water. Awesome ties man :headbang:

 

Ashby

[Philly 0]

Thanks for the compliments, guys.

Duckydoty

Not sure what he's going to be using. We're thinking a 10 wgt for the larger flies, an 8 wgt for the smaller ones. I've actually sent the two larger ones to another friend who fishes the Delta region around Sacramento. Since salt water fly fishing is shut down around here for the winter, he has a couple of months to see how they cast, look and ride in the water and give me some feedback on them.

The smaller ones are tied on 5/0, the mid-size ones on either 7/0 or 8/0 and the large ones on 10/0.

 

Joe:

I'd brought some Partridge pike hooks in 4/0 and 8/0 which are long shank, but my friend felt they didn't have enough iron in them if he hooked into a large striper. I'll use them for my own ties. I've got some deer hair I want to spin on the 4/0's and I'll probably do some Perch/Fire Tiger ones on the 8/0's

 

Sean Juan:

The 11-12 inch ones are tied/going to be tied using Fuzzy Fiber. The 6-9 inch ones will be tied using Mirror Image. I tried tying a large one tonight and it looked crappy using the Mirror Image.

The shimmer, the materials themselves are translucent, but what I do is blend the flash material with the artificial hair before I tie. I use Angel Hair with the Mirror image and Sparkle Flash or Polar Flash with the Fuzzy Fiber. A lot of local tyers use a 2 to 1 or 3 to 1 ratio of flash to hair. Since I use this stuff for fresh water pattern I use a 1 to 1 ratio. One pack of flash to one pack of hair.

I haven't weighted them, the idea was to create the lightest fly possible. They're tied so that the bottom is tapered to be narrower than the top. I'm using a larger hook than a lot of locals would use for a similar sized fly so I'm hoping that will provide my keel for me.

 

 

[Sean Juan 0]

Thanks for the tips I'm always looking for new long materials to try - yak hair is great but one pak of hair barely gets you through one fly.

 

The weighing thing is something I learned at a show a while back. Basically the idea is that the problem casting a 12" fly isn't weight so much as air resistance, its basically like casting a kite. If you weigh the fly with a lead keel to counter the air resistance the fly will be heavier but will cut through the air on a cast better.

 

The way to know when you have the right amount of lead is to throw the fly and it should travel like a dart.

 

Its not a generally accepted practice thats why I asked if you did it - I do and it works great but I cast these things on shooting heads which is another variable.

[Philly 0]

Sean Juan:

 

Couldn't resist trying it. I threw the last two I tied like a dart as you suggested. They both landed hook eye first. If there had been a point on the front they would of stuck in the cork.

 

[Sean Juan 0]

Thats perfect.

 

I picked up some of that mirror image yesterday and the stuff has almost no weight to it and it seems to compress when wet, so not much air resistance, absolutely no need to weigh it.

 

Thanks for the tip on the new material, after a while a lot of the synthetics start to look the same.

[dafack01 0]

Wow! I know some bass and trout that wouldn't get enough of those! Largemouth, Smallmouth, Stripers, Hybrids (wipers), and White! Not to mention some rather LARGE Brown and Rainbow Trout. Adjust size of fly accordingly, of course.

 

How do you get the bulk? I'll have to tie up some 8" Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, and Skipjack patterns like those for the next time I hit the Trout/Striper river I fish.