Calamari!

[Peterjay 0]

While I was experimenting with connectors, I decided to tie up a simple squid fly for testing purposes. This one isn't my idea - I remember seeing a similar fly somewhere or other, probably in Lefty's book. Anyway, I took it down to the docks to try it out and see how it swims, and I've gotta say, this is the most realistic squid fly I've ever seen. It usually only takes a few casts to tell me what I want to know, but I threw this one for half an hour, mainly because I couldn't stop watching it. It has a single rear hook, and with a mono loop under the tentacles, it appears to be virtually foul-proof. The pictures show how it looks on the desk, and how the body material compresses on the retrieve. As soon as I can settle on a connector, I'm gonna tie up a few full-dress versions with color and flash. I've tied and seen a lot of squid patterns over the years, but this one blows the rest of them right out of the water. I wish I knew who to credit for the concept, but I don't have any idea.

[subailor618 0]

Awesome! I wish I could help you in attributing credit but your own work is very good sir!

[FlyFishin'Jam 0]

I am firing up the grill! I never thought looking at a fly pattern could actually make me hungry.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

I'm with you Jam I love calamari must be the Italian in me but if your grilling I will provide the Linguini and clam sauce

[Chefben4 0]

Well done PJ! Stupid question..what is the target species for a squid fly?

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

thats easy Ben anything that eats squid

[Peterjay 0]

Thanks guys, I'm looking forward to tying up some more colorful versions. One thing I love about squid flies is that you can use just about any color in the rainbow.

 

Ben, just about any saltwater fish will grab a squid if they come across one. They're extremely effective on striped bass, and also on false albacore. (which is often overlooked) Offshore pelagics also love to gobble squid, which is really what I have in mind at the moment. I'm hoping to put together one or two bluewater trips next summer, and most of the skippers in these parts don't have much experience with fly tackle, so it's gonna be up to us to rig our own gear and come up with some BIG flies.

[Robert M 0]

I tie something similar it uses a tube for the meaty part of the body (head) that connects to the eyes and tentacles. So without the head I have a large baitfish pattern, with the head I have a squid pattern.

 

Hows your attached? articulated shank of wire under the head?

[Chefben4 0]

PJ, that sounds AWESOME.

[Peterjay 0]

Bob, the front of this particular fly (the tail of the squid) is tied onto a cotter pin that has maybe a five-inch piece of 50-pound mono attached. The rear of the fly (head and tentacles) is tied on the hook and snelled to the other end of the mono. The eyes are GOOPed onto 2-inch pieces of 100-pound mono and tied off the end of the hook shank. Obviously, the hook isn't interchangeable, but IMO, the free-swinging hook is what gives the fly a lot of its action. Like Nick suggested in the cotter pin thread, maybe attaching the snelled section to a swivel behind a tube might make for a more versatile fly, kinda like you described.

 

Ben, I'd be mostly interested in sailfish and white marlin. Maybe dolphin and wahoo as well. There are plenty of tuna out there, but spending $1000 worth of boat time fighting one fish might cause just a little resentment among the other anglers on the boat. I'm unpopular enough as it is, and pissing off a bunch of guys 80 miles from the nearest law enforcement officer might be the final straw on an already overburdened camel's back. I wouldn't be inclined to bother with tuna unless they were skipjacks or similar.

 

I'm no expert on offshore poppers, (hopefully, somebody else here is) but I've seen Cam Sigler tie his tube flies with an inch or so of naked tube sticking out the front. I don't know if he ties the popper on a soft tube, or just jams them down onto the hard tube by themselves. Guess I could break down and buy one and find out. I suppose you could also tie them on a hard tube with a soft tube junction, and do it that way.

 

BTW - why not make up some bangers for pike? I've never tried it, but I'd bet it'd be one hell of a rush to see Mr. Esox crush one of those things. I just bought some 2" foam, which I had quite a time finding - I wound up buying some yoga bricks that I guess practitioners lean on while they're twisting themselves into knots.

[FlyFishin'Jam 0]

The dudes up at Exmouth are targeting those big beaky things with flies. I think it is crazy really.

 

*sigh* i will be back there in Feb. It is a hard life.

 

[Peterjay 0]

Man, those guys are nuts. That's what I mean about taking a whole day to fight one fish. Sailfish and whites are more my speed.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

Squid get eaten by fresh water fish to I use Bob Popovics squid fly on Pike and I know for a fact no Michigan Pike ever seen a live squid but that doesn't stop them from hammering it as for bangers for pike if you check out my fly pattern for the Dr.Seus its my go to for top water Pike them toothy guys come clear out of the water like a rocket with it sticking half out of its mouth but as big as it is I bet you could convert it to a salt water pattern here is a link to it http://www.flytyingforum.com/pattern11134.html

[Fred H. 0]

Nice squid flies PJ.

 

Fred

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

Good looking squid PJ. Good choice of materials to, that ultra hair sheds water and will make that tube sock a breeze to throw. Sailfish must be a blast to catch on a fly; aren't they good to eat too?

 

Kirk