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TheCream

Petitjean Magic Heads

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So a few months back, I picked up a pack of Magic Heads at the local shop. I'll try anything once. I figured I'd see how they worked/reacted in the water. I forgot about them, and about a week or so back, I found them. I cranked out a couple of real simple brush streamers using them, and went out to a local pond in the frigid SE corner of Ohio to see what they looked like in the water. I'm pretty sure in the first 2 casts I said "holy s***" more than a few times. Why haven't these gotten more "press" for bass/warmwater fishing!? The action is nothing short of amazing. I was skeptical, and expected I would have to strip the fly so fast to impart any action that it would not be worthwhile. Well, I was wrong. Even when slowly stripped, these streamers had a tantalizing wiggle. Strip fast and they get a real erratic, frantic action. You could even strip them fast under the surface and "wake" the water surface with them. I caught nothing that night, but I didn't expect to see bass jump all over the flies when the water still is ice cold. That said, I'm a believer! I ordered some more Magic Heads in a few smaller sizes and have plans to give them a workout this spring/summer.

 

DSC_0014-3_zps7234a69a.jpg

 

IMGP4220_zpsfd9f5a5d.jpg

 

Is anyone else using them for warmwater fishing? I can see the heads maybe catching too much current for stream fishing in faster flows, but for slower warmwater streams near me and still waters, they should work really well. These are the largest size heads, on a #1 4XL/1XH streamer hook. I had zero issues casting this on my 7wt.

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The fly looks great till you reach the loud speaker on the front. Reminds me of them kids puppets on Tv that honk. But I bet they will drive the fish mad.

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i tied some streamers up using them too. Tried them in a swim tank and i was not impressed. Wonder if they are better in the water striping them than in a swim tank.

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Here's a short video of the action you are talking about.

 

 

I've known Marc for many years. His products are usually top notch.

These pair up with his Magnum Magic Tool,which is basically his dubbing brush maker, though it all happens at the vice not separate like most brush makers.


Sometimes he will cut a very shallow V into the front, more like this shape ")" to give even more action. If you cut it in the top front the fly will dive more. If the action is too much you don't need to change flies. Just fold the head back over the head of the fly.

 

Not only is he a superb fly tier he's an engineer, designer, pianist, and excellent chef. (One of those guys you don't know if you should love or hate them).

Cheers,

C.

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Guest rich mc

i saw another new style one on a saltwater site action discs i think they are called they have two holes to put the tippet thru the disc , thru the hookeye thenback thru another hole the knot goes in front of the disc rich mc

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i tied some streamers up using them too. Tried them in a swim tank and i was not impressed. Wonder if they are better in the water striping them than in a swim tank.

 

Not sure on that. I didn't have a testing tank, I just went to a local pond that was a short drive from home. I'm by no means an expert on them, but is it possible the wrong sized head was used, maybe too small for the fly/hook size you tried? There are several sizes available. These are the R14, biggest heads they sell, on a #1 4XL/1XH hook and they made that fly shimmy. I ordered a few smaller sizes to make some smaller patterns with them.

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Gave them a little test last night at a local lake, shore fishing for around an hour. Had a few short strikes that I assume were bluegills. I was using the above pattern in a size 4, shad color streamer. I did have one solid strike and popped this bass.

 

IMGP4236_zpsb0312d9e.jpg

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DronLee did a magic head gurgler SBS about a year ago, for some fish in another country I think. I'll have to go look that one up again. I think I remember he cut the lower have to give it a better action.

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DronLee did a magic head gurgler SBS about a year ago, for some fish in another country I think. I'll have to go look that one up again. I think I remember he cut the lower have to give it a better action.

 

So far I am pretty happy with the action. These smaller heads seem to produce a little tighter wiggle than the larger ones, but still look good in the water. And the fish approved, which is what matters!

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After reading this, and watching a few video's on them, I picked up a pack of them from my local shop. I don't do much bass fishing these days, but I'm interested to see if the trout like them trolling behind my float tube this summer!

 

On a side note TheCream, I really like that perch pattern in the first picture. Are those EP fibers? What colors?

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So a few months back, I picked up a pack of Magic Heads at the local shop. I'll try anything once. I figured I'd see how they worked/reacted in the water. I forgot about them, and about a week or so back, I found them. I cranked out a couple of real simple brush streamers using them, and went out to a local pond in the frigid SE corner of Ohio to see what they looked like in the water. I'm pretty sure in the first 2 casts I said "holy s***" more than a few times. Why haven't these gotten more "press" for bass/warmwater fishing!? The action is nothing short of amazing. I was skeptical, and expected I would have to strip the fly so fast to impart any action that it would not be worthwhile. Well, I was wrong. Even when slowly stripped, these streamers had a tantalizing wiggle. Strip fast and they get a real erratic, frantic action. You could even strip them fast under the surface and "wake" the water surface with them. I caught nothing that night, but I didn't expect to see bass jump all over the flies when the water still is ice cold. That said, I'm a believer! I ordered some more Magic Heads in a few smaller sizes and have plans to give them a workout this spring/summer.

 

Thanks for posting your report. I picked up a few of those a while back, and to be honest, I wasn't impressed. Now you've got me thinking I probably did something wrong. Too big a hook maybe? Think I'll give 'em another shot and try to stick to the proportions you used. BTW - I know a guy who makes his own diving lips from fibers and silicone and they work really well - some of Bob Popovics' older offshore patterns employ a similar technique using wool and silicone. Might be fun to fool around with that angle as well.

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After reading this, and watching a few video's on them, I picked up a pack of them from my local shop. I don't do much bass fishing these days, but I'm interested to see if the trout like them trolling behind my float tube this summer!

 

On a side note TheCream, I really like that perch pattern in the first picture. Are those EP fibers? What colors?

 

No EP, the streamer recipe is very simple. For the streamer brush I use, I make my own using Senyo Laser Dub.

 

-Hook: 4XL/1XH straight eye streamer hook

-Magic Head

-Tail: Angel Hair flash and Pseudo Hair

-Body: wrapped streamer brush of Laser Dub

-Eyes: 3D dome eyes

-Fill: UV Knot sense in between the eyes, overcoated with Hard as Hull

-Color: Prismacolor/Sharpie markers

 

So the perch pattern is yellow/olive Pseudo Hair with gold Angel Hair flash in the tail. The body is a straight yellow Laser Dub brush, wrapped/picked out/combed back, and then used a light olive Prismacolor for the back, a black Sharpie for barring, and orange Sharpie for the throat. I can crank them out fairly fast, I usually work ahead on the brushes and do all the brushes I will need before tying the flies. I can do a brush of solid color Laser Dub in 4-5 minutes usually.

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So a few months back, I picked up a pack of Magic Heads at the local shop. I'll try anything once. I figured I'd see how they worked/reacted in the water. I forgot about them, and about a week or so back, I found them. I cranked out a couple of real simple brush streamers using them, and went out to a local pond in the frigid SE corner of Ohio to see what they looked like in the water. I'm pretty sure in the first 2 casts I said "holy s***" more than a few times. Why haven't these gotten more "press" for bass/warmwater fishing!? The action is nothing short of amazing. I was skeptical, and expected I would have to strip the fly so fast to impart any action that it would not be worthwhile. Well, I was wrong. Even when slowly stripped, these streamers had a tantalizing wiggle. Strip fast and they get a real erratic, frantic action. You could even strip them fast under the surface and "wake" the water surface with them. I caught nothing that night, but I didn't expect to see bass jump all over the flies when the water still is ice cold. That said, I'm a believer! I ordered some more Magic Heads in a few smaller sizes and have plans to give them a workout this spring/summer.

 

Thanks for posting your report. I picked up a few of those a while back, and to be honest, I wasn't impressed. Now you've got me thinking I probably did something wrong. Too big a hook maybe? Think I'll give 'em another shot and try to stick to the proportions you used. BTW - I know a guy who makes his own diving lips from fibers and silicone and they work really well - some of Bob Popovics' older offshore patterns employ a similar technique using wool and silicone. Might be fun to fool around with that angle as well.

 

I wanted to keep the profile on these narrow/slim. I figured that would make for less resistance from the material in the water behind the Magic Head. I assumed a broad profile would not "wiggle" as easily. If the body profile is slimmer, it should allow it to wiggle side to side/up and down easier (in theory).

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