Crank-Fly

[hook-line&sinker 0]

I have always liked the swimming action that crankbaits have so I turned a fly into a crankbait!

 

I tested it at the local pond and it works great with some pretty incredible swimming action.

 

It's basically a streamer with a lip made from a plastic soda bottle on a #6 Mustad red long-shank streamer hook.

 

I'll post tying instructions if anyone wants them.

 

To test it I used my little 7'-6" 4 weight but it would be better to use a bigger rod like a 5# or 6# weight 8' or longer. It casts like a big old bass bug popper.

 

[Joe Hard 0]

Great photo of a cool fly, like the loop knot idea. I am wondering what these types of flies with the lips and magic heads will do in a river current. I have some magic heads and fly wobbles but have been unable to fish them as everything is flooded. Some sort of keel weight, maybe, to keep the fly from rolling over? I tied those foam wiggle one flies and as soon as the current or reteive was speeded up the fly shook its self over onto its side, then rolled over.

 

Did the lip cause any problem picking the fly off the water, or did you have to retreive it right back to you before you could re-cast?

[Jeff Kimball 0]

I'm definately psyched on seeing some instructions... maybe talk to the hatches guys and make it an article for next month!

[hook-line&sinker 0]

For the most part it worked fine only rolling over once in a while. This one doesn't dive as much as it does wiggle. As it turns out this is not a new invention. I thought I had invented something new but looks like somebody beat me to it!

 

http://www.flylipps.com/

[FKROW 0]

Nice Fly,,,,many years ago John Betts of CO tied commercially some similar flys with plastic lips like the then popular Rapala. He used foam body and clear plastic for the diving lip. Later Tim England made a well known deer hair jointed fly with a similar lip, Tim's fly was the "Magic Minnow" and it was published in 2 or 3 fly fishing magazines.

 

I have two of the John Betts flies and also took a two day tying seminar with Tim England, could not affort one of the Magic Minnow flies, at that time he was getting $100 each.

 

I like the creative use of soda bottle plastic and red hook to make a sinking fly forthe crankbait effect, the previously mentioned flys were both floating designs.

 

Regards,

Fred Krow

[hook-line&sinker 0]

The plastic used in 2 liter soda bottles is very strong but still pliable enough to form into whatever shape is desired. And Lord knows there is plenty of it to go around

[Jon Boy 0]

i would deffinately like to see some tying instructions

 

all the best

john

 

[geozip 0]

I would also like to see tying instructions ...Geozip

[fly time 0]

Thats pretty clever, cool idea

 

[Peterjay 0]

Thx HL&S - I've been experimenting with lips on striper and tuna flies without any success - they either spin or do nothing - I'd chalked it up to just one more useless idea that looks great in a book, but you may have hit on something with the soda bottles - maybe the curved plastic is what's been missing - the flat plastic and the epoxy-filled mono loops that I've seen in books haven't worked at all - too tough to get the curve just right

[FKROW 0]

One of the problems with crankbait type flies is the balance vs. speed issue.

 

In my experience with experimenting with cut plastic lips and silicone formed lips (Popovics wool base) is the retrieve speed. To fast and the fly will invert to upside down retrieve. Too slow and nothing much happens. The side-to-side balance must be adjusted on the water, they will not move predictably fresh from the vise.

 

When you get it all sorted out the crank fly has a very nice appeal.

 

Note: One additional trick for balance was doen by John Betts many years ago,,,he added thin lead wire to the hook on the lower bend,,,,,give the fly more keel affect for better swimming action, it does not invert as easily.

 

Regards,

Fred Krow

[Guest]

That is nice!

[willhunsaker 0]

now that is coooooooooooooooool