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Fly Tying
Kirk Dietrich

Foxy Glider

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Kirk, have you found the spider bodies produce the best effect after playing with various foam? Sourcing the bodies not so easy in UK but I imagine the fly will not be the same without that profiled body if I play with other foam.

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You're funny with the WD40! I didn't notice when tying but when I edited the video I sure did notice it - pretty annoying. I've tried clipped deer hair and it works okay - just skip the chenille body, spin a deer hair head, trim flat on bottom and tie in beard. I haven't tried any other soft foam as the spider bodies are pretty handy. You would have to experiment with number of sheets and shape. Can't you order on-line? Pat Dunlap at Cascade Crest has all the Scrubber bodies and the Faux Fox.

I'll soon try some hard foam but am kind of skeptical.

 

Kirk

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I might try with deer hair first and look to order foam if im not getting the action. Have you used this fly in a flow? Just wondering does it shake back and forth if held in the stream? Would be good on salmon.

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Have not tried it in a flow, its flat down here. Only flow is storm surges. I would think throwing upstream and twitching it back down would be fine. Holding it downstream it would probably sit in current but I think if you gave it slack periodically, I'd imagine it would go the either side when drifting down. Not sure how across stream would work. I'll have to send you some to try out in the current.

 

Kirk

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I finally got the materials to tie this fly. Kirk has hit a home-run. The action is fantastic with no special manipulation of the rod or line. Just a small, sharp tug followed by a pause, and the fly darts so erratically ..... love it.

 

Kirk, I hope you don't mind, I made a few small changes. The biggest one was that since I did not have my own brushes, I bought EP Fiber Brush. The material comes flat so it takes some work to get it to fluff around the wire core, but it will work. The second small change was to add some flash before tying in bottom material. The final change was that instead of wrapping the last piece of wire dubbing under the hook as you did in your video, I simply layered a piece of wire brush on each side of the fly at a slightly upward angle, helping to cover the head of the fly. Bend the wire to get it to lay flat against the foam body. What I ended up with is a super good-looking mullet pattern that looks like this:

 

FoxyGlider_zps35f9e788.jpg

 

 

Experimenting with different colors and ways to use the wire brush, but the fly is a winner. Already scored a 3lb bass in my local lake on it. smile.png

 

Thanks for the pattern and the SBS, Kirk.

 

 

AP

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Damn Andrew, that thing looks great! Much better than mine. I wouldn't post videos if I minded people changing stuff - most tiers rarely follow a pattern to the T. I started by tying the brush in at the back and pulling forward alongside for crab type patterns but for some reason that eludes me now, I went to tying in at the front and wrapping around the back.

Man, you hid the foam head very well. Does your pattern sink or float? I still can't see that foam head, actually, I don't even see the brush for the tail, just looks like a regular bunch of bucktail for a tail. Did you use the spider body for a head?

Great job!

 

Kirk

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Kirk, thanks. This version is a slow sinker. I do use the spider body; from the side angle shot you don't see it, but from a head on view it's a little more apparent. And yes, the EP fiber brush is there for the tail section.

 

I really tied it for the most part like your SBS; just had some slight differences with the use of the EP brush, as it starts out "flat" and you really have to brush at it to get it "round", if you understand what I'm saying. Since the brush is so "flat", it occurred to me to use it much like you would a feather, flanking the side of the fly. Some of the fiber covers the top, some covers the bottom. The side piece is a little longer than the length of the hook so you can "pull" the wire into position. I just try to get the wire (brush) as close to the body as I can. Hard to explain, but the results are pretty nice.

 

I'll tie up a few more and if I do a decent job I'll post some more pictures ...... :) But let me say; it's the action this fly gets that makes it so damn good. THAT'S why I'm so excited about using it.

 

 

AP

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Ahh, I see. Makes sense now and I know what you're talking about the brush being flat. Did you try holding one end down with the vise of some sort even your tying vise maybe and then hold the other end out taught, you might be able to brush it out in the round easier like that.

Anyway, I like it and I know what you're talking about the sides. Sounds like you're tying it off in front and letting it trail back as a flank. I was thinking you tied it in the rear on each side and then pulled it forward.

 

Kirk

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Yes, a flank. Sorry I wasn't being clearer.

 

Anyway, it creates a nice profile. Here's another; still working on my technique .....

 

FoxyGlider2_zpsfc44fe79.jpg

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I'm embarrassed yours look so much better than mine. I was reluctant to put eyes on mine thinking they would effect the action, now that you've done the test on that, I'll have to try eyes on some that I tie with baitfish colors and I'm going to have to try that flank method. I like the flashy Estaz belly too.

 

Kirk

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I really like the looks of the fly I got from you in the swap. When I get the materials I am going to try making some, I had thought about maybe tucking a rattle in under the foam body to give it a little sound when it is twitched. Have you tried this yet or thought about it.

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